Chic Downtown Chicago Micro Wedding | Madelyn + Paul | Elopement Wedding Photographer
Chic Downtown Chicago Micro Wedding | Madelyn + Paul | Elopement Wedding Photographer
Elopements at city hall are some of my favorite! And Madelyn and Paul truly did it right! They started the day getting ready with their favorite people, and then did their first look just outside of the Thompson Hotel in the center of downtown Chicago. They then hopped in a limo with some bubbly and headed off to the Chicago Cook County Marriage Court. After they went in with their marriage certificate in hand and their masks on their faces, they came out with their arms in the air and rejoicing as they just got married during this craziness of a year! They had their parents and siblings waiting just outside the courthouse doors to cheer them on right after they left the courthouse and to give them all of the hugs!
Then the newlyweds went for a limo ride through Chicago and we stopped by a few of their favorite neighborhoods and some beautiful streets downtown. We ended up in the fashion district of downtown and roamed around the streets by shops like Dior and Versace, before heading to Gibson’s Steakhouse, where their immediate families were waiting to celebrate and enjoy a meal with them upstairs in a private dining room. All in all, this was a simple day, filled with beautiful little details that all focused on the bride and groom! In the car ride they opened up a bag of gummy bears their friends gave them, popped champagne and took Fujifilm Instax photos to have little take aways straight away from their special day!
This day was such a memorable one, and not just because of the beautiful bride and groom and their amazingly city chic attire, but because they just did what they wanted! These two, just like many couples had another plan before this one, and when this year became what it became, they just had to figure it out. And in the end, when you want to get married, you just figure out a way to make it happen, even if that means just the two of you in your city at the courthouse, dressed in your best! Madelyn and Paul were so relaxed all day long and were truly just so happy to finally become husband and wife and to start their “forever” together. I loved being able to witness their joy on this day. From start to finish, there was just so much love, joy and laughter, and that, to me, is what makes a wedding day the most beautiful of all! x
Dress - Sarah Seven // Hotel - Thompson Hotel // Wedding Reception - Gibson’s Steakhouse // Wedding Ceremony - Chicago Cook County Marriage Court // Flowers - Bride’s Mother (She did amazing!)
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!
Downtown Chicago Wedding | The Herbarium at Bad Hunter | Chicago Wedding Photographer
The Herbarium at Bad Hunter | Downtown Chicago Wedding Photographer
Whatever our souls
are made of,
His and mine
are the same.
-Emily Brontë
Ceremony Holy Name Cathedral // Reception The Herbarium at Bad Hunter // Florist Revel Decor // MUA Ryan Ternes // Hair Artist Claire Danstrom //
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to help you create something beautiful together!
I absolutely love downtown Chicago wedding venues. This particular Chicago wedding venue, The Herbarium, is located in a Chicago neighborhood called The West Loop, one of the most popular spots for some of the trendiest and edgist food scene in all of Chicago. The Herbarium wedding venue is located on the entire floor directly upstairs above the restaurant Bad Hunter, another wonderful spot to check out if you are visiting Chicago. The Herbarium has wooden floors, tall ceilings and is filled with Herbs and plants all over the walls weaving in and out through the bottles on the shelves behind it’s elegant bar. This wedding venue is not far from downtown at all, as their ceremony was actually based less than a mile away in downtown Chicago. After their downtown Chicago wedding ceremony we took wedding portraits on Michigan Avenue and we then headed to take wedding portraits in the West Loop. Since the West Loop is so close to downtown Chicago, it’s the perfect spot for visitors flying in to explore the beautiful downtown areas and also be very near your wedding venue within a mild walk or short taxi ride. All in all, I would highly recommend The Herbarium, not just for its close proximity to downtown Chicago, but the staff and food courses were top notch! Seriously, try the dumplings if you ever eat a dinner there! And If anyone is searching for any wedding venue ideas for the West Loop or downtown Chicago, I could not rave enough about The Herbarium! It has really stood out to me amongst all of the other wedding venues for intimate Chicago weddings. Truly a beautiful downtown Chicago wedding venue. On a side note, thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings about this lovely Chicago wedding venue, The Herbarium.
Room 1520 | West Loop Wedding Venue | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Room 1520 Wedding Venue | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Keep your eyes open.
Keep your heart open too.
You never who you’re going to
meet and what they will mean to you.
- mhn
Clair and Michael. These two adventurous souls met in the most exciting meet-cute ever, standing in line at a club in Italy. They are both such beautiful humans, inside and out, with the style and sass to match! More than any couple I have ever met, they dance like no one else is watching. I absolutely loved this day and all of the uniquely modern details that made their wedding truly one to remember.
Venue - Room 1520 | Dress - Alyssa Kristin Dress | Tux - The Black Tux | Hair + MUA - Nika Vaughan Bridal Artists | Event Planner - Urban Allure Events | Florist - Bouk Bridal | Caterer - Zullo’s Catering | DJ - Toast & Jam |
For anyone reading this that is in your engaged season of life, Room 1520 is one of the loveliest wedding venues in Chicago that I have ever captured a wedding in. As anyone can see from my photographs I share on my website and social media, I tend to be drawn to the more neutral or black and white palette. Room 1520 is one of my favorite venues in Chicago because it is a blank space. It is completely painted in white. The floors are white and the old tile windows give it a modern and clean edge. If you are looking for an industrial venue in the heart of the West Loop, just a mile from downtown, you will love Room 1520. The location, the staff, the elegant transitions from foyer, to bar area, to the wide open ceremony and reception space, It’s definitely a space for anyone looking for a blank slate to visit to see if this the wedding venue for you. I just love raving about wedding venues in Chicago that I love and Room 1520 has definitely become a favorite of mine. I have shot multiple weddings in the West Loop, and as lovely as they all are, Room 1520 has the upper hand when it comes to space, since it’s on the outskirts of the West Loop and has a slightly larger square footage then most of the West Loop wedding venues. So you can invite more of your friends and family to celebrate with you! So all in all, Room 1520 is in my opinion one of the best wedding venues in Chicago. So cheers to hopefully helping your Chicago wedding venue search just a little bit and I truly hope you can enjoy your season of planning, and most importantly, enjoy this time with the love of your life!
Chicago City Hall Elopement | The Rookery | Elopement Photographer
The Rookery Wedding Venue | City Hall Courthouse Elopement | Chicago Elopement Photographer
Two of the most beautiful souls.
I was so honored that Dylan and Juan reached out to me to capture their Courthouse Elopement in downtown Chicago. They are truly wonderful human beings and their love for each other radiants to anyone who is around them. I honestly did not want to leave after spending the afternoon with them because I was having so much fun! They brought along both of their parents and only their closest friends, it was so intimate and emotional in the best way possible. Everyone was packed into a little room in the Chicago City Hall with big smiles, and then tears and then hugs and endless joy! After the ceremony everyone hopped into a Party Bus and we drove all around downtown Chicago to take couples portraits and family photos in their favorite locations! We ended the afternoon taking photos at The Rookery, one of the most historic and beautiful buildings in all of Chicago. It was a day filled with overflowing amounts of joy and love and you can’t ask for a better elopement than that.
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to help you create something beautiful together!
Chicago City Hall is the best way to elope in downtown Chicago. Eloping in Chicago is a great way to spend your wedding day with the one you love! Chicago City Hall is beautiful building with plenty of great portrait opportunities. If you are looking for a place to elope in Chicago, Chicago City Hall would be a perfect wedding venue for you! I love capturing weddings downtown at City Hall. City Hall is perfect for walking around and taking photos on the lakefront, at Navy Pier, in Millennium Park, on Michigan Avenue, by the Chicago River and in front of so many historic sky scrapers downtown. City Hall is also a perfect spot for parents who are visiting from out of town, because they can walk straight to City Hall very conveniently from any hotel downtown. Chicago is full of endless beauty, architecture and art, and if you are looking for a beautiful place to elope in an urban jungle, then City Hall is where you should have your intimate wedding.
Lauren + Nick | City View Loft Wedding
City View Loft Wedding Venue | Chicago Wedding Photographer
It was an incredibly beautiful and snowy day in Chicago for Lauren and Nick's stunning Chicago wedding. From the weather to their endless smiles, I couldn't get over how much joy there was! I think smiles are incredibly underrated. I love when a couple can't have serious faces because they are just so filled with laughter and joy from looking at each other! It's just so beautiful to see.
It's so refreshing to second shoot in between my own clients' weddings. (And not just because it's super fun and enjoyable to work with friends!) When you second shoot, you get to spend more time with the groom, usually, and I always gain so much appreciation for them. Some grooms party beforehand, some need their alone time, some are pumped for the day, and others are incredibly emotional or solemn. I really love being able to document the groom's side. Now I make it a point, even in my own weddings, to document the bride and groom equally, because it's just as special a day for him as it is for her.
I captured this wedding day at City View Loft alongside my sweet and talented friend Alisha, from ATS Photography, and we couldn't have enjoyed ourselves (or danced) more!
Venue City View Loft // Getting Ready Location VRBO // Video Eric Floberg // Hair Emily Grisso // Dress Sarah Seven // Suit Sarar
Seriously, if you are still searching for a Chicago wedding venue close to downtown and the lakefront, City View Loft is your venue! City View Loft has so many spaces for you to create your own feel and such great views of Chicago. I love shooting wedding photos at City View Loft! And if you’d like to see if I’m available to capture your unique wedding day, please reach out on my contact page at the link below! I’d love to create something beautiful with you!
Karla + Gabe | Chicago, IL
Karla and Gabe are one adventurous gem of a couple. I consider them Mrs. + Mr. Chicago. I enjoy hanging out with them weekly, but had such a fun time on my rooftop with the Chicago skyline in the background and capturing their personalities! They are mix a quirky and silly, total babes and are some of the most genuine and kind hearted individuals I've ever met. And I also have the pleasure of calling them family! Gabe...forever and ever, and Karla, just this past summer when they got married!
Also, can we talk about how cool Gabe's tattoos are, incorporating a mix of Chicago pride, meaningful moments and hand drawn illustrations by his son.
Go check out more about what they are up to on Instagram. Both are the epitome of a Chicago creative and how to be musicians + entrepreneurs in a big city! Enjoy!
KARLA // @itsme_karla GABE // @g_a_b_e__
To inquire about a portrait, engagement or family session contact me below to chat!