The moment I met Jenni and Andy, I knew I was going to love working with them. Getting to know them throughout their engagement made me all the more excited for their beautiful wedding day at Cafe Brauer. Cafe Brauer is by far one of my favorite Chicago wedding venues. And lucky me, I get to photograph 3 more wedding stories here this year!

Leading up to the wedding day, I work closely with my clients to ensure that their photography runs without a hitch. We chat through every single photo request, their family tree, wedding party details and event timeline so that I have as much information as possible going into their day. This allows my clients to relax and know that we’ve got them covered on the photography end. Because I get so many photography timeline questions, I decided to share my words of wisdom with you all today. Artistrie clients – I hope you find this helpful! If you are engaged and working with a different photographer, these notes can still be helpful to you. Keep in mind that every photographer works differently and may have different time preferences. Enjoy!

On a beautiful, summery day, I met Lauryn and Kevin on their home property in the Quad Cities for their engagement session. I loved shooting in the countryside. The big open fields were calling my name! I loved getting to know these two better and am even more excited to be working with them for their New Years Eve wedding celebration. Plus, it’s always a bonus to visit the Quad Cities (read: eat all the Whitey’s) aka the home of my alma mater, Augustana. Their NYE bash is sure to be a one-of-a-kind event and our QC faves Tamara Wendt Design will be making it come to life. Thank you again for everything, Lauryn and Kevin! We look forward to working with you again soon!

High school sweethearts Ale and Ryan are getting married this July and we couldn’t be more excited to work with them! On the most beautiful morning, Hannah met the couple along the lakefront for this Lincoln Park engagement session. We love the Chicago skyline views from North Avenue Beach and were thrilled to use this as the first setting for Ale and Ryan’s photos. After spending time along the lakefront, Ale and Ryan strolled through Lincoln Park to enjoy the beautiful nature and sunshine. Thank you both for such a fun morning! Hannah loved working with you. We can’t wait for the wedding day! PS – Looking forward to working with our friends Amelia Cole Weddings + Events for their Rookery wedding!

I am in love with this session! I’m all about making engagement sessions personal, and I worked closely with the couple leading up to the shoot to make the perfect plan for their photos. Annie and Ryan wanted to start the session at one of their favorite West Loop diners, Grange Hall Burger Bar, as if they were out enjoying a typical Sunday afternoon. A HUGE thank you to the folks at Grange Hall for being so accommodating! Your restaurant is picture perfect. After enjoying some pie and cocktails, we ventured to Lincoln Square and took photos at Annie and Ryan’s soon-to-be new home and neighborhood. For the final part of our session, we headed to the lakefront. Ryan is a Florida native and a former member of the Coast Guard. Naturally, he feels most at home along the water.

It may have rained during Catelyn and Bryan’s engagement session last week, but it didn’t stop us from having fun with their photos! In honor of their upcoming 4th of July wedding weekend, we kept the first half of the session summery by taking photos poolside at the couple’s apartment building rooftop near the West Loop. Catelyn and Bryan arrived equipped with American flags, a red, white and blue cocktail, a fun custom floppy hat and more. The couple cozied up near together near the fire and cabanas and enjoyed the city views from the pool. This setting was such a fun, refreshing change of pace. I’m always promoting photos and locations that feel personal, and what feels more like personal than home?

One month ago, I was standing along the California coast in Half Moon Bay taking Theresa and Jason’s engagement photos. These two Bay area residents will be tying the knot this summer in Chicago, and I was thrilled to meet them in California for this special session. It was a beautiful day for pictures along the Pacific Ocean. Half Moon Bay is a magical place with sea cliffs, remote beaches and unique rock formations in every direction. It was picture-perfect for photos. Thank you to Jason and Theresa for such a fun day! I can’t wait to work with you again in July.

In case you haven’t heard, I live for engagement sessions! Not only are they a great way to get to know my clients better before the wedding, it’s an awesome opportunity to translate their story and personalities into a collection of photographs. Over the last few years, I’ve been perfecting my preparation process to create truly personal photographs for my clients. Today, I’m sharing some pieces of that process with you!

Hannah and Josiah will be celebrating 8 years of marriage this June! I was thrilled to be able to finally work with them. Artistrie clients – I’m sure many of you recognize Hannah from the Artistrie team! As one of my closest friends and as a fellow photographer, it was great to see her in front […]

My two very favorite Chicago hotels for my client’s getting ready photos are, without a doubt, The Public and the Waldorf Astoria. The combination of abundance of natural light, timeless decor, and neutral hues make both of these settings picture perfect for those bridal getting ready photos on the wedding day.