Maypole Studios

Esther and John are married!

2011-08-29T23:37:00.001-05:00

The approximate time and place of Esther and John's first kiss is up for debate. You see, they met in elementary school and John remembers a pretty girl named Esther giving him a kiss on the playground. Her family moved away and after many years and many miles between them, she returned to Virginia for a teaching job. Who knew that a friend on facebook would reconnect them, that when he returned home from the military a spark would ignite and they would be inseparable from that point on. It's wonderful to be reminded of how unpredictable love can be. I was so glad to be a part of their wedding day, such a wonderful time full of laughter and celebration. Congrats Esther and John!

The girls met at the adorable Elena-J salon in Springfield, Virginia for hair and makeup.

Elena-J not only has hair accessories and shoes for brides, but she also had a room full of dresses. So fun!

Why wear only one dress?

It was hot and humid, so the girls took turns fanning Esther to keep her cool.

Time for the first look.

The ring bearer didn't seem very excited.

John changed into a tux and Esther put on her second dress for the reception.

John gently fed Esther some cake.

Esther was not so gentle.

The DJ kicked off the fun with some texting games.

Esther was blindfolded and asked to identify her husband.

Oops!

Then a dance contest...

The girls showed everyone how to do the "shopping cart."

Congrats Esther and John!

Hair and Makeup: Elena-J
Florist: Twin Tower Florist
Ceremony location: Waterford (Springfield, VA)
Reception location: Waterford (Springfield, VA)
Cake: The Pastry Shop (Arlington, VA)
Dress: David's Bridal
Accessories: Tiffany's

First Dance: Michael Buble "Hold On"

Q&A with the bride:
What was the most memorable moment of your day? Esther: Saying my wedding vows

What was your favorite detail? Esther: The candy buffet

Funniest memory from your wedding day? Esther: Alex Rodriguez's ( John's groomsman) dance

Any advice for future brides/grooms? Esther: Don't stress too much over the details because on your special day, the most important thing is that you two are there to marry each other!!

If you could do it all over, would you change anything? Esther: Nope~

Where did you go on your honeymoon? Esther: Korea and Phuket, Thailand

Photo booth madness- you know you love it!

2011-08-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

We all know there is a current craze for photo booths at weddings. I was mentioned in Bride's magazine for my photo booth option last year, and although I wouldn't consider it my specialty (like many of the local amazing companies such as Magnolia Booth or Shutterbooth), the Maypole "deconstructed" photo booth is sure to liven up any party. Rachel and Jeremy had a smattering of creative and artistic people at their wedding, so the results for their "booth" were especially great. From great coordinated photo sets to fun props, they show why you should consider a photo booth for your wedding. Check out this super fun group!

Now for the animations...

Rachel and Jeremy are married!

2011-08-11T12:33:00.000-05:00

Rachel and Jeremy are love on it's best day- warm and unassuming, beautiful and sweet. There aren't enough adjectives to describe this wedding, it was perfect from start to finish. With the marriage of two artists, the details were truly wonderful and every moment was heartfelt. From the bowling alley with the groomsmen, to a tearful room during speeches, and then a silly dance party and crazy photobooth, this day was picture perfect. Their ceremony and reception was at the awesome Salvage One, complete with beautiful flowers by Fleur and Hoosier Mama Pies (and I can't forget hair and makeup by my favorite girls Carley Martin and Teri Furey!). Although we may not have reason to spend another 10 hours together, a friendship with these two is highly desirable. Congrats Rachel and Jeremy!

Jamie met with the guys for some pre-wedding bowling.

Jeremy was bowling an excellent game.

Teri finished up Rachel's hair.

Carley put the final touches on her makeup.

Hair and makeup dream team!

A fun polaroid from the night before.

The dress!

Most romantic bouquet ever, thanks to Fleur.

It was time for their first look.

Jeremy might have been a little nervous.

I think the groomsmen were trying to hide.

Gorgeous!

Then it was time for the ceremony.

The flower girl wanted a last minute hug.

They're married!

Beautiful details.

There were some speeches.

And then some tears.

And more tears.

The best man got everyone laughing again.

Hoosier Your Mama pies, yum!

Bust a move!

Final image: we visited several sofas around the venue to create one composite image of all of them- love this!

Hair and makeup: Carley Martin and Teri Furey (773.837.0948) see more of their work here
Florist: Fleur
Ceremony location: Salvage One
Reception location: Salvage One
Event Planner: Day of, Amy Stockbridge
Cake: Hoosier Mama Pie Company
Caterer: J&L Catering
Dress: Pronovias purchased from Wedding Belles
Accessories: Earrings borrowed from mother of the bride, Veil and headpiece designed my Malis-Henderson, purchased from Wedding Belles
First Dance: "All I have is yours," Billie Holiday

Q&A with the bride and groom:
What was the most memorable moment of your day? Rachel: The first look in the garden at Salvage One followed by the amazing toasts after dinner. It was so nice to see each other before the ceremony and spend some time with our close family and friends. Rachel's stepfather and her sister, the maid of honor and Jeremy's best man gave the most thoughtful and memorable toasts. We felt immensely loved by them and the whole room. Our marriage felt real and blessed in and after that moment.

What was your favorite detail? Rachel: Its so hard to pick just one! It was amazing seeing all of the DIY projects we made along with family and friends come together in the venue. The screen-printed place-mats and cake topper two of our friends designed were our favorite details. We also loved the photo booth Bethany put together. It was crazy popular the whole evening! We had everyone leave a copy of their photo in a guest book with photo corner and write a message as our guest book. We loved looking at it the next morning, it is the best keepsake.

Funniest memory from your wedding day? Rachel: Parts of the ceremony preformed by Jeremy's great uncle, Jerry were the funniest. It was personal and fitting that it was funny because we love to make each other laugh. We went through such a range of emotions up there, it was joyful and emotional. There were also some dance offs and inappropriate polaroid taking that was pretty hilarious. Our friends know how to have fun!

Any advice for future brides/grooms? Rachel: We are so happy we did a receiving line right after the ceremony before the cocktail hour followed by some moments alone. We were able to hug and thank everyone who came which relieved the anxiety of making sure we talked to everyone. We highly recommend having your caterer bring the hors d'oeuvres and some champagne to a quiet space after the ceremony. It was so nice to talk and celebrate alone before rejoining the party.

If you could do it all over, would you change anything? Rachel: Nope!

Where did you go on your honeymoon? Rachel: Glacier National Park in Montana and Banff and Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. It was an amazing rustic and romantic adventure!

Jen and Chris are engaged!

2011-08-06T03:47:00.000-05:00

Jen are Chris are really cute! Their friends had tried to set them up on a date, and Jen thought Chris was one the nicest guys she had ever met. That's exactly why she didn't agree to date him, he was too good to be true. Finally she succumbed to his advances, he made her a spectacular gourmet dinner, which was incredibly impressive as well as heart melting, and the rest is history. He holds her like a treasure, and she smiles from ear to ear. They make a great pair. We spent some time around Millennium park, and then ventured to the Wicker Park neighborhood to indulge in Chicago dogs and a ride on the love bike! Congrats Jen and Chris, and thanks for a wonderful engagement session!

Jen rocked the red heels.

We made a furry friend...

Jen and Chris wanted to take the love bike for a spin.

But first we stopped for an authentic Chicago dog.

How perfect is this?!

Congrats Jen and Chris, I can't wait for your wedding next year!

Femia and Tony- part 1

2011-08-05T19:13:00.001-05:00

Remember that crazy hail storm we had a couple weeks ago? I was scheduled to meet with Femia and Tony the following morning, and the sky was ominous! Despite the weather, we met at promontory point for their engagement session. The wind was wild, but they didn't let it stop them from enjoying our beautiful surroundings as well as some quality time together. They are a gorgeous couple, and our unique backdrop was a great addition our photos (I already knew they would be terrific!) They walked along the rocky shore line while the waves crashed below, then they ran through the grassy field and found some cover in an old stone structure when it began to rain. Although we will be getting together again this weekend for a follow up photo shoot, I am so thrilled with the way these photos turned out. Two beautiful people in love- even a hail storm can't mess with that!

Check out these clouds!

Gorgeous!

I "heart" this.

Tony showed off his heel clicking skills.

Congrats Femia and Tony! See you both again for part 2.

Allison and Teal are engaged!

2011-08-05T18:54:00.001-05:00

Sometimes when two people meet, they just know... Their commitment doesn't require a former marriage proposal because the answer from both parties would most definitely be "yes." They are instantly comfortable together, and perfectly happy. Allison and Teal are both comfortable and happy, it was a pleasure roaming Chicago with them. We started in the gardens of the Art Institute, and then made our way to Wicker Park, taking advantage of the colorful alleys and beautiful shops like Asrai Garden. In fact, on a previous trip to the shop, Teal was buying Allison a gift and surprised her with a second purchase, a beautiful vintage wedding ring! This was a great engagement session, and I can't wait for their wedding next month at Salvage One!

We explored some fun alleys and graffiti.

Love the color of this doorway, and of course the robots!

Congrats Allison and Teal!

Beth and Ben are married!

2011-08-02T21:03:00.002-05:00

What happens when you plan a beautiful outdoor ceremony on a woodsy hill overlooking the valley below, but it won't stop raining? You make the best of it. Beth and Ben are crazy in love, and they made the best of their wedding day at Starved Rock. Even the disappointment of torrential rain and flooding that made the outdoor ceremony location impossible couldn't get them down. They had a wonderful first look under umbrellas, ran through the rain and giant puddles, and moved the wedding indoors into the lodge. I have never seen two people so incredibly happy to marry each other. Their son Damen looking adorable in his little tux, and Ben's daughter Brynn was a beautiful maid of honor. Although we were never able to hike to the waterfalls, the rainy afternoon eventually gave way to a spectacular sunset, we were able to capture some more photos outside after all. What a wonderful wedding to be a part of, I have no doubt that there are many years of happiness in store for these two. Congrats Beth and Ben!

The girls were getting ready in a cabin near the lodge.

Beth's friends did her hair and makeup.

Here comes the hairspray!

Beth's mom helped her into her dress.

The finishing touches.

It was time for Beth and Ben to see each other. We headed outside with umbrellas for a beautiful first look.

They were smitten.

So in love.

Then it was time to get married.

There were lot's of happy tears.

Damen stood in the aisle and checked out his mom and dad.

Kisses.

Hugs.

And more kisses.

Damen got some kisses too.

Ben was so happy!

Ben was a total ham for the camera.

A father-daughter moment.

Time to party!

I wonder if he regretted this move the next day?

Congrats Beth and Ben!

Ceremony location: Starved Rock Lodge
Reception location: Starved Rock Lodge
First Dance: Loggins and Messina "Danny's Song"
Q&A with the bride:
What was the most memorable moment of your day? Beth: Our first dance...for some reason, that's one of the things that is most vivid in my mind. It was the one moment when everything slowed down and it was just the two of us.

Another one was while getting ready with all my friends. I was pretty panicky inside my head (before the Xanyx kicked in), wanting to look beautiful and I was all red faced and red eyed. Stephanie was putting makeup on me and I said, "you know I'm counting on you to make me beautiful," and she replied, "I know" with a little smile. It was so confident and sweet and just put me at ease. Damen running around during the ceremony, at one point sitting on the fireplace and swinging his legs, then running over to my dad was so typical him.

What was your favorite detail? Beth: Wearing my mom's veil and grandma's pearl necklace was a special detail to me and the fact Ben used my grandpa's ring. Grace's personalized ceremony was right up there too - she did such a wonderful job making it connected to us. The wedding tree turned out awesome, that is a detail that looks beautiful in our house!!!

Funniest memory from your wedding day? Beth: I didn't pee all night, that was just a weird memory, especially because I go to the bathroom all the time. I think Steph putting on makeup while I was on the toilet sticks out there too. My drunk ass high school buddies dancing was comical, dramatic leg kicks, doing the splits - they're such morons.

Any advice for future brides/grooms? Beth: To just enjoy the night. It goes by so fast, which was one of the nice things about going away to Starved Rock - you have multiple days to hang out with your loved ones. Which is one reason to not stress over details, it flies by anyways. People that are all consumed with planning a wedding often forget about the purpose - to make official the love you have for one another by throwing a big ass party. So many people asked, "are you stressing out," and my answer (until 12:00 on the day of the wedding) was "nope." Don't sweat the small stuff, because it's nothing in the scheme of things.

If you could do it all over, would you change anything? Beth: Being able to control the weather would have been nice. Getting more pictures with Damen - he was so overwhelmed that night, I felt bad, but we wouldn't have been able to keep him still anyways. Having every person in his little life in one room was crazy for him. He was such a tired guy the next day, but jeez is he cute. I wish Ben and I would have gone around and talked to each table during dinner. I feel like there were people we never even said hi to, but part of that was due to us going out and taking pictures during dinner - which was worth it, don't get me wrong! And I wish we could have gotten married in a less formal place, but that was the closest we could get to make it convenient for everyone. I would have preferred out on a farm, with kegs of beer, under a big white tent...

Where did you go on your honeymoon? Beth: So we went back to Burlington on Monday with Damen, Brynn and Madi (Brynn's friend) and Ben and I hit the road Tuesday. We were originally planning to go down to southern Illinois to Shawnee National Forest, but the weather looked terrible, rainy and really hot. Instead, we just started driving north along the river road, following the Mississippi. No plans, no map, just drove, stopped when we were hungry, stopping for beer at little river town bars when we were thirsty, finding campgrounds along the way. We stayed at Mississippi Palisades State Park (just south of Galena) and Nelson Dewey State Park in southwest Wisconsin - two great finds we just randomly ran into. We camped at night, drinking beer, sitting around a fire. Went hiking during the day. Tons of bluffs and beautiful weather. So it was great to decompress after such a hectic weekend, just the two of us, making babies in the wilderness.

Chelsey and Travis are getting married!

2011-07-27T15:23:00.000-05:00

This photo session was love captured through a camera lens. Chelsey and Travis are making the leap and getting married next month. On day with thunderstorm warnings, we met at the Lily pond and the rain never came. We had a perfect early evening in the Lincoln park area, and they even climbed a tree! I love their sense of adventure, their comfortable connection, and overall happiness. They are truly an excellent match, I can't wait for their wedding at the Glessner house!

Total love!

My favorite.

Chelsey showed off how comfortable she was in this uncomfortable structure.

Congrats Chelsey and Travis!

Bridal hair/makeup dream team!

2011-07-27T14:21:00.000-05:00

Meet Carley and Teri... two beautiful blondes that are ultra talented at hair and makeup. We got together for a photo trial to help build their portfolios and they really wowed me! We set up our Anthropology-inspired shoot, and they created two looks per model, both Beth and Kelli looked stunning. I have had the pleasure of knowing both Teri and Carley since Teri's wedding 3 years ago, and she was featured in Bride's magazine for her awesome look. I am so happy to have them both as friends and am excited to see their careers explode. Give them a call if you need magical hair/makeup for your wedding!

Carley Martin:
Carley Martin
mfcarley@gmail.com
913.980.3021
Teri Furey:
(website coming soon)
tkuhlman22@hotmail.com
773.837.0948

Models:
Beth Kerin
Kelli Manthey

Cynthia and Nick are engaged!

2011-07-26T14:35:00.000-05:00

These two are 100% awesome! Cute as buttons, wonderful to be around, and Cynthia even sent me a pdf file with photos and descriptions of her favorite places in preparation for our session. I love when couples are really excited for their engagement photos, and I especially love it when they incorporate fun and unique places. We spent some time in Logan Square and Humbolt park (they even dipped their feet in the not-so-pretty water for the sake of a good photo), and then headed downtown as the sun was setting. Thanks again Cynthia and Nick for a perfect evening, I so excited for your upcoming wedding!

So in love with sun flare.

Adorable!

Congrats Cynthia and Nick!

Marriage Mondays- Get creative!

2011-07-19T02:21:00.000-05:00

Being in the wedding business and photographing weddings almost every weekend, you can imagine that I see some similarities, but the real beauty is in what makes each couple unique. Those special personal details are what make my job so very enjoyable, especially when the bride or groom decides to steer away from tradition and do something all their own. I am continually surprised by the wonderful people I work with, they realize that a wedding is all about the fun. After all, you are surrounded by the people you love the most, how awesome is that? I thought I would share two great moments from recent weddings that gave me quite a kick.First, Allie and Pedro rode the love bike into their reception as they were announced. Fabulous!

Second, Hope wanted a full length wedding dress for her ceremony but knew that later in the evening she would want to dance with her friends without restriction. So she found a convertible dress! Around 10:30pm her bridesmaids pulled off the bottom of her dress, creating the ultimate wedding mini-dress. Love it!

Big thanks to all the wonderful couples that make my job the coolest ever!

Nicole and Dyer are getting hitched!

2011-07-13T17:54:00.000-05:00

Nicole and Dyer are both incredibly charming, she with her beautiful curls and sparkling blue eyes, and him with his strong arms and gentle nature. I was really excited to meet with them last month, we lucked out with great weather as we started our photo session in Lincoln Park. The smiles and laughs came easy, they were great company, full of great conversation, and any nervousness of being captured on film dissipated within the first 10 minutes. I already knew they were a wonderful pair, but I think the results of our photo shoot re-iterate how good they look together. Thank you both for a fabulous engagement session, I am so excited for your upcoming wedding at Kitchen Chicago!

I can't get enough of this spot in Lincoln Park.

Love this!

The titanic shot.

Dyer showed off his dipping skills.

I'm in love with Nicole's engagement ring.

Congrats Nicole and Dyer!

Jessica and Ross are tying the knot!

2011-07-05T19:31:00.002-05:00

You can watch the amazing engagement video by Jeremy Bircher of 3line9 productions here:

I met up with Jessica and Ross a couple of weeks ago for their engagement session, and it couldn't have been a more perfect evening. She has been doing a lot of research and planning, scouring blogs like "Style me Pretty" and "My Green Wedding Shoes" for inspiration. When she told me about her beach picnic idea I was really excited. They wanted to include all of their favorite things- sushi, wine, music (Ross played guitar and sang- so adorable!), and the sunset. After weeks of rainy weather we finally had the perfect day, and I was also teaming up with Jeremy Bircher of 3line9 again and knew that this engagement session was going to be extra special. Jessica and Ross are such a sweet couple, they are always smiling, and even with several cameras pointed at them they were still comfortable and so at ease. I had such a wonderful time photographing this very personalized session, and it was great to spend time with them. I can't wait for their wedding this weekend!

Jessica brought great accessories for their picnic, like a painting she made of them when they first started dating.

Sushi time!

Love this one.

Here are some behind the scenes:

Congrats Jessica and Ross!

Marriage Mondays- Taking a day off

2011-07-05T18:32:00.000-05:00

I began this year with the intention of posting weekly about my favorite things, and I have been so busy the last few weeks that my "weekly" post has become a "monthly" post at best. I suppose it's great to be busy, but it's also important to remind ourselves to take a break. Last week I photographed 2 engagement sessions, 2 events, and 2 weddings, in addition to all of the editing and other work I normally do. By Sunday evening I was out of gas, with just enough energy left to unpack my gear and crawl into bed. So yesterday I did something I never do... nothing! My marriage Monday post was to not post at all- no facebook status updates, no emails, no phonecalls. My hubby and I had a wonderful afternoon strolling around the neighborhood, then grilled a wonderful dinner while the fireworks exploded all over town. It was great to sit back and appreciate a wonderful summer day spent with the man I love. Although I'm back to work today, days like yesterday are a treasure and give me inspiration. I hope your 4th of July was filled with love, good food, and laughter too!

Liz and Mike are getting married!

2011-06-28T21:37:00.000-05:00

I met up with Liz and Mike by Navy Pier, we had a gorgeous day with perfect weather for our photo session. Not only are they easy going and terrific company, but they have a lot of chemistry! There is no doubt that they are totally in sync and very much in love. We had a great time around Chicago as the sun was setting, and I am head over heels with the results. I am super stoked for their wedding this weekend, it is sure to be a blast- full of creativity and awesomeness! Congrats you two!

Love this one.

We made a new little friend.

There is something so mysterious and cool about the Agora installation.

We couldn't resist a stoic pose.

Fun!

On to Wicker Park.

Lovely!

Hope and Justin are engaged!

2011-06-28T01:48:00.000-05:00

These two are a great pair, two peas in a pod, happy and in love. They met while taking martial arts classes, and whether it was his impressive black belt skills or her amazing shoe collection, they couldn't deny the spark. Although they were nervous at first to pose for my camera, it was easy to capture their natural connection, a wonderful and tender affection for each other. They are super photogenic, and I feel that this engagement session is a great foreshadowing their wedding (just 2 weeks away!). Thanks Hope and Justin for spending an afternoon with me in Lincoln Park, I can't wait for your wedding!

Love this one!

Hope was looking good.

And so was Justin.

Then we sat in the tall grasses to finish our session, so pretty.

Kim and Joe are engaged!

2011-06-24T01:55:00.000-05:00

Kim and Joe are cute, and oh so charming! They first corresponded online, and love quickly bloomed after only a couple of dates. We met up at the Morton Arboretum for our photo shoot, a place that holds a special spot in their relationship. Joe brought Kim here on one of their first dates, proposed to her here, and they will be exchanging vows at the Arboretum in just a few weeks! It's such a great backdrop, a beautiful landscape of wildflowers and streams. They were comfortable from the start, with natural affection in front of the camera, and we had a great time visiting some of their favorite vignettes in the park. I may have gone home with several mosquito bites but it was so worth it. I will hike through tall grasses and risk an encounter with a snake for these two! These are my favorites:

Where he proposed.

Congrats Kim and Joe, I am looking forward to your wedding!

Introducing the Love Bike!

2011-06-23T14:51:00.003-05:00

Ladies and gentleman... meet the latest addition to Maypole Studios Photography, the Love Bike! Some of you may remember my post a couple of months ago about winning this very unique bicycle for two. I have been meaning to use this wonderful bike in a photoshoot but due to inclimate weather things were rescheduled a number of times. At last the photo shoot has been accomplished and is ready to share! Not only did we have an adorable photo session in the park, complete with a picture-perfect picnic created by Beth Bernstein of SQN Events, but Jeremy of 3line9 created this amazing video. So sit back and enjoy!
Team:
Photography: Bethany Fritz/Maypole Studios
Videography: Jeremy Bircher (assisted by Jaron Tauch)/3line9 productions
Stylist/Planner: Beth Bernstein (assisted by Ashley Crawford) /SQN Events
Flowers: Kelly Marie/Fleur
Hair/Makeup: Nika Vaughan/Nika Vaughan
Signage: Laura of Elizabeth Grace
Models: Andi Reich, David Diamond, The Love Bike

the love bike | maypole studios from 3 line 9 productions on Vimeo.

Here are some of the behind the scenes:
Jaron guarded the bike while we set things up.

Nika put the finishing touches on Andi's hair.

Jeremy readied the cameras.

Ashley even loaned Andi her earrings.

And action!

Beth and Ashley set up the picnic.

The Crew.

Beth and Ashley took the bike for a spin around Wicker Park.

They were stopping traffic.

Jeremy showed off his longboard skills to get some shots from alongside.

Beth and Ashley are so cute!

What an awesome photo/video shoot! Huge thanks to all who helped put this together.

Elizabeth+Alex

2011-06-20T04:54:00.004-05:00

These two are crazy cute! I was so excited to celebrate May day with them (how appropriate), I knew that their wedding was going to be filled with wonderful surprises, and was it ever! There was so much talent in the room, and a whole lot of love. Every detail was so personal, you couldn't help but feel special and all bubbly inside just watching it all unfold. I have no doubt that their marriage will be just as sweet and wonderful as this wedding day, I am so glad to have been a part of it. Congrats Elizabeth and Alex! Queue the drumroll for my top photo favorites... (special thanks to Joan of Five Grain Events)

I met the girls at the hotel in the morning.

Elizabeth admired her dress while her hair was being teased.

Alex's brother made sure he had the rings.

Alex was looking good and ready to see his bride.

It was time to sign the Ketubah.

Alex and Elizabeth's mothers made a gorgeous Chuppah, embroidered with all the names of the family.

The bride and groom circled each other 3 times.

Mazal tov!

Beautiful flowers by Fleur.

Kelly Marie from Fleur working on the final touches.

The guests gathered in the lobby area in anticipation as Elizabeth and Alex joined the bluegrass trio on fiddle and mandolin. It was awesome!

Elizabeth's parents kicked off the reception with a heartfelt speech and very clever poem that recognized every single guest and family member in the room.

Alex's brother surprised everyone with a barber shop quartet, with him singing one of the parts. They sounded great.

Alex accompanied his niece for her version of "Love me do," it was the cutest thing ever!

Then to top it all off, Elizabeth's parents joined the Larry King Orchestra on duel harmonicas, they tore it up!

Horah time!

The Larry King Orchestra ended with a bang.

Then some alone time with the bride and groom at the Lincoln Park Conservatory.

Lovely.

Congrats Elizabeth and Alex!

Hair and makeup: Hair: Livia Caparole ; Make-up: Kaylin Clinton (she is a friend of mine)
Event Planner: Joan of Five Grain Events
Florist: Fleur
Ceremony location: Chicago History Museum
Reception location: Chicago History Museum
Caterer: Food For Thought
Dress: Caroline DeVillo
Accessories: Elizabeth wore a necklace that was her grandmothers.
Band: Larry King Orchestra

First Dance: Into the Mystic, Van Morrison
Father/daughter: Combined our Father/daughter and Mother/son dance

Q&A with the bride and groom:
What was the most memorable moment of your day? Elizabeth: I couldn't pick just one, but I would say that the most memorable aspect of the wedding was that everyone we love was in one room together celebrating with us.
What was your favorite detail? Elizabeth: the music
Funniest memory from your wedding day? Elizabeth: Mitch's (the best man) speech/performance
Any advice for future brides/grooms? Elizabeth: don't sweat the small stuff; plan an event that speaks to you as a couple.
If you could do it all over, would you change anything? Elizabeth: no
Where did you go on your honeymoon? Elizabeth: We didn't actually take a real honeymoon, but had a mini-moon in Stillwater, MN - we went to pick out our new dishes from the St. Croix River Valley Pottery Festival.

Julia & Mark are engaged!

2011-06-16T22:27:00.000-05:00

This engagement session was extra special. Not only are Julia and Mark super fun, but they also have a great story. They met through the classifieds on The Onion, and he even used the famous Chicago puppet bike to propose! They are wonderfully unique, quirky, and totally adorable. I was so excited when Julia approached me about her idea for this photo session. They had just moved in together, which we all know is a huge step in the relationship, and they were having a great time setting up their new place. While visiting her parents she had an idea: "I was sort of laughing-off how creative we’ve had to be to make some things work… my Dad got descriptive on their first bathroom, how they didn’t care for a second that it didn’t have a door, but a curtain, for privacy. They never complained because they were so excited to have their first place together. And it got me thinking – I wish they had photos. So I thought the engagement photos would be an awesome place to show our future kid that, ‘Hey, we all start somewhere and look at how Mom and Dad started." So we had a relaxed afternoon, featuring the various nooks of their new home together and their awesome accessories. Then we finished up with a drink at the "California Clipper," one of their favorite watering holes. What an awesome day!

They were taking care of her mom's dog, and he wanted to be a part of the photos.

Cheers!

They have great accessories.

Julia is also a talented painter.

Mark serenaded Julia on the mandolin.

Then he showed off his talents on the guitar.

They have great taste in stationary.

A nightcap at the Clipper.

Thanks Julia and Mark for a wonderful evening, I can't wait for your wedding later this year!

Nicole + Adam

2011-06-16T00:24:00.001-05:00

Nicole and Adam are lucky, very "Luckey" indeed. They are a beautiful couple, and it was only natural that their wedding should be equally gorgeous; full of love, excitement, laughter, and lots of dancing! From start to finish this day was awesome, beginning with the girls at Salon Blonde then on to Salvage One for the ceremony and reception. The rainy forecast turned into the perfect evening, and Spencer from Style Matters kept the dance wild and crazy. It was truly a celebration, and I loved every minute of it!

The girls started at Salon Blonde for hair and makeup.

Jamie met up with the guys a few blocks away to see how they were doing.

Then we were off to Salvage One to put on the dress.

Adam waited in the garden to see Nicole for the first time.

We headed back to Wicker Park for some photos.

We grabbed some more photos by Kinzie St Bridge.

We checked out the great view from the rooftop of Salvage One.

Then it was time to get married.

The details.

The desert table was very popular.

It was time for Spencer to kick off the dancing.

Everyone started to get crazy.

Congrats Nicole and Adam!

Hair and makeup: Salon Blonde
Florist: Pollen
Ceremony location: Salvage One
Reception location: Salvage One
Cake: Made by the Groom’s Aunt Diane Lehmann
Caterer: Biagio Events and Catering
Accessories: Weddings 826 and Fini Designs
First Dance: Etta James "Sunday Kind Of Love"

Q&A with the bride and groom:
What was the most memorable moment of your day? Nicole: Standing at the altar, saying my vows to Adam (attempting not to cry) Adam: Vows. One of the only moments that day where I felt like it was just Nicole and I.
What was your favorite detail? Nicole: I contacted an artist on Etsy to make silhouettes from pictures of Adam and I. I loved the way they looked on the programs, signs and some decorations – they definitely jived with the vintage theme but were still reflective of us as a modern couple (and looked just like us!) Adam: The music. Both Justin, the musician for the ceremony and Spencer from Style Matters did a great job.
Funniest memory from your wedding day? Nicole: Watching all of our relatives dance—and the best man’s speech. Priceless. Adam: There were some pretty enthusiastic dancing going on.
Any advice for future brides/grooms? Nicole: Make sure that you ENJOY your wedding day and reception, and don’t feel obligated to do ALL the traditions. Yes, we could have taken more posed photos, or done a traditional receiving line, or done a bouquet toss/garter toss, but both Adam and I felt that these traditions were not for us, and that they would simply distract from the wonderful celebration that was going on. We still managed to hug and chat with all our guests and no one missed diving for a bouquet. Plus it left time for more dancing, which is the most important part, of course! Adam: Agree with Nicole. Do what you feel is appropriate for you. And don't be shy about delegating.
If you could do it all over, would you change anything? Nicole: No way. Our day was perfect in my mind. There were surely bumps here or there but what day doesn’t have one or two of those. Adam: Nope.
Where did you go on your honeymoon? Nicole: Paris, France; Cinque Terre, Italy; Rome, Italy. To Future Brides/Grooms—Go to Cinque Terre!

Bridal fashion shoot- Love Lulu Mae+Beaver Buttons (part 2)

2011-06-06T15:56:00.001-05:00

Part two of our fabulous shoot, combining Love Lulu Mae creations with the Chicago-based Busy Beaver Buttons, giving way to brand new accessories perfectly suited for a wedding. Our wonderful models showed off bouquets, veils, belts, and boutonnieres. The results are wonderful! This is part two of a two part shoot (the first is below).
Team:
Agnes Miles- creater/designer/stylist, Love Lulu Mae
Bethany Fritz- photographer/stylist, Maypole Studios
Agata Grabowska- model (part one)
Elan Edan- model (part two)
Karl Hamilton- model (part two)
Jennifer Brown- makeup/MUA, Jen Brown Makeup
Suzy Zuzia Galazka- hair, Hairspray Revolution
Adele Fabiano- dress designer, Adele Fabiano Bridal Couture

Bridal fashion shoot- Love Lulu Mae+Beaver Buttons (part 1)

2011-05-22T11:51:00.001-05:00

What an amazing team we had last weekend! We braved the cold weather and rain to take some superb photos of Agnes's creations. She combined her Love Lulu Mae style with the Chicago-based Busy Beaver Buttons, creating brand new accessories perfectly suited for a wedding. Our wonderful models showed off bouquets, veils, belts, and boutonnieres. The results are awesome! This is part one of a two part shoot (the second to follow).
Team:
Agnes Miles- creater/designer/stylist, Love Lulu Mae
Bethany Fritz- photographer/stylist, Maypole Studios
Agata Grabowska- model (part one)
Elan Edan- model (part two)
Karl Hamilton- model (part two)
Jennifer Brown- makeup/MUA, Jen Brown Makeup
Suzy Zuzia Galazka- hair, Hairspray Revolution
Adele Fabiano- dress designer, Adele Fabiano Bridal Couture

Jackson turns 1

2011-05-20T19:11:00.000-05:00

One of the best ways to keep in touch with my past brides and grooms is by documenting their new families. I photographed Megan and Kevin's wedding, and now I have the great joy of taking pictures of the adorable Jackson. I met up with them on his first birthday for a portrait session, what a cutie! He has awesome blue eyes just like his mom and a super smile just like his dad. We followed him around as he crawled rapidly from room to room, played with lots of toys, and managed to get some great giggles out of the little man. Here are some of my favorites:

What's cuter than mini-denim?

Baby bubbles.

Happy birthday Jackson! See you again soon.

Kaitlyn and Adam are getting married!

2011-05-17T19:20:00.001-05:00

Kaitlyn and Adam met up with me, along with their dog Toby, to walk along Lake Michigan and take some great engagement photos. These two are super cute, from Kaitlyn's rad pink highlights down to Adam's comfy Tom's. They are naturally at ease, barely noticing my camera, they snuggle without coaxing and laugh with sincerity at Toby's antics. This session was truly as enjoyable and relaxed as an afternoon stroll on a beautiful Spring day. We had a great time hanging out by the Montrose Harbor, then down to Ravenswood, finishing with a beer and some snacks at Bluebird restaurant. Their wedding in October is going to be really special, complete with Toby as the ring bearer!

Love+Toms

Toby's point of view.

Congrats Kaitlyn and Adam!

Marriage Mondays-Love 4 mom

2011-05-09T18:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Mother's day, and although I live more than 600 miles away and won't be back home until next month, my mom was very much on my mind. It's obvious that her role in my life is an important one, being my mother, caretaker, nurturer, and friend. She has always been there for me, with an unconditional love that is both fierce and tender. I appreciate my mom in so many ways, from the after school healthy snacks to her standing ovation when I sang in the middle school talent show. She encouraged me to check out more books at the library than my arms could carry, gave me sewing lessons, encouraged my interest in art and painting, rooted for me at Tae Kwon Do tournaments, and sat up late with me giggling about the details of my first kiss. She bandaged my scraped knees on more than one occasion (I have never been graceful), forgave me when I cut my dolls hair and then gave my sister a matching hair cut (involving bangs about 1/8 of an inch long), taught me how to wear makeup... and she even loves thrift store shopping more than I do. There is so much more I could say, but it all comes down to the fact that I am blessed with a wonderful mother. I love you mom, happy mother's day! (photo of my beautiful mother, 1970's)

Dressing up with Sarah Church

2011-05-05T13:13:00.005-05:00

I love vintage clothing, but when I met Sarah I realized her collection far surpasses me and my friends combined! She is also a mega-talented clothing designer, creating edgy pieces perfect for a rocker, or re-vamped vintage (literally ripped apart and sewn back into a brand new design). I love them all! She is preparing to launch her new line of clothes, complete with new website, so we got together with 3 lovely ladies, an amazing hair and makeup team, and took some photos. The results are hot!
Clothing Designer: Sarah Church
Models: Annemarie Sagoi, Crystal Petruk, Elan Eden
Makeup: Claire Latronica
Hair: Suzy Zuzia Galazka
Location: Auxilary Art Center (operated by Jeffrey Walschon)

Sarah and the girls.

Elizabeth+Alex- a musical engagement

2011-04-28T00:06:00.009-05:00

Not only are these two absolutely adorable as well as smitten with each other, they also have a great musical connection. They met back in NYC at a bluegrass jam, Alex on mandolin and Elizabeth on fiddle. After several weeks of playing music and making eyes across their stringed instruments, they decided to take a pull at the heartstrings. Obviously they made the right decision, because wedding bells are surely ringing! After such a wonderful engagement photo session, I can not wait for their wedding (it's actually this weekend). We met up last week and lucked out with wonderful weather. We started out by the Lincoln Park zoo, and made our way over to the Hideout to have our own little jam. It was awesome to document such an terrific couple, both with and without instruments. Congrats E and Alex!

Marriage Mondays- Takeout!

2011-04-25T23:14:00.003-05:00

There's no denying the benefits of living in a city large enough to offer a wide variety of food delivery. Chinese, Japanese, Italian... whatever the craving you can most likely order it. On a gloomy, drizzly day like today sometimes you just want to stay in and curl up with your honey and your favorite veggie lomein, and that's exactly what we did. And how appropriate to have this fortune in my cookie as I anticipate an exciting weekend of weddings! It's going to be a great week.

Marriage Mondays- Artist Collective

2011-04-19T01:35:00.003-05:00

Not only am I extremely lucky to have a fantastic marriage, but both he and I really like working together. For real, I'm talking all hours of the day, from morning coffee to a late night glass of wine. Although his focus is music and mine is photography, we find ways to bring them both together for various projects. In the past year we have seen several of our mutual friendships flourish into business partnerships and shared creative projects. Today the final edit was finished on a video for his music studio, and it's awesome! We had a blast working on this, and Jeremy blew my mind with the video production (3line9 productions). Without further ado, let me introduce you to Stranded On A Planet and the rest of the talented team that makes this studio so special:

Marriage Mondays- Girl Power!

2011-04-13T00:24:00.003-05:00

Ok, I know this post is late, Monday having already come and gone. After days of gathering info for taxes and a whirlwind weekend I finally have some time to share. I have been reminded on an almost daily basis of the amazing talents possessed by the women I surround myself with. Not only do I love the drive and the commitment to creativity in so many of my girlfriends, I also love the opportunity to collaborate with them. Just two generations ago women were very limited in their pursuits, but now we can have it all! It's a joy to see these lovely ladies perfect their craft and start successful businesses, and still leave time to play and enjoy our friendship. This weekend we did just that, combining business with play, flaunting our femininity with a fabulous pin-up party. Chocolates from Vosges and cupcakes from Sweet Vee's Laboratory were a delicious addition to the Dottie's Delights party, the participants rocked out their photo sessions in the lingerie accessorized by Love Lulu Mae. I was thoroughly impressed by the excitement and playful spirit of the girls, and the Dottie's Delights lingerie couldn't have looked better. I wanted to post a small teaser, just a couple of discreet photos from the event. Girl power! (Hair by Mario Tricoci and makeup provided by Benefit)

Martha Berner and the Significant Others

2011-04-03T23:21:00.007-05:00

Over the last couple of months I have had the privilege of photographing my very talented friend Martha Berner in preparation of her new record release "Fool's Fantasy." She is a fabulous singer/songwriter, and the record she recorded with my husband via Stranded on a Planet truly kicks ass. He is currently playing guitar with her band as one of the "significant others" along with my good friends William Sprawls and Tyson Ellert. I had a great time photographing Martha at the Black+White loft (makeup and hair by Christina Culinski), and then the whole band at the awesome Bar Deville. I figured I would share some of my favorites...

My favorite.

Bar Deville...

Love these ones. Just incandescent light by the pool table.

Make sure you get a copy of the new record!

Marriage Mondays- For the love of polaroid

2011-03-28T21:13:00.003-05:00

I purchased the Fujifilm Instax 210 camera this past January and am still loving it, on almost a daily basis. I keep it on my kitchen counter so it's always nearby when friends come over. It seems funny to me to see the various digital replicas via the Iphone, all of a sudden everyone wants their cell phones to mimic the classic light leaks of the Holga, or even have the border and noticeable overexposure of a Polaroid. I certainly don't begrudge anyone for using these effects, in fact it has given way to more artistic images (and is much more pleasant to see on facebook than the typical out-of-focus shot from a mobile device). However, there is nothing that compares to pressing the shutter and hearing that wonderful whirring sound as the camera spits out your photo, or the anticipation as you wait for the image to slowly develop. Sure, I know the quality isn't the greatest, especially with the inconsistent flash leaving you with extreme under and over exposures in most of your images. Not to mention the terrible parallax error, making it nearly impossible to properly compose the shot and not chop anyone's head off. But all of these lovely imperfections are what make this camera so fun. As the stack of polaroids on my counter grows, the more fun I have looking through them all... a night spent hanging with friends, or maybe my husband making dinner, or of my cats curled up for a nap. I know I can just as easily take photos of these moments with my cell phone or take out my Canon, but it just wouldn't be the same. Polaroids are just plain fun, and everyone smiles when they get passed around the room. Here are some scans of a few recent polaroids taken, nothing fancy but that's the whole point.