Chris + Kasia: Wedding at Brotherhood Winery, NY

Okay, first things first: this blog post has a soundtrack to it. So before you read further or look at the pictures of Chris and Kasia's New Jersey/New York wedding, hit play (above) and let "Vivir Mi Vida" by Marc Anthony be your guide (and maybe whip up a quick mojito or two to really set the mood). Because when you shoot a wedding where both the bride and groom grew up in Miami and half the attendees are Cuban...Well, let's just say my wife had to keep reminding me that I'm not Cuban, and to stop trying to move my hips like I was. But please, get in the mood first.

Chris and Kasia's wedding was one of the most joyful and truly heartfelt days we've ever had the privilege of photographing and filming. I cannot do their full story of how they met and fell in love justice, but suffice it to say it is one of those stories you hear and simultaneously say "how in the world did this ever work out" and at the same time "there is no way this could've ended any differently or more perfectly." And it is a story full of the kind of love for each other that radiates outward, and is a delight to be around. These two feel like family, and it was an honor to document the opening chapter of their new life together.

Enjoy these images from their wedding below, and check back next week as we post the highlight video we captured during the day!

Louis + Christina: Engagement at Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL

There is a simple equation for blogging photoshoots that are way overdue: the greater the length of time that has passed since the shoot, the more stunning the images need to be to make up for one's tardiness.

It had been some time since I had revisited the engagement shoot we did with Louis and Christina at Morton Arboretum many months ago, and so I was tempted to not even consider blogging about it (feeling guilty for not being more on top of things!). And then I looked back at the images and realized: it could be decades from now, and these images would still be worth posting. Here's a (belated) glimpse into the time we spent with the lovely couple, wandering around the Arboretum in full bloom. Enjoy!

Brandon + Stephanie: Wedding at Cheney Mansion in Oak Park, IL

Oak Park in the summer is truly a magical place, and was in full glory for the wedding of Brandon and Stephanie. With the ceremony at the beautiful Calvary Memorial Church in the downtown area, and lawn games, cocktails, dinner and dancing immediately following at the historic Cheney Mansion, it was every photographer's dream. We hope you can tell just how much love these two have for each other, and just how much fun we had capturing it.

Pavan + Shilpy: Engagement at Promontory Point, Chicago

From Wicker Park on the north side, to Promontory Point on the south side, it was a joy getting to photograph the engagement of these two lovely people all over Chicago. We can't wait to share even more amazing photos (and video!) of Pavan and Shilpy in the coming months, as we have the privilege of documenting their upcoming wedding day as well. Cheers to the happy almost-newlyweds!

Andrew + Kaitie: Wedding at First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh

When "Gatsby" is the standard, there's a lot of class and elegance to be lived up to for a wedding. But the degree of taste and sophistication (not to mention the flood of white, black and gold) would've done F. Scott Fitzgerald proud, and was a dream to capture as photographers.

Andrew and Kaitie had a thoroughly Pittsburgh wedding, getting married at First Presbyterian Church in the downtown area followed by a reception overlooking the cityscape at Le Mont restaurant. And through spats of drizzling rain (which did nothing to deter the beauty of the day) we took wedding party photos on the steps of the magnificent Mellon Institute of Industrial Research. It was a black bow-tie and gold sparkling dress affair, not to mention a day filled with boundless joy as we celebrated our dear friends and newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Stoddard. Here are some of our favorites from the day:

Anthony + Carly: Wedding at Promontory Point, Chicago

To introduce you to Anthony and Carly, I think we just need to start at the end. The ceremony was over, the dancing was just wrapping up, people were roasting s'mores over a bonfire down by Lake Michigan...and the groom was changing his pants so that he and his newlywed bride could wade out into the freezing cold water. Just for fun. Because that's the adventurous joy in life and love you will find in Anthony and Carly.

It was a beautiful, fun-filled wedding at Chicago's Promontory Point on a spring Sunday afternoon, with the sky over Lake Michigan putting on a show in the background. And it was an honor to take part in capturing the marriage of Anthony and Carly, a couple we've known for quite some time, and whose family feels like ours. We hope you enjoy these images from their day as much as we enjoyed taking them!

Brian + Amy: Wedding in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

One of our favorite things about wedding photography is quite simply the love stories we get to hear leading up to the big day. To hear brides-to-be and grooms-to-be detailing how they met, when they first knew, where the proposal took place, and to watch their excitement as they relive those memories of falling in love. And so when we received an inquiry for a wedding a few months ago from a couple from Seattle, I quickly scanned it looking for the beginning of their story. This is how it started:

"Our love story is simple, and true..."

The email went on, but those words stuck out to me, a quietly beautiful introduction to the love story of Brian and Amy. And when their wedding day finally arrived it really was simply, and truly, a wonderful occasion.

The couple got married at Amy's childhood home just outside of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, a sprawling farm built in the 1800s set amidst rolling green hills and scattered stone buildings. Even when the rain began to fall, friends and family rolled back the doors of the big barn adjoining the property, swept the floors, threw down some hay and continued on, undeterred. There was no amount of weather that could keep it from being a beautiful day, and the images below are a glimpse of that simple and true love story that Brian and Amy are living.

Tim + Tiffany: Wedding at Dunham Woods Riding Club, Wayne, IL

When one hears the name "Dunham Woods Riding Club" it begins to conjure up images of elegance, class, intimacy, and a sophistication that comes with a long history of good taste. And you would not be far from the truth.

Tim and Tiffany's sunny wedding at Dunham Woods was truly all of those things, and more. From getting ready in the main house's private rooms (that date back to 1932), to portraits around the grounds and inside the private barroom, to dinner overlooking the spacious properties, we couldn't have asked for a more lovely day, or a better couple to photograph. Here are a few of the images from Tim and Tiffany's wedding below. Enjoy!

Heath + Jenn (Photo)

It's always such an honor when we have the chance to do both the videography and photography for a bride and groom's special day. We love being able to see a creative aesthetic that is consistent throughout the whole day, and to know that we were able to produce that for a couple as a lasting memory.

Last Friday we posted a video from the lovely couple, Heath and Jenn, and their gorgeous Chicago wedding. Below are some of the images we captured throughout the day as well, we hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed taking them!

Heath + Jenn (Video)

It's been a bit since we've posted some of our recent video work, but without further ado, here it is! Heath and Jenn got married earlier this spring, and were some of the loveliest people we've ever worked with. It was a laid back, intimate and elegant affair, and to our delight, it was 100% a Chicago wedding: they got ready at the Blackstone Hotel on Michigan Ave., had their first look just south of Grant Park, took photos with the cityscape background at Montrose Harbor, were wed in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, and had their after party at the award-winning Sepia. 

It is one of our greatest joys in life to work with people who, you can just tell, truly adore each other, and this day was no exception. We look forward to sharing the photos we took of Heath and Jenn's wedding next week, and hope you enjoy and can see the love we captured between these two in the video below. Cheers to the newlyweds!