Chicago Wedding and Elopement Photographer

Stan Mansion Wedding : Melissa + Patrick – May 17th, 2014 in Chicago, IL

June 15, 2014

Meet Mel and Pat! This wedding was a blast! Mel and Pat now live in Arizona, but traveled back to Chicago near their families for the big day. It isn’t often that I don’t meet my couples face to face before the wedding, but with the distance we had only planned via phone and email. Yet when I arrived that day I felt like I had known everyone for years! Both their families and the entire wedding party were very welcoming and friendly and just fun to hang out with all day. I think Mel set the tone by being a laid back bride who requested some McDonald’s mid photos. Nothing like a bride with a burger! haha.

The ceremony was at the gorgeous Assumption Catholic Church which I’m starting to feel is home thanks to shooting several weddings there, but it’s so gorgeous that I can’t complain! From there it was off to do photos around the city at Board of Trades and the Riverwalk before a quick stop by The Kerryman in Pat’s old neighborhood for a drink. When couples don’t do a first look it’s so important that we have enough time for all the photos and stops afterwards or it’s way stressful. Luckily we cruised through photos and even had time for a stop by the United Center on the way to the reception!

Kevin and the team at Stan Mansion were amazing and had the space looking fantastic when we arrrived. Since both the bride and groom attended Big 10 schools all of their tables were named after Big 10 schools which I loved having graduated from Indiana University… even if I did have to sit at the Purdue table ;). Ruby from Toast & Jam kept the partying rocking all night!

Thanks to Mel and Pat for allowing us to be a part of your day! Congrats!

Photographer : Becky Brown Photography

Photographer’s Assistant : Robyn Mathews

Ceremony Venue: Assumption Catholic Church

Reception Venue: Stan Mansion

Bride’s Dress : Jenny Yoo

Hair and Makeup : Chicage Ave. Salon

Flowers: Juliet Tan Floral Design

Cake : Alliance Bakery

Invitation: Soiree San Francisco

Catering : D’Absolute Catering

Tuxes: Jos A. Banks

DJ: Ruby from Toast & Jam

Lighting and Drapery : Art of Imagination

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Downtown Chicago Wedding : Emily + Tony – Chicago, IL 5/10/14

June 3, 2014

Welcome to my first Chicago wedding of 2014! I was so excited to spend the day with Emily and Tony. After meeting them at their engagement session last year (you can see that here) I knew it was going to be a day filled with smiles and love! We had absolutely perfect weather which was lucky considering it seemed like winter would never end!

Emily and Tony are two of the sweetest people I’ve worked with and after meeting their families I know where they get it from! Everyone was so helpful and welcoming that I wish I would work with them all the time (hint hint to the younger siblings…. call me when you get engaged 🙂 .

After first look at the hotel we headed out to get some shots around the city before their evening ceremony and reception at Embassy Suites. I highly recommended doing this if you are having your ceremony and reception in the same location. It will bring the stress level way down, allow time for photos at different locations and best of all you don’t have to miss cocktail hour!

As they wern’t wonderful enough I also got to work with my friend Jesse from Love’s Reel and the guys from Luxe Productions who rocked the reception and lighting….. or as I like to call us “The Dream Team” haha.

Here are some highlights of their day!

Videographer: Jesse Wallace – www.lovesreel.com

Photographer’s Assistant – Robyn Matthews

DJ/Lighting: Luxe Productions, Meredith Chance- www.luxemusic.com

Florist: Stephanie Stopka – www.flowersbystem.com

Officiant : Rich Rubietta

Ceremony and Reception Venue : Embassy Suites Lakefront – Chicago, IL

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City Hall Wedding : Dena and Poonam 4/26/14

May 15, 2014

Meet Dena and Poonam! They have been together for 10 years and thankfully they were finally able to get legally married last month! As soon as I met them I knew working with them would be a blast… and I was right! There were lots of laughs, smiles, and a few tears (not going to lie I teared up during the ceremony) and the best part is we get to do all over again in September for their reception/party in Michigan!

I met them at the train so we could ride downtown together and sneak a few photos in while doing so which was quite the adventure thanks to some “interesting” fellow passengers. From there it was a quick stop at the LaSalle bridge before meeting their parents and a couple of friends at city hall. City Hall on a Saturday = madness. The line was literally down the hallway and out the door. Thankfully their parents had already secured a spot and by the time we got there we were at the front.

After their short but sweet ceremony we went upstairs for some group photos. Most of the city hall weddings I’ve done have been on weekdays when all the offices are open and there are a bunch of people coming and going. It was nice to be able to take some photos with the gorgeous architecture without strangers in the background!

We then made a quick stop by the Chicago theater and fnished up in the south garden in the Art Institute.

Here are a few of my favorites!