The pink and green party decorations, bows, flowers and delicious treats from Roeser’s Bakery and Bon Macaron combined to make a gorgeous first birthday celebration.  My most favorite part was seeing just how much Raina’s mom and dad love her which was most evident during a special slideshow her daddy created.  Friends and family gathered around to see snapshots of Raina’s first year of life.  So precious.

Thank you, Neeta and Rajan, for inviting me to celebrate your beautiful little girl.  Here’s to a wonderful year number two!

The jungle themed party decorations, rainforest soundtrack, and adorable animal parting gifts combined to make a roaring (pun intended!) first birthday celebration.  My most favorite part was when Bob Cordero of Mr. Bob’s Magic showed up and entertained the party guests with his magic.  His interactive show had both the kids and adults laughing and participating in Ryan’s special birthday magic show.

Thank you, Mili and Dave, for inviting me to celebrate your precious little guy.  Here’s to another amazing year with him!

There was no detail left undone – the cake, custom birthday hat, adorable signs telling you to “stache some candy for later” – Austin’s mommy thought of it all!   The fun did not stop with the mustaches and decorations, though.  The guests were entertained with the Bears game (they lost by the way) and an amazingly talented caricature artist named Kenny Durkin of Durkin Works.

Thank you, Kristen and Erik for inviting me to capture your son’s special celebration.  Happy first year of life, Austin!

An ocean themed birthday party was the order of the day for this little guy.  The theme came complete with his very own brand of shark repellent, his face on the cupcakes, and loads of custom sweets.  They chose Goldfish Swim School in Chicago for his birthday celebration.  The staff was amazing as they set up the decorations for the party and provided a fun, safe environment for the kids to play and swim.  I could tell this was a place that loves kids!

After some major swim time, guests were able to fill up on pizza and enjoy some sweets before heading home.

Thank you, Donna and Don for inviting me to capture your son’s special celebration.  Happy second birthday, P!

Special care was taken to provide the sweetest little vintage tea party for her big day.  From the nature inspired centerpiece to the scalloped flowered plates and pastel colored sweets, Poppy & Castle created a day fit for a little princess.   The decorations combined with the modern kid-friendly space of Heritage Littles, made for an amazing celebration.

After some major chalkboard drawing, enjoying some sweet treats, and visiting, Miss L dove into her very own birthday cupcake. Although she wasn’t too sure about the icing, she wasn’t afraid to get it all over her!

Thank you, Nicole and John  for inviting me to capture the celebration of the first year of your daughter’s life.  Happy second birthday, sweet Miss L!

Many thanks to the creative team who made this day special:

Heritage Littles

Poppy and Castle

Miss A turned a year old this spring and her parents put together a circus themed birthday party complete with big top decorations, colorful favors for the guests, and a special elephant cake for the birthday girl.  They chose Paola’s Vinum in Chicago for her first birthday celebration.  The open floor plan and floor to ceiling windows provided loads of natural light for portraits and candid photos, which made for one happy photographer.

A’s mom took special care to have a separate section set apart with activities for the kids at the party and the parents were able to dine and drink at high top tables throughout the entire restaurant.  She put so much thought into making the party enjoyable for all of the guests that it was plain to see how compassionate and thoughtful she is toward her friends and family.

Thank you, Nagesh and Sona for inviting me to capture your daughter’s special celebration.  Happy first birthday, A!

J’s mom carried out the Curious George theme right down to the custom t-shirts and the tiny mischievous monkey on the cake.  Seeing the little details that moms come up with for their child’s party is the best!

Having never been to Kid City, I wasn’t sure what it had to offer.  I quickly discovered that it provided a great, creative space for the kids to run around and a quiet, set apart parents’ lounge for the adults to eat and have a conversation.  It was the perfect spot for a child’s birthday party and by the look on J’s face, I think he would agree.

The Hawaiian themed party decorations, pony rides, and laid back vibe made for an amazing celebration of the life of K.  Out of all of the one-year-olds I’ve photographed, he was definitely the most interested in his cake.  He was also the easiest to snap some individual portraits of in the front yard.  It was clear that the laid back, loving spirit of his family had rubbed off on him.

I’m always thankful for the opportunity to help families celebrate their little ones.   They bring me in for a day and allow me a sneak peek into their family and the love they share.  I’m pretty sure I have the best job in the world.  Aloha!

I met Bre and Freddy during their engagement session and I knew right away that I would love working with them.  They weren’t afraid to laugh at themselves and with each other as we walked along shooting photos.  In fact, when Bre asked me to shoot their wedding, I was pretty excited because I knew she would be the perfect bride to have fun with.

Thank you, Bre and Freddy for being so refreshing, genuine, and full of love on your wedding day.  When other couples might get stressed, you took it all in and enjoyed it to the fullest.  Thank you for giving me a renewed sense of how fun and enjoyable photographing a wedding can truly be.  You two are awesome!

Thank you to the vendors that made this day possible:

DJ: Stevie Dee of Operation Getdown DJs

Flowers: Debbie Helsel of Greenleaf Florist

Wedding Cake: Dessert Menu

Sundae Bar: Cone Cottage

Bride’s Wedding Dress: House of Brides Private Label by G

Groom’s Tux: Dunhill Tuxedos

Make Up Artist: Krissy VanderWoude

Hairdresser: Aubree Kemp of Salon Sorella

Venue: The Center for Visual and Performing Arts