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So I’ve been trying to come up with ideas on how we should shoot this trash the dress session of Amber and Brett. The only thing I kept telling my friends and Giant is that I envision mud. Lol. So Giant told me of a swampy area out in the suburbs by his grandma’s place.  We took a drive out there one weekend and I knew right away that was the spot.  Amber and Brett were both crazy enough to trust me on choosing the location and the style of their trash the dress session.  I LOVE THEM for being so open-minded!!!  They’re seriously the sweetest funnest couple to hangout with.  Amber is a stunningly beautiful and SUPER SWEET and Brett is super FUUUUUNNY!!!  What a gorgeous couple they are!  I was allowed the honor to shoot their e-session last year. You can check them both out here and here.  Once we got there, my assistant that day, Jessy Hauser, sprayed on THREE layers of bug spray (Jessy was probably thinking I was nuts for being so neurotic) all throughout my body.  Can you please tell me WHY I still got bit???  We all did actually.  Argh!

It was a hot and muggy day when we did this sunset shoot.  We were all hot, sweaty, scratched up from the tall grasses, and badly bitten but it didn’t stop any of us from having fun.  I’ve got to give it to both Amber and Brett.  By the end of the shoot when they were rolling around this smelly marshy area where you can see a frog sporadically jump every so often and beavers swimming by.  Not once did they complain.  They just laughed and went with it.  I said it before and I’m going to say it again, I LOVE THEM both for being so brave and open-minded!!!  Not everyone could’ve done what they did!

Thanks Jessy Hauser for coming out to help assist!!!!

Make-up by Diem Angie Nguyen

Chicago Trash the Dress

Tyffani found me through Facebook one evening and decided to reach out to me about her destination wedding held in St. Thomas, U.S Virgin Island.  Needless to say I was pretty stoked about it.  Both Tyffani and Scott didn’t make the decision to book our tickets till two weeks before their wedding!!!  Hours after Giant and I landed in St. Thomas, we met up with Tyffani and Scott for the first time at the Wyndham Hotel.  It was instant chemistry!!!  We all meshed so well and both Tyffani and Scott we sooooooo laid back about everything.  Tyffani was just glowing with happiness and I even told her that as we were walking around the property.

Wedding day.  Tyffani, a hair and make-up artist, did hair and make-up for the girls.  The entire time she was singing, dancing, and just glowing!!! The guys next doors was sitting in their hotel room watching movies.  Hahaha.  It’s so nice being a guy sometimes.  While the girls all been up since 4am doing hair and make-up, they were still sleeping or watching movies.

It was a really hot and humid out in the caribbean sun but neither the bride and groom were the least bit fazed by it.  They couldn’t stop smiling at each other.  During the mother and groom’s dance, Scott danced with Tyffani’s mom.  Scott’s mom passed away spring this year but the love that everyone had for her was apparent during that dance.  It was THE MOST EMOTIONAL DANCE EVER!!!!!  I was S O B B I N G!!!  The ENTIRE room was sobbing.  I have no idea how I managed to shoot but somehow I got through it.

Thanks Tyffani and Scott for allowing Giant and I to be such a big part of your life.  We loved you both, your family, and friends.  If there’s a downfall about shooting destination weddings is saying goodbye to these people you’ve grown close to during your time there.  Enjoy your pictures!!!

St. Thomas Wedding Photographer

Destination Wedding Photographer

Location-Same as last year (back by popular demand) Clinton and Kinzie

Date-September 12, 2010

Cost-$40 per person

Time-3-5pm

Only 30 attendants

Lindsay put Matt in charge of photography.  Days after signing up with Wedding Chicks is when Matt found me.  I couldn’t get over the fact that it was the groom that reached out to me. not the bride!!  VERY impressive!  When we all met during our initial consultation, we all instantly clicked!  Two weeks ago today they made it official in front of their closest friends and families at the Blackstone Hotel downtown Chicago.  On that day, Matt was as calm as a clam.  Lindsay had some few butterflies but when they saw each other for the first time during their first look, he did an awesome job calming her nerves.  Just like he helped calm her nervousness during their e-session a few months back that you can view here.  As you’re about to see in this set of photos, these two just radiate with happiness.  It was so contagious!!!  Thanks Lindsay and Matt for letting me in on this special day in your life.  Can’t wait to see you both next week for dinner!

Ceremony and Reception-Blackstone Hotel

Hair and Make-Up-Tran Nguyen

Bridal Shoes-Nina

Bridal Gown-Angelina Bridal Couture

Bridal Reception Dress-Angelina Bridal Couture

Band- Stitely

Second shooter-Emily Gualdoni

Assistant William Moran

The rest of our stay pretty much went like this…bug bites, sun poisoning (that’ll be my Giant), a beautiful wedding (you can check out the sneak peek here), frolicking on the beaches of Magen’s Bay in St. Thomas, and more bug bites.  I seriously have over 30+ bites all over my body.  I’ve been so badly victimized by the island mosquitoes it was beyond mad!!!  Boo!!  Other than that, I still have the best job in the world.  Hehehe.  Till next time St. Thomas!