Amy and Brandon are ultra cute- they laugh a lot, they finish each other’s sentences, they play it cool but you can tell they are totally smitten. After a beer at the very same bar where they had their first date, they were feeling more relaxed and ready for a photo session. In fact, not only are they beer enthusiasts, but Sheffield’s is also where they celebrated after Brandon proposed. We had a wonderful time strolling through Lincoln Park and then downtown along the river walk, Brandon didn’t seem to mind having a great excuse for plenty of kissing! They compliment each other well and are super fun loving, it was a pleasure spending the afternoon with these two and I can’t wait for their wedding this Fall at the Hotel Allegro!

Totally in love with this patch of flowers!









Quick stop at the MCA…












Congrats Amy and Brandon!

Not only is Chris one of the sweetest guys, but he is also persistent. When he met Jen through mutual friends she was hesitant to go out with him (she thought he was too nice!), but he kept asking. She finally agreed to come over for a home-cooked meal, and was amazed to discover Chis had mad cooking skills and was an all around terrific guy. She fell in love, they moved in together, adopted a cat, and even moved all the way to Buffalo, NY together. They have stuck by each other through thick and thin over the last few years, Chris taking care of Jen as she recovered from back surgery and Jen packing up their apartment when Chris got a job offer in NY. They couldn’t have been more happy to marry their best friend, there were tears of joy followed by some crazy dancing as we partied into the night at the Metropolitan Club, surrounded by excellent views of Chicago’s downtown. Congrats Jen and Chris, you are two of the nicest people!

Chris gave Jen a beautiful engraved locket.

Etsy is such a great resource for all things wedding.

Even Potbelly wished them well!

Roses for the bride!

Maid of Honor #1 was already getting teary eyed…



Sassy ladies!


Paparazzi…

Jen’s brother was helping Chris get ready…

Finishing touches and a little scotch.


Filling the flasks for later…

Chris was ready to see his bride.



Tears…






My favorite!






It was insanely windy that day…

Hair emergency!



Then we went to the top of the city for some photos…

Even on an overcast day the sky deck is still pretty spectacular!



It was time to sign the ketubah and make it official.















Mazeltov!







The band started up right away.











Hora!







Jen’s mom got up to sing with the band!

Silly groomsmen.


Best midnight snack ever… DQ blizzards!



Congrats Jen and Chris!

Hair and makeup: Hair was done by Golden Girl Chicago/ Makeup was Done by Elise Brill  owner of Leesi B, I would highly recommend both to any Bride out there, such great people to work with!

Florist: KLA Designs- We worked with Kate McCollum the owner who is beyond Creative and wonderful to work with!

Ceremony location: Metropolitan Club Chicago- Located in the Willis Tower- Formally known as the Sears Tower)- Great Views and Fabulous Place to have a Wedding- Met our expectations and beyond!

Reception location: Same as the Ceremony.

Event Planner: Lindsay Stein Cohen from Designer Events Chicago…Can’t say enough amazing things about our Planner- she is the most organized, professional, and dedicated planner out there and such a pleasure to work with!!

Officiant: Rabbi Perry Netter (He flew in from Our Home Town, Buffalo, NY!)

Cake: Sarah’s Pastries & Candie’s- BEST WEDDING CAKE EVER!!!

Caterer: All done on site- Delicious!

Dress: Doris Bridal- Highwood, IL.- Great people to work with, thank you!

Accessories: Hair Clip- Etsy, Bracelet- Etsy, Earrings- Something Borrowed from Aunt

Band: Dan Hayes Orchestra- We danced the night away- you guys are the best!!!

First Dance: Marc Broussard- “Lucky”

Uncle/Bride Dance: “How Sweet it is to be loved by you”

Mom/Groom Dance: “How Sweet it is to be loved by you”

Q&A with the bride and groom:

What was the most memorable moment of your day?

Jen: My Most memorable moment of the day was when I saw Chris for the first time. I had been thinking about this moment for a very long time and we had even talked about it. As I approached Chris on the glass stairs in the hotel, he had his back turned towards me. As soon as I got close to him he quickly turned around and as soon as he saw me he burst into to tears and told me how beautiful I looked. My heart was filled with such joy and I knew today was the beginning of the best journey of our lives together. It was such a special moment we shared that I will never forget it.

Chris: The most memorable part of my day was when I saw  Jen for the first time. I was nervous before then, but after I was ready to just enjoy the day.

What was your favorite detail?

Jen: My favorite detail is hard to pin point. I am extremely detail oriented and took a lot of time and effort to create a lot of details for my guests to enjoy. I later found out that they did notice many of the fun details I worked so hard to create and this made the evening even more special. I really loved my bouquet and the beautiful stones that was so delicately places on the flowers. Overall, my wedding was a magical day and I am so happy how everything turned out!

Chris: Every detail was amazing, but I particularly liked Jen’s dress, it was stunning.

Funniest memory from your wedding day?

Jen: My girlfriends and I always have way too much fun together which is why I love them with all my heart. While we were getting ready, four of my Bridesmaids and I decided we wanted to have some fun. We blasted some fun music and all jumped really high on the hotel bed for while! It was an absolute blast and we were all laughing hysterically! it is a memory I will never forget.

Chris: Getting ready with the guys.

Any advice for future brides/grooms?

Jen: Enjoy every minute of your wedding day! It goes so fast and try to take in any many of the memories as you can.

Chris: Relax and try to take it all in, I think it was the fastest weekend of my life.

If you could do it all over, would you change anything? 

Jen: Absolutely not! I’m so happy being a married lady and we had the best time of our lives with the most important people we love. We love all the amazing people we worked with and are so thankful for everything!!

Chris: No, I had a great time and can’t imagine anything that  could have made the day anymore special.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Jen: We are going on our honeymoon to Maui on May for and are super excited! Fun in the sun with my new husband, can’t beat it!

Chris: Maui in May! I can’t wait.

Ellie and Will went to the same college, this college had just one bar on campus, and it was underground. They met while working at this bar, and even the watered down beers and lack of windows didn’t diminish the way they felt when they were around each other. Their college romance lasted beyond graduation, leading them to Chicago where they had their first place together. Although they are now in Massachusetts, they spent most of their relationship in Chicago and it will always feel like home. While Ellie and Will were back on a recent visit, we caught up in their old neighborhood for some photos. They showed me their old building, and even the window of their former living room where they had stuffed their Christmas tree out the window, we went to their favorite bar with an outdoor patio, and then strolled over to the Cubs stadium. It was a perfect afternoon, and a great warm up for their wedding later this year. They were relaxed and totally in sync, and no matter what state or city they live in it’s obvious they are “home” when they are together.

We stopped by their old building.



We came across some perfect signage…

Then a beer at one of their favorite dive bars.



Some Chicago Cubs love…









Love!




Congrats Ellie and Will, I can’t wait to celebrate your wedding at Fulton’s on the River!

Sometimes before we meet the “one,” we imagine a checklist of what that person will be. We think he or she should be a certain height, have a particular eye color, dress well… we might even speculate their profession and what kind of car they will drive. It’s easy to find many people that don’t measure up while playing the dating game, but when the right person comes along that checklist flies out the window. When the yoga instructor met the fireman, she didn’t know what was in store. All of a sudden she was laughing and having a wonderful time, and was much too busy to notice Mike’s shoes or the fact that he wasn’t as tall as she had imagined. She really did find her prince charming, the kind of guy that would run into a burning building to save her, and then some. All he has to do is flash his boyish grin in her direction and she breaks into a huge smile. They are a great pair, I had a terrific time wandering Wicker Park with them for some photos. Their wedding at Room 1520 later this year is going to be a blast!

Mike works for the Chicago fire department, so we strolled up to the local fire station for some photos.










Love!


Jesseme looking gorgeous…

Mike struck a pose too.




This might be a new all-time favorite…

Congrats Jesseme and Mike!