Kim and Joe’s Hilton Rosemont Wedding photos are some of my favorite photos of the season!  Let me just tell you right now, Kim has incredible taste and pays attention to every detail.  Hands down my absolute favorite thing she picked out for her wedding were her bridesmaids wreaths.  Seriously, scroll back and look at them one more time because not only were they unique but they were unbelievably beautiful!  I also loved her invitation suite and I photographed several other invitations for her that I wish you could all see!

Kim and Joe met through Kim’s maid of honor.  The rest of course is history!  We started the day off by photographing all those beautiful details in Kim’s hotel room at the Hilton.   This is always one of my favorite parts of the day because I get to share in the bride’s excitement right before she puts on her dress and heads off to the ceremony.  The ceremony was held at the Saint Paul of the Cross Catholic Church in Park Ridge.  After the ceremony we headed off to Flick Park to capture some portraits of the bridal party and couple.  We saw the ice cream man so of course we had to stop him for a quick photo op!

After portraits it was party time!  We headed off to capture more Hilton Rosemont Wedding photos at the reception venue.  The Hilton ballroom was set up perfectly.  I fell in love with Kim’s naked wedding cake!  The reception was a blast but it was even more fun when Kim surprised Joe with Irish dancers.

Kim and Joe, thank you for sharing your special day with me!  I wish you guys all the best as you begin your new adventure as newlyweds!!

Ceremony | St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church

Reception | Hilton Rosemont

Videography | Buller Media

Flowers | Abby Flowers Design

Cake | Il Giardino Del Dolce

DJ | Go 2 Guys Mobile DJ Service

Make-up | Joanna B Artistry

Hair | Jasmine Ikhana

Dress | Essence of Australia

Bridesmaid Dresses | BHLDN

Tuxes | Emanuele Tuxes

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Wedding season kicked off a few weekends ago with Ruby & Somu’s super fun Chicago South Indian wedding!  I have had the pleasure of photographing more than one Chicago South Indian wedding and am always absolutely thrilled and honored when friends refer me!  I meant to take a picture with all my past brides at this wedding but we were having so much fun that I completely forgot!  Ruby & Somu were such a lovely couple to work with.  They are both easy going and down-to-earth.  There was much laughter and love between the two and it was such a joy to see how much their friends truly loved them!

I started out the day with the bride and her bridesmaids at the hotel.  The girls were in their personalized robes, getting their hair & make-up done and enjoying their time together.  After we took some pictures of all the girls in those adorable robes, it was time for Ruby to put on her dress.  I loved the attention that her bridesmaids gave her during this time!  After her dress was on, I took a few bridal portraits of Ruby before we headed to her home for her blessing & prayer.

Meanwhile, my second shooter, Erica, met up with the guys at Somu’s house.  She spent time capturing Somu with his best buds and family members before his blessing & prayer time.  I personally love this tradition of the bride & groom getting special blessings from family members before they head off to the ceremony.

After the prayer and blessing time, we headed to the Mar Thoma church in Des Plaines.  Ruby & Somu decided to have a quick prayer together without seeing each other which was really sweet.  The ceremony was filled with beautiful singing and several traditions including the tying of the minnu, the crowning ceremony, the blessing of the rings and the Manthrakodi.  After the service we took some time for family photos and then headed of to Flick Park for some quick shots of the bridal party.

If you have never been to a Chicago South Indian wedding, then you might not know how much fun the reception part of the day is!  The bride and groom’s introduction did not disappoint as they created an intro video that was played before their big entrance.  The bridal party formed an arch with sparklers as the couple walked in.  After their introduction, Ruby and Somu went straight into their first dance and cake cutting.  The reception time was filled with fun dances and songs performed by their closest friends.

I’m going to give a shout out to their MC who sang an amazing rendition of Ed Sheeran’s song, “Thinking Out Loud” and also to one of the best men who created an unbelievable portrait for them.  Ruby & Somu, I hope you felt showered with love by all.  Your day was truly spectacular, thank you for allowing me to capture it!

Ceremony | Chicago Mar Thoma Church

Reception | Skokie Banquet & Conference Center -Holiday Inn

Wedding Coordinator | Sheril Philip

Videography | David at George Street 

Flowers | D’s Flowers and Morton Grove Florist

Cake Artist | The Baking Institute

DJ | MDM Entertainment

Make-up | Nicki Hala of Hala Beauty

Hair | Gigi Philip of Hair styles by Gigi

Tuxes | Emanuele Tuxedos

Wedding Decor | Prestige Wedding Decor

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I am so excited to share Sarah and Hendrik’s Chicago Athletic Association Wedding Photos because these two were so incredibly fun to photograph! I quickly learned how down to earth these two are during their downtown Chicago engagement session.  We hit up a few places in the city that were meaningful to them, including their office at the Boston Consulting Group where they met!  We also shot some of their engagement pictures at Millennium Park where we went back on their wedding day.  I love when couples like to recreate one photo from their engagement session at their wedding!

The day began at Sarah and Hendrik’s gorgeous home in Chicago.  When I arrived, Sarah was relaxing and having a great time with her bridesmaids.  I quickly fell in love with the large floor to ceiling windows she had in her living room!  Beautiful natural light during getting ready photos is a must!!  Sarah got in her dress, put on some killer shoes, and was ready to rock her bridal portraits!  Meanwhile, my second shooter, Erica was busy rockin’ the groom getting ready photos.   Shortly after, we all headed to the GORGEOUS St. Alphonsus Catholic church where the ceremony was to be held.  This church had the most beautiful blue ceilings which led for some dramatic ceremony shots.

After the ceremony, we stuck around for a bit for family photos and then headed off to take more of those Chicago Athletic Association wedding photos.  Thankfully, the hotel is walking distance from Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago so it was super easy to get around for pictures. We wrapped up the portrait session with a picture of Sarah & Hendrik in front of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, as well as one of them inside on their stunning grand staircase!

The reception room was amazing as well.  We had an incredible view of the city!  It’s fun to look back on this day because I captured a picture of one of the buildings with the window lights set up to say “Go Cubs Go”.  This just happened to be the night that the Cubs won the game that would take them to the World Series!  I don’t think anyone will forget where they were that night!

Sarah & Hendrik, thank you for allowing me to capture your spectacular wedding day!  It was certainly one to remember!

Ceremony | St. Alphonsus

Reception | Chicago Athletic Association Hotel

Videography | Aaron Bean Cinema

Flowers | Bunches

DJ | Toast & Jam

Hair & Make-up | Hairs 2 The Bride

Dress | Macy’s Bridal Salon

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Chris and Emily’s Chicago Saddle & Cycle Club Wedding is another favorite from last summer.  The overall ambience of the Chicago Saddle & Cycle club is just dreamy.  It has the perfect mixture of romance & sophistication in this hidden urban gem.

We began the day off photographing Emily at her grandmother’s historic house in Winnetka.  Emily had grown up visiting her grandmother’s house and had some pretty special memories hanging out on her front porch, so we made sure to get a picture of her and her bridesmaids there.  It was also the perfect getting ready location because it just so happened to be right around the corner from the Winnetka Congregational Church where the ceremony was being held.  This church was also very special to Emily and her family.  We took a few pictures in the church garden where Emily’s grandfather is actually buried.  I loved that the ceremony space was bright, letting in a lot of outdoor light.  It allowed for some beautiful photographs.

This gorgeous Chicago Saddle & Cycle Club wedding continued at the reception.  We lucked out with some perfect end of July weather!  Guests were able to enjoy the outdoor patio and seating as well as some of the grounds.  The night ended with some amazing music and dancing by the Blue Water Kings.

Ceremony | Winnetka Congregational Church

Reception | Chicago Saddle & Cycle Club

Videography | Something New Media

Flowers | Edward’s Florist

Cake | Sweet Mandy B’s

Band | Blue Water Kings

Bridesmaid Dresses | Brideside

Tuxes | Combatant Gentlemen

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The ceremony was held at the St. Francis Xavier Parish.  The church was just beautiful!  Maya and Andrew included some South Indian traditions in their ceremony which was also fun to watch.  Afterwards we headed to Cantigny to take some of their bridal party and bride & groom shots.  The lighting and weather were perfect!

This Chicago Marriott wedding continued back at the hotel in one of their ballrooms.  One of Maya’s friends created all of the beautiful decorations for the reception.  I also really loved that they had a whole sausage table which I’m guessing had something to do with Andrew’s Polish background.  There were some real fun moments during this reception including a choreographed first dance as well as some fun spontaneous dancing that happened throughout the night!

Venue| Chicago Marriott Burr Ridge

Ceremony| St. Francis Xavier Parish

Flowers| Old Oak Florist

Cake| Il Giardino Del Dolce

DJ| A Posh Production 

Hair & Make-up| Tamara Makeup + Hair Artistry

Dress: David’s Bridal

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This Aquaviva Winery wedding is long over-due considering it was one my favorite venues of 2016!  There were so many special details and moments throughout the day that I asked Lindsay if she would share some of her thoughts on her day.  I really love what she had to say about how she and Alex picked out their venues.
“Luckily for us, when it came time to pick a venue, we knew exactly what we wanted! We had been frequenting Acquavivia Winery for years celebrating anything from graduations to anniversaries, and even date nights. We had always talked about the future in those moments and said that whenever we decide to get married how amazing it would be to have it there. My love of wine combined with Alex’s Italian ancestry made this an easy decision for us. We also love that it is a restaurant allowing us to easily go back and continue to celebrate many more firsts as husband and wife.

Having both lived in St. Charles for most of our lives, we knew we wanted to get married in a church in our home town and Baker Memorial United Methodist Church was the ideal location for us. The sanctuary is absolutely stunning and we were able to design a ceremony that was reflective of us as a couple as well as our ideals. We both wanted to write our own vows (well me more than Alex, but he was willing to go along with it to make me happy) and now looking back we are both so glad we did! Another moment we loved was when we had all of our guests light a candle to represent the unity of our friends and family joining us on this journey. Looking out at all of our guests in that moment is something we will never forget! It wasn’t the first time that day that I got choked up, but it was such a surreal moment that it truly took my breath away! ”

Every moment of this Aquaviva Winery Wedding was truly spectacular.  It was so easy to see just how loved these two are.  One of my favorite moments of the night was hearing people talk about what an amazing friend Lindsay is to everyone.  Lindsay and Alex, thank you for allowing me to share this special day with you all!

Ceremony Venue: Baker Methodist Church| Reception: Acquaviva Winery| Videography: Imagination Designers| Flowers: Wild Orchid Floral Designs| Cake: Domino’s Bakery |

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I have to say, this Chicago Botanic Gardens engagement session is quite possibly one of my all time favorites.  Not only was the weather just right but the lighting was absolutely beautiful!  Many times couples will request a Chicago Botanic Gardens engagement session but aren’t necessarily aware of the lighting situation there.  Much of the gardens are quite exposed and unless you have your session later in the day, it will be important to find areas of shade.  The other reason, this is one of my favorite sessions is because Jaclyn is the sister of one of my former brides.  Let me tell you, there is nothing more flattering than getting the opportunity to photograph a group of friends.  Jaclyn will be the fourth bride from this circle of friends and I am absolutely thrilled!  Plus, I love catching up with my former brides.

Jaclyn and Tony also happen to be some of the nicest people you’ll meet.  I asked them at their session how they met.  Jaclyn laughed and said they met as a result of her always showing up late to class.  Of course Tony had to notice!   When I asked them why they wanted a Chicago Botanic Gardens engagement session they explained that this was where they had one of their first dates!  We tried to hit up a few of the spots they visited on their date such as the waterfalls.  I couldn’t end the session however, without photographing at the English Walled Garden.  That particular garden is hands-down my favorite of them all!  I hope you enjoyed these pictures and moments from this Chicago Botanic Gardens engagement session as much as I enjoyed taking them!

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Today I am sharing with you The Grove Redfield Estate wedding photos from Shane and Michelle’s wedding.  I first have to mention just how awesome these two are!  I had the pleasure of meeting Michelle at Pure Barre Evanston.  Michelle was one of the “barre-tenders” there and was SO incredibly sweet.  I could write a whole blog post on how amazing the community is at Pure Barre Evanston but I’ll save you the story and encourage you to just go see for yourself!  Anyway, when Michelle got engaged, I was beyond honored that she would ask me to photograph her wedding!

Michelle and Shane chose the GORGEOUS venue at The Grove in Glenview to have their wedding ceremony and reception.  There were so many things about this wedding that I could rave about, beginning with Michelle’s dress!  Michelle is a professional dancer so of course she rocked that killer back on her dress.  Her getting ready photos are some of my favorite of all The Grove Redfield Estate wedding photos.  I love the small bridal room that they have and it made for some amazing pictures.

During this wedding I also had the pleasure of working with Rachael Wilson of Matchmade Event Co. who is an incredible wedding planner and coordinator.  She was there to make sure everything ran smoothly and that every detail was taken care of.  A few other favorite moments that you’ll see in The Grove Redfield Estate wedding photos are Michelle and Shane’s tree planting unity ceremony (a great alternative to the unity candle), and their first dance.  Speaking of their first dance, remember how I said Michelle is a professional dancer?  Well, her and Shane had one of the best first dances I have seen!  Beautifully choreographed and executed.  I hope you got a glance of how fun their wedding day really was.

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Grove Redfield Estate | Wedding Coordinator: Matchmade Event Co. | Flowers: May Floral | Cake: Oak Mill Bakery | DJ: Mike Staff Productions | Make-up: Carly Pribich | Food: Catered by Design |

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Emily and Chris are tying the knot VERY soon so I thought it would only be appropriate to feature their Nature Boardwalk engagement photos on the blog today! My first encounter with Emily and Chris was actually via our Skype meeting. I could tell they were both nice people and made such a wonderful match. They were gracious enough to wait and schedule their engagement session for after my maternity leave, so their session was only two months before their wedding. Emily was incredibly sweet and showed up with a gift for baby Lucas! If you’re super curious, you can go stalk me on Instagram (@kerensaraiphoto) and see a picture I posted of the cute sleeper she got for him. Don’t I have the best clients?!

Anyway, back to these gorgeous Nature Boardwalk engagement photos! Emily and Chris met me right outside of Lincoln Park zoo. We had to save the famous honeycomb structure picture for last because there was a city yoga class happening that evening. It was totally worth the wait because as you saw, we got the honeycomb all to ourselves which is extremely rare. Usually, when I’m out there it is packed with photographers trying to squeeze in a turn with this beautiful piece of art. What I love about these particular Nature Boardwalk engagement photos is that we were able to get the perfect mix of nature and urban city vibes. Emily and Chris totally shined in front of the camera and I can’t wait to photograph their wedding next weekend!

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I have been so excited to share Amy and Drew’s Silver Lake Country Club wedding with you!  This was our first wedding of the season and it was such beautiful one to kick it all off.  Amy and Drew are such a sweet couple!  They are both teachers and met when their classrooms were right across from each other.  As you can imagine, their students got to see their love bloom throughout the school year.  I got to spend some quality time with these two during their engagement session in Milwaukee.  I learned quickly just how perfect these two were for each other.

Their wedding day was gorgeous all around.  We started the day off with Amy getting ready at her parent’s house.  Their ceremony took place in the exact same church that Amy’s parents got married at.  How adorable is that?!  After the ceremony we headed to the beautiful Silver Lake Country Club.  I loved that this club had a nice little garden area outside where we were able to take all of our bridal party pictures at.  The rest of the reception was a blast because everyone was out on that dance floor dancing the night away and celebrating!  At the end of the night it actually felt a little bittersweet that my time working with these two had come to an end.

Ceremony: St. Christina Church| Reception:  Silver Lake Country Club wedding| Florist: Trellis Weddings| Cake: Naples Bakery | DJ: Awesome DJs and Booths| Bridesmaids Dresses: Miss Ruby’s Boutique| Tuxes: Men’s Warehouse|

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