Sasa and Bang (my cousin!) exchanged their vows on a beautiful day at the Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach venue, surrounded by the stunning natural beauty of the Pacific Coast. Their wedding was a celebration of their love and commitment, filled with joy, laughter, and unforgettable moments. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at their special day and all the amazing details that made it so memorable.

Venue:

The Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach venue provided the perfect backdrop for Sasa and Bang’s dreamy beach wedding. The venue is located just steps away from the beach, which allowed the couple to exchange their vows with the sound of the waves crashing in the background. The venue’s modern architecture and elegant decor added a touch of sophistication to the celebration, making it a truly unforgettable experience.

Ceremony:

Sasa and Bang’s ceremony was a heartfelt and emotional affair. The couple exchanged their vows under a beautiful arch adorned with flowers and greenery, overlooking palm trees and the ocean. It was quick, funny, and very touching.

Reception:

The reception was a lively and fun-filled affair. The couple’s first dance was a beautifully choreographed piece from Dance From Home. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as an online dance class you can learn for your first dance! Sasa and Bang started practicing their first dance three weeks before their wedding. They danced it flawlessly without missing a beat!

Sasa and Bang’s wedding at the Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach venue was a dreamy and romantic affair, filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories. The venue provided the perfect backdrop for their celebration, while the personal touches and attention to detail made the day truly special. Congratulations to the happy couple, and may their love continue to grow and flourish for years to come!

This beautiful Tsavorite Garnet you see here is designed by Sasa herself! It hasn’t been officially launched yet. You can check out here collection here.

Sasa’s engagement ring and diamond necklace and bracelet is designed by Bang himself. How often does someone get to say that their husband designed and hand crafted the ring himself? My cousin Bang also designed my diamond earrings! Check out his work here 

Yes, Bang not only designed Sasa’s jewelry, he also designed and hand crafted his own wedding band

This sweet lady saw Sasa struggling walking on the rocks so she took off her flip flops so Sasa can wear them!

Sasa’s gown-Essence of Australia 

Bang’s tux-Bonobos

Sasa’s diamond ring, earrings, and necklace by Bang!

Tsavorite Garnet by Sasa Miu Collection

Hair and Makeup- Trang Do

Videography-Purity Wedding

Venue-Cape Rey Carlsbad Beach

Bridesmaid dresses-Azazie

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Dappled light, falling leaves, lush green tones on the verge of autumnal shades — end-of-summer turns the mundane into something magical. Just a 90-minute hop, skip and away from their home in Chicago, Lindsay and Brandon welcomed friends and family for a destination wedding in beautiful Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. 

Surrounded by picturesque waterfront views, The Abbey Resort was the unique setting for Lindsay and Brandon’s modern and naturalistic wedding. In the midst of lush green foliage, their intimate ceremony took place in a gazebo framed by a simple trellis of climbing roses. Scattered fall leaves decorated the aisle and drew all eyes to the bride’s stunningly long train. 

The enchanting vibe carried over to the bridesmaids who wore an ombre of coastal blues, and the couple’s attire — with the groom looking dapper in a classic blue suit and the bride adding a subtle touch of drama to her elegant wedding gown with a long, flowy veil.

Lindsay and Brandon’s lakeside destination wedding felt fresh and celebratory, taking advantage of the natural surroundings as the perfect blank canvas without being shy to incorporate pops of color in the floral arrangements. It’s an updated alternative to the boho, earth-toned weddings that I have seen over and over again the past few seasons.

Years ago, I shot Lindsay’s sister’s glam wedding and I’m so honored to be a part of this one. To my lovely couple, Lindsay and Brandon, thank you for letting me share your beautiful day.

Looking for ideas for your late summer or early fall wedding celebration? If you are drawn to all the natural hues of the summer to fall season, this lakeside wedding inspiration is for you, so get ready to swoon.

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Tracy and Chase’s wedding day started with a beautiful outdoor ceremony at River Forest Country Club in Elmhurst, IL. Keen to let the dreamy, German-Bavarian farmhouse-inspired venue shine, the couple kept the ceremony understated and elegant. Bamboo chairs and low floral arrangements flanked the wedding aisle, perfectly complementing the lush, natural surroundings and forested views at River Forest Country Club. Several classic cars added the perfect vintage touch for the bride and groom portraits. The bride looked lovely and traditional in a high-neck, cap sleeve gown, and her bevy of bridesmaids in regal navy blue sateen. 

After tying the knot, Tracy and Chase took the celebration inside the Bavarian barn-style clubhouse where they danced the night away before closing things out with a literal bang – that’s because the sparklers send-off outside the venue triggered the smoke detector requiring evacuation and a visit by the fire department. After the all-clear was given, the band starting singing Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” – surely a core memory that Tracy and Chase will talk about forever! 

If you and your partner have been pining for a countryside style wedding with a timeless aesthetic, this is definitely the inspo you’ve been looking for. Scroll through for more inspiration!

The post Chicago Wedding Photographer | Tracy and Chase’s Understated, Elegant Wedding at River Forest Country Club appeared first on Wedding Photographers Chicago | Melissa Diep Photography | Blog.

My heart is melting! A dreamy, floor to ceiling glass wall venue decked out for a rustic, farm wedding at The Venue at Goebbert’s in Pingree Grove, IL is the location of my real wedding story today. In elevated “farm fancy” fashion, Tess and Eric said “I do” in a brand-spanking new event venue in Illinois which I’m so excited to share about, The Venue at Goebbert’s, located at Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard. Tess and Eric meticulously planned their rustic farm wedding at Goebbert’s Venue with small, thoughtful details in mind that honored their love for each other and for loved ones. From the stitched heart and handwritten note Tess’s dad gave her before he passed which was sewn into the hem of her gown to the stunning pops of fall greenery and rustic decorations, these homespun touches brought this farm fancy wedding to life. Keep reading to see more from this special wedding day, including a special tribute to Tess’s dad during the ceremony!

Tess and Eric’s wedding at The Venue at Goebbert’s made for some uncommon and extraordinary wedding moments (that even I’ve never shot before!) – from the bride and groom going down a big red slide to them feeding a giraffe (yes, a giraffe!) at the barn and their First Look on a charming carousel, these joyful moments truly set the tone for their intimate, elevated farm wedding. I mean, is there even a more enchanting First Look than a first look on a merry go round? Weddings at Goebbert’s Farm are pretty dang awesome, if you ask me.

A sweet bridal cottage, apple cider donuts and ceramic pumpkins, accents of fall greenery and custom wooden signs are what tied this rustic, fall farm wedding together. With 9,600 square feet of space with floor to ceiling glass walls, I think a Goebbert’s Farm Wedding at The Venue at Goebbert’s would be just the place for a magical wedding in all four seasons – the possibilities for wedding decor are endless – imagine an all white wonderland in the winter or a romantic garden wedding theme in the spring! Loved shooting Tess and Eric’s fall farm wedding and hope to shoot another wedding at Goebbert’s!

If you’re looking for more rustic boho wedding inspiration, head to my blog post here!

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on here. But I’m back, with a truly beautiful, Pinterest-worthy real wedding that I shot for Jolie Images. Leigh Ann & Michael’s rustic boho outdoor wedding at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Palatine, IL is full of beautiful on-trend bohemian details like fluffy pampas and dried florals, triangle wedding arch, and a minimalist naked cake from Nadiya’s Cupcakes with dried florals to match the bride’s bouquet.

In keeping with Leigh Ann’s free spirit, she wanted something whimsical and romantic, vibrant and earthy for a rustic boho wedding. Leigh Ann chose a combination of muted, earthy colors like sand, natural beiges, and ivory to complement the surrounding green spaces of Twin Lakes. Her groom, Michael, and his groomsmen all looked the rustic boho part, too – beards included, I loved their dashing style made complete with brown suspenders, crisp white shirts, and navy trousers.

Every single boho detail of their day was perfect from start to finish, and I absolutely fell in love with all the earthy, natural details. It’s not often that I get to photograph an intimate wedding, and Leigh Ann and Michael’s day, while being on the smaller side due to Covid, was overflowing with love and joy from everyone around them. During the reception, guests were able to chill on lawn chairs set outside the tent – laughing, chatting, smoking cigars together – it felt like old friends getting together and making up for lost time. Leigh Ann and Michael’s special day also included their children, who were just absolutely adorable.

These two share such a heartfelt and genuine connection that left me teary eyed ALL DANG DAY. Between their sweetest vows they shared and their first dance, the love between Leigh Ann and Michael was magnetic all day long. I hope you enjoy seeing this beautiful rustic boho wedding!

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Matt and Grant’s same-sex wedding at Theater on the Lake in Chicago.

I’m so excited to finally share this spectacular wedding with you all! There are a few reasons, but the first is that my groom and groom, Matt and Grant, tied the knot in a beautiful same-sex wedding ceremony. The next is that the I got to shoot in Chicago’s newest crown jewel on the lakefront which just completed renovation earlier this year – Theater on the Lake – and this Chicago event venue is truly everything it was promised to be! I don’t usually lead with black and white photography, but this shot above was money. It captured the essence of Matt and Grant’s same-sex wedding, as well as the classic beauty of the venue. With unmatched views of Lake Michigan to the east and city skyline to the south, Theater on the Lake really was the perfect venue to host Matt and Grant’s epic same-sex wedding celebration. And finally, when I say epic, I’m talking next-level aerial bartender suspending down gracefully from a custom installed chandelier to serve you bubbly. EPIC. Need I say more?

But of course, you know I will!

Matt and Grant happy as can be to be tying the knot in Chicago!

I’ll get into the details of the wedding in a bit, but first, let me just say that Matt and Grant are the BFFs you wish you had. They’re forward, fun, and funny. They had their first dance together to Ed Sheeran’s Perfect. They worked with their BFF, Matt, owner of Decor 312 and Kehoe Designs to execute their creative vision for their wedding, elevating it from “just another downtown wedding” to a “betcha bottom dollar you’ll lose your blues in Chicago” kinda wedding (in the words of Frank Sinatra, obviously).

Groom-and-groom wedding portrait session at The Chicago Theatre, where Matt proposed and Grant said yes!

It was clear Matt and Grant had the vision to incorporate the richness and personality of their beloved city into their special day. No level of detail was missed: from the groom-and-groom portraits they requested in front of The Chicago Theatre (where Matt proposed and Grant said yes!) and the CTA L station which is the train line Matt takes to work to the dinner tables which were each themed a different Chicago neighborhood (I loved the Wrigleyville one, go Cubs, go!). They have the most supportive and loving family and wedding party – I especially loved the statement they made with their bridesmaids all in white gowns – and when Matt’s mom started floating around the dance floor with bubbles, I almost cried.

After saying “I do” Grant and Matt greet wedding guests at Theatre on the Lake in Chicago.

A little more on what’s been called the hottest new event venue in Chicago: Theater on the Lake is a historic building from 1920 that has recently undergone renovation to become a year-round facility housing a restaurant, event spaces, and eventually a theater. If you’re looking for a venue with really unique architecture in Chicago, look no further than this gem – Theater on the Lake is an original Prairie-style structure with unique lighting and sweeping steel arched trusses throughout. I haven’t seen any blog posts from any wedding photographers shooting at Theater on the Lake yet, so I’m just gonna go with saying I’m the first ever to shoot here! Theater on the Lake is unique in that it has flexible space to accommodate small to large number of guests. Matt and Grant’s cocktail reception (with aforementioned aerial champagne server) was held on one side of the wall, and then the sliding wall was removed for a big reveal for the guests. Everyone let out a big gasp when they saw the dinner reception room all decked out.

Matt and Grant’s same-sex wedding was completely magical and breathtaking – everything from their wedding vows to one another and the incredible venue, Theater on the Lake, to the wedding décor that exuded the vibrancy of Chicago. Scroll through for scenes from the entire day (including the aerial champagne server)!

xo, Melissa

Matt and Grant’s Wedding Guide ::

Venue, Theater on the Lake  //  Matt and Grant’s Attire, BALANI Custom Clothiers  //  Bridesmaids’ Dresses, BHLDN  // Wedding Consultant, Matt Morgan (Kehoe Designs)  //  Event Designer, Matt Morgan and Renee Price (Kehoe Designs)  //  Florist, Kehoe Designs  //  Caterer, Blue Plate  // Music, The Dan Hayes Band // Videographer, Corfias Films  //  Officiant, Chris Shadle

Chicago Wedding Photographer

Melissa Diep Photography is a highly sought after wedding, engagement, family, maternity, newborn, baby, and children portrait photographer based in Chicago. Melissa strives to capture organic moments as works of art. She loves to incorporate natural environments and soft light to create beautiful imagery.

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When your bride is a Persian beauty and your groom looks the part of a dashing Afghan prince, this is one multicultural wedding not to be missed. You might remember Azadeh and Mustafa from their engagement session in downtown Chicago. Azadeh and Mustafa tied the knot at the Chicago Marriott Naperville; from the soft romantic color palette and the wintry accents to the gorgeous ruffled cake, this multicultural affair is a true mix of all things pretty with a dash of whimsy. The Bride: beyond beautiful with her striking features and dark eyes. The ballroom: lit up in purple perfection. The guests: a room full of similarly stunning Persian friends, oh, and obviously everyone full of joy and love for the newlywed couple. I mean, “cultural beauty” is a style term we like to throw around in the wedding world, and Azadeh and her crew nail this head-on.

Our outdoor portrait session got cut a bit short, but I love what we got anyway, with Azadeh looking so pretty all wrapped up in her fur wrap, and our indoor shots at the hotel having a fun, retro glamour vibe. I loved getting to know Mustafa’s side of the family who came from Los Angeles, especially his super younger, super hot sister. I must have said that to her and Mustafa at least 10 times that day. Scroll through to see more photos from Azadeh and Mustafa’s special day!

Azadeh and Mustafa’s Wedding Guide ::

Venue, Chicago Marriott Naperville // Cake, Chicago Marriott Naperville // Catering, Kabobi Grill // Music, Armin Jalali

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I remember meeting with Azadeh and Mustafa and just loving how sweet this couple is. She is soft-spoken, a little shy about speaking English because it’s not her native Persian language and she’s only been in the States for two years. And Mustafa, the lucky groom-to-be, just couldn’t stop smiling at Azadeh the whole time we were together. I could tell, right off the bat, these two adore each other!

We braved the frigid temps and notorious lake effect in downtown for this Chicago engagement session, just to get those iconic city shots amongst the soaring skyscrapers of the Financial District and the mixed Art Deco, Art Nouveau styling of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. You’d never know it was freezing out, because Azadeh’s bright smile and pretty pink dress really injected a dose of fun into this wintry engagement session. Each time I posed them and told them to snuggle up and laugh with each other, they stayed all wrapped into each other, even when my camera was down. Language was no barrier and that has to be my FAVORITE thing about photographing my couples: they’re so joyfully in love that they don’t need me snapping away in order to show their affection.

After our shoot, we ducked into a French brasserie to warm up, and chatted over soup, oysters and drinks about their upcoming wedding. It’s right around the corner in December and I cannot wait to be part of their big day. Hope you enjoy my favorites from their downtown engagement session!

xo, Melissa

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When you turn 40, some people celebrate with a big party. Others do something momentous like sky dive or go on a fancy trip. And some gift themselves boudoir shoots like I did, or special portrait sessions. As a photographer, I always recommend every woman to embrace her individuality by doing a custom portrait session – or a boudoir shoot, if you’re feeling risqué.

Yoko here is a dead ringer for Chrissy Teigen, ya think? Yoko’s 40 and fabulous, and although she said her mom will freak out about the girls peeking out, we managed to walk the line between tasteful and sexy with this empowering portrait session to celebrate Yoko’s milestone birthday. In an artist loft somewhere in Chicago, we experimented with natural light, poses, and paint can props to bring out the best of Yoko – you can see, they don’t have to be of the 50 Shades variety. Read on for a few tips on how to rock your next portrait or boudoir session:

1. What to wear. Something I always say: what to wear is really an opportunity for the client’s personality to come out. A cozy knit cardigan and over the knee boots is modest enough but inviting and reflects Yoko’s soft and sweet side. Her casual workout gear in one of her looks brings out the “girl next door” vibe who takes pride in taking care of her body. And of course, always bring a variety of looks to shoot.
2. What about props? As a portrait and boudoir photographer, what you should wear will dictate both your props and accessories. Yoko paired a coffee mug in her first look, and this worked well to show a quiet time of contemplation by the window. So bring items that define who you are and the symbol you want to portray.
3. Beauty advice. Don’t neglect to get dolled up for your epic birthday shoot. Professional hair and makeup always looks more finished than when you do it yourself. You won’t regret this!

Chicago Portrait and Boudoir Photographer

Melissa Diep Photography is a highly sought after wedding, engagement, family, maternity, newborn, baby, and children portrait photographer based in Chicago. Melissa strives to capture organic moments as works of art. She loves to incorporate natural environments and soft light to create beautiful imagery.

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If the recipe for romance is white lace and flowers, then there was no shortage of romance at Jamie and Mike’s wedding at the Westin Lombard Hotel. Earthy colors, white roses dotted with fall florals, beaded lace, bridesmaids all in pale pink – how could this Chicago area wedding get any more romantic? Their wedding ceremony took place in her childhood church, filled with the dreamiest aerial lighting above the altar. It was a fall wedding, though the actual temperature was 100 degrees, but you wouldn’t know it because the bride and groom looked so calm, cool and collected. (You might remember seeing their 100 degree engagement session, which they also rocked like champs, blogged here.) Jamie and Mike’s big day included sentimental details like a childhood diary, the bride’s pink kickboxing gloves, portraits inside Chicago’s famed Harry Caray’s, and Filipino wedding traditions like having sponsors to light the wedding candles, handle the veils, and place the cord. And when in doubt, just add a little sparkle; you won’t regret it. I’m in love, and I know you will be, too.

xo, Melissa

Jamie and Mike’s Wedding Guide ::

Venue, Westin Lombard Hotel // Bride’s Gown, Justin Alexander Signature Collection // Bride’s Shoes, Badgley Mischka // Bride’s Hair & Makeup, Total Image Bridal // Groom’s Attire, Joseph Abboud // Bridesmaids’ Dresses, Belsoie //  Florist, Fiddlehead Floral // Cake, Creative Cakes // Catering, Westin Lombard Hotel // Music, Robert Monastero with Monastero Entertainment // Officiant, Father John Phan

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