Ace Hotel + City View Loft | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Ace Hotel + City View Loft | Chicago Wedding Photographer
This beautiful wedding day started with getting ready in a beautiful suite at the Ace Hotel and ended with a modern, industrial wedding reception and dance party at City View Loft. Nicki and Ryan, along with their amazing bridal party, really made this day an incredibly memorable one! Every friend they had by their side was truly there for them throughout the day, and that was beautiful to see. One bridesmaid would be holding her daughter, the other would be fixing her hair, the other was holding her dress, and of course, someone was always making sure she had food and a drink in her hand! The bridal party had such a beautiful understanding of the blend of having the most fun while understanding the seriousness of how special this day was to Nicki and Ryan!
I always love showing up to get more “getting ready” moments than planned, because there is usually so much going on. The little moments of seeing what everyone is doing to help prep the bride for her special day, most times go unnoticed, but I try to document each person doing something that is helpful and a memory that the bride may have missed because of being in her hair and makeup seat already. It’s just beautiful to catch the details of the lodging alongside the candids of how the morning of a wedding day goes. So showing up at the Ace Hotel an hour early to capture those extra moments were worth it for me, and for the bride’s reaction to her photos as well! Before we headed to the ceremony, we did a walk around the Ace Hotel to take photos of the bridal party and we found the most epic street art under a bridge it was such a fun moment with every person laughing and enjoying themselves. There were even a few candids of people walking by who jumped in to be in the photos with them. The bridal party walk was definitely one of my favorite memories from this wedding day!
Nicki and Ryan had the most beautiful ceremony in a vaulted room inside of a restored factory, called City View Loft. It’s one of Chicago’s most lovely renovated wedding venues. It’s on the outskirts of downtown and have beautiful skyline views of downtown Chicago. City View Loft has one of the best catering teams, LM Catering, so you don’t have to search for caterers who know the space and beautiful food! Nicki and Ryan also had a taco buffet bar in the middle of their dance party, which was one of my personal favorite parts of the day! Everyone loves a bite to eat in the middle of dancing for hours… especially when dancing with a camera in hand! And of course, the DJ’s at Toast and Jam brought amazing tunes all night long! Overall, this day was filled with memorable moments that will last a lifetime and that is what every wedding day special. Those moments happen with your favorite people, and that will always be unique to you both!
Nicki and Ryan gave me this genuinely sweet review on Junebug Weddings, and I couldn’t be
more grateful to have been there to document and celebrate these two on their wedding day!
”I was lucky enough to have a friend refer me to Melody. I looked at her website ONCE, fell in love, and reached out immediately. Having young kids and living quite a way's away from the city, Melody was more accommodating, flexible, and understanding than she ever had to be. On our wedding day, Melody wasn't just a photographer. It honest to God felt like she was part of the wedding and part of the family, the way she helped organize events of the day and helped with the little important things. That alone makes you feel comfortable in front of her camera. I never truly understood how important finding the RIGHT photographer was until I laid eyes on my own wedding photos. I guess there just aren't the right words to describe how much I appreciate how perfect and beautiful they are. Every detail that I hoped to remember was caught. Every amazing move someone busted on the dance floor was captured. From the tiny details in the decor, to the food, flowers, guests, and everything in-between. When I look at my wedding photos from Melody, I relive one of the best and most important days of my life, vividly! I don’t want to sign off without giving mention to the second photographer Melody brought in for the day, Ross, who captured some amazing photos of the guys! Just goes to show she really knows what she's doing!
I wish I had more room! Trust Melody xo”
- Nicki + Ryan
Lodging - The Ace Hotel Chicago | Ceremony + Reception Venue - City View Loft | Wedding Florals - Flowers For Dreams | Wedding Dress - White Satin Bridal | Catering - LM Catering | DJ - Toast + Jam
If you’d like me to capture your wedding day or see if your wedding date is available,
fill out the form at the link below and I would love to
create something beautiful with you!