I had such a fun time at this wedding! I was shooting alone, which sometimes can be a lonely day, but this couple + bridal party made me feel so welcomed and the day was full of laughs and tons of smiles! 

Kerri got dressed at home, and it was such a calm, fun atmosphere. I wasn’t even there an hour and I was in tears as I watched her dad continuously break into tears as he watched her transform into a the most beautiful bride. When it was time for his first look with her, I just kept the camera over my face because I completely teared up! Following the first look with dad we did some bridal portraits, a couple family photos and I was off to the church! 
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I met up with the guys at the church and we did their group/getting ready photos, and what a blast! They were all up for whatever I wanted to do and were such a fun group to work with. Ed did a little modeling for me before it was time for Kerri to arrive at the church. She arrived by foot, since she lived just a few doors down! She looked so stunning as she walked into the church, I couldn't wait for Ed to see her! 
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The ceremony was absolutely lovely. Seeing Ed’s face as Kerri walked down the aisle was of course my favorite part. They have been together for 12 years, and they were finally getting married and the way Ed looked at her on that day, even 12 years after meeting just made me think she was such a lucky gal! The ceremony ended with a huge kiss and the two of them just admiring each others' look as the church cleared out. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen! 
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Although it was a mid October wedding, the leaves hadn’t changed much yet, so I suggested heading to a train station for their formal photos. I’m so glad we did! We stopped at the train station on 111th in Morgan Park, one hidden gem spot I love to shoot at. We did all the formals there and then headed to Georgio’s in Orland Park for their reception. 
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As much of the rest of the day was, the reception was a blast! The room was stunning, the toasts were so sweet and kind, and I loved watching Kerri dance - that girl has some moves! It was such a pleasure to be there to capture this day - wishing these two nothing but the absolute best!! Congratulations!!! 
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On the day of the wedding I met up with Jamie, my helper for the day. We went over our game plan and headed straight to the bride's room where we not only met the bride, bridesmaids and mothers, but also met their amazing hair and makeup team, Patty McGuire Hair & Makeup Artists. It was a fun crowd and they made us feel right at home to get the beautiful detail shots of her invites, dress, etc. 

We made a few trips back and forth to photograph the guys getting ready, as one awesome thing about this venue is that they have a gorgeous bride's room, but also space for a groom's room which allowed us to have ample time to get getting ready photos of both the bride and groom. Once our bride was ready we couldn't help but continuously photograph her, as her gorgeous look matched with this vintage charm of a venue and her stunning flowers provided by Shamrock Gardens were just a photographer's dream. 

Amy and Tony decided to do a private first look. They wanted it a little more natural and less forced so we set them up on the rooftop of The Haight and just let things naturally unfold. Amy's face as she heard Tony's footsteps come closer and Tony's face as he got closer to Amy of course made me tear up behind the camera. Whenever the bride and groom see each other the stress of the day always melts away. 

We tried to go out into downtown Elgin and use the architecture for some wedding formals, but due to rainy weather we decided to just stay put at the venue. We have brick, we have bulb lighting - you can't go wrong! On the bottom floor of the venue there are also some really fun signs and corners to use for photos - they turned out awesome! One thing I think is so important when choosing a venue is to choose one you can use for photos incase of inclement weather. The Haight is definitely one of those - the photos turned out beautiful and everyone stayed nice and dry. 

One nice thing about doing everything in one place is it made the day really relaxed and calm. After photos everyone had a chance to relax before it was time for the ceremony. Amy was able to have some time in her bride's room with friends and as everyone began to arrive it was fun to see everyone's reactions as they walked into this awesome space. Amy and Tony's ceremony was lovely. It was beautifully lit with lanterns down the aisle and a huge chandelier above. They read their own vows to each other, exchanged rings, and they were finally wed!

The reception space was a stunning set up. True Cuisine handled the catering and sweets, Jarosch Bakery handled the cake, and the staff did an exquisite job making sure every detail was perfect before the guests were invited in. The reception to follow was filled with lots of love and laughter with toasts and a great dinner. Sounds Abound handled the announcing and music and were a great DJ who also paid attention to our needs as photographers. All around everyone involved did an amazing job at making this event completely perfect for Amy & Tony. 

A very huge thank you to Amy & Tony for inviting us along to capture your day. Although we had never met before the wedding day, we felt welcomed, trusted and are sending you guys lots of love and best wishes for your beautiful life together. cheers!