Homies LA x @Melodyjoyco
I couldn't be more grateful for the season I'm in. For plenty of reasons I could go on about in person, but for this post we can just focus on this view of downtown Chicago. My flat is in the heart of Wicker Park and this skyline view just reminds me how small (but significant, and so are you) I am in this huge, beautiful world. I've never been more excited for the future and what God has in store for my life.
So back to this view...I love to hang out on my roof with friends. From eating Chipotle with friends, to watching fireworks on the 4th of July with 360 views into all hours of the night. to many fun photo shoots and afternoons of grabbing some rays on my blanket and drinking coffee. This blanket from Homies, I take with me everywhere! From the beach to the park...but mainly on my roof is where it's seen the most sun, literally. If you're looking for a beautiful yet functional blanket to throw in your backpack for a fun day out, or even just any other kind of beautiful decor...check out Homies (and tell your homies)!
Cheers to many more funny, sunny days in Chicago with this blanket!
My Favorite Office Space | Chicago, IL
I like to start my days working out of my bedroom. It's my favorite office space. Not only do I get to stay in my pj's for a bit longer, but it gives me to time to enjoy my favorite home brewed coffees in one of my favorite spaces. My bedroom is completely me. It's minimal in items and in color palette. I've also learned week by week as I get older that I am more like Monica from "Friends" than I realized. Coasters are key, always, and everything has it's particular spot at all times.
In order to make my room more cozy I wanted to fill it with brands and companies that I love!
First, there is the Color Cord Company. Their simple brass cord and new "T-hook" that is coming out soon with some other new products, hangs so elegantly and beautifully from my high ceilings. It's simple design was inspired from the scandinavian culture and now are hand built here in America. I was so ecstatic when I learned that their offices were in Denver, Colorado. I was visiting one of my childhood best friends last week and knew I had to visit their warehouse as soon as I put two and two together. The owner is so passionate about his work and detail of design is everything with this company. If you're a small business(or large business) or just looking for an adorable light to complete your space, seriously, check out their website. They have so many colors and metals of every kind! It's an interior designer's dream, because they even do custom work.
Next, there is this beautiful modern end table from Overstock. When I was searching for modern end tables I kept seeing ones that were super chunky or too thin or just overly designed. I like that this one was still simple enough, but had two drawers for storage for the important things(like notebooks, The Bible, my latest Archie Comic, Sudoku book, and Crossword book) but not big enough to cram a lot of junk in them and have things get lost in them (like my last nightstand). I also love this nightstand because it seems like all of my furniture from all of the different companies all had the same wood shade and that can be difficult to do. And it all matches my original hardwood floors as well. I like in a historic building and I have to say, I really do appreciate the details of this home...but more about the other rooms for a different post.
Lastly, There is my "Bind my Wandering Heart to Thee" flag above my bed. It's always a beautiful and blunt reminder daily. I always find myself humming this hymn now more often than not while in my bedroom. Everyone needs one, and you can them at Charlotte's beautiful Etsy Shop, Wild Flower Eyes Co!
Some other little details of my room are this simple designed Modernica planter that I believe really "makes" the whole room with it's ceramic cylinder shape and perfectly matching wooden stand. I am also very impressed with myself for not killing this banana plant thus far, as I so easily do. Working on my nurturing side, in all aspects of life.
And the rug that is the center of my room is from Rugs USA. It's fuzzy, white and feels amazing when I am barefooted in my room. So yes, I would say it's perfect and everyone needs one. The real inspiration was my niece Ella, who also has a similar white rug, and playing with her quite often I knew I needed one for myself. Inspiration can come from the most adorable places.
I'm also going to be incorporating more of my lifestyle collaborations for interior design, coffee and fashion onto my blog as well as my usual wedding posts! So you all can see a little bit more about my editing process and life in between shooting the most beautiful weddings of the sweetest couples!
So cheers to more blogging! x
P.S. I've never owned a window AC unit before, but I have to say...this Frigidaire unit from Amazon is absolutely amazing! It's made working in my room an ice box dream. I love being cold!
My Coffee Corner | Wicker Park
My coffee corner is a place where I make my daily cups of joy.
My love for Chicago...
This Wild Standard flag I thought would be the perfect addition to my new home, elegantly placed above my beloved coffee corner. A little bit about my thoughts on Chicago. Even though Chicago was the first place I lived as a child, my whole family was born and raised here, and I moved away at a very young age. All of the years growing up, the only teams my family rooted for were teams from Chicago. Mainly the Cubs, Bulls and Bears. We had Sammy Sosa, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippin and Dennis Rodman on large posters in our game room. So many childhood holidays were spent visiting family in Chicago, and I always remember vividly my grandpa and his Dunkin Donuts and being silly with my cousins. So, for this next season of my life, I chose to live in the city that is home to the majority of my family members (over 40 in one place) and the history of where my family came from. Living life with my cousins and going to church with family has been so lovely. It's been a beautiful thing exploring this city and I couldn't be more excited about living in the heart of the creative community here as well. I also love run-on sentences.
Now onto the coffee...
I love starting my day with a good cup of coffee alongside my devos, before I get ready to encounter people (which usually just entails doing something with my crazy morning hair and throwing on something monochromatic). Depending on how ready I am to go to one of my many "coffee shop offices" where I live in Wicker Park, if I am needing to quickly run off to a meeting or a photoshoot, or if I am simply wanting a down day to edit and design from home, I have a brewing method that can fit my time restraint.
My Nespresso machine is the quickest way to have a wake-up jolt in the morning. I love the latest Cuban blend and my old faithful "Arpeggio", which is pretty strong and packs a punch. If I have more time to brew coffee and enjoy it at home from my beautiful vintage chair (that one of my sweet roommates, Xochitl, let me keep in the room) I brew via Chemex. After Chemex, there would be my Aeropress (which isn't seen, but stored away because I take it with me places when I travel). After my Aeropress, the brewing options would be Single Cup V60 pour-over, French Press or Moka pot. I have a cowboy kettle that I've tried out indoors, but it's main purpose is for camping. Maybe if I do a road trip where I car can carry it to the campsite, I'll actually make some turkish coffee with it in the wilderness.
Currently I am enjoying a summer filled with Intelligentsia, and their coffee subscriptions are the bomb. More to come from coffee will be about Good Manner and Le Labo's Brooklyn Coffee Shop, so stay tuned via my Instagram!
All of these methods fit perfectly on and inside my beautiful Walnut Astro Buffet from Overstock. If you haven't checked out their furniture selections, you should. They have a piece for almost every corner of my room. I'll show you more from them later on too. And this Letterfolk board has been making my mornings brighter as well! I love switching up the text by putting scriptures, quotes and some of my favorite music lyrics on there. I recently watched a documentary on the Beatles. I have always loved them from the first time I heard their music when I was younger, so currently the lyrics "All you need is Love" are gracing my board's presence.
Okay, onto the photos...
In Home Engagement Photos | Intimate Studio Session
Intimate Photography | In Home Photo Session | Engagement Photographer | Home Studio
All her perfect imperfections made her the most beautiful creature. -Atticus
This space. This lighting. These intimate moments at home. These two humans I am so incredibly blessed to call friends. Their joy, laughter, genuineness and sweet spirits you can easily see just by spending any amount of time with them. (It also doesn't hurt that Stumptown Coffee, Bob, Bruce and polaroids are involved).
I truly love capturing the beauty of friendship.
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your engagement session or wedding day in 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to help you create something beautiful together!
I just love capturing in home engagement sessions. Intimate photos inside of your home are probably the sweetest way to capture the season of life that you are in. If you need help with ideas or inspiration for your in home engagement session, I’m happy to help! I usually recommend that couples play their favorite music, whether that means putting on your favorite Bob Dylan song or pulling out your guitar to serenade each other. Having your favorite drink is also another way to feel comfortable during your in home session photos. You can brew your favorite coffee or go straight to a glass of wine or cocktail. Either way, make it something that you love as it will be photographed with you! If you like to shoot film or play board games or even cook in the kitchen, all things are great to do to remember the season of life you are in. Your hobbies can give you an activity to do while your engagement session or in home lifestyle photos are naturally taking place in the background. In home sessions are a way to feel comfortable during your photos as you’ll be surrounded by your intimate space and in your comfort zone. It’s so nice to document the intimate moments of any season of life you are going through. Your home always provides that safe haven and has your most authentic self sprinkled throughout the interior design, the decor and overall feel of your home. All in all, I would highly suggest trying an in home session with a lifestyle photographer to document your special love in a fun and unique way in the comfort of your own home.
Heritage Bikes + Coffee | Chicago, IL
Coffee shops are my daily workspace, my second home, my place of rest and my 'living room' to dream and talk about life with friends. Thankfully, in my new home base of Chicago, there are so many beautiful work spaces (aka coffee shops). I like to mix up my surroundings from time to time to get fresh perspectives, but overall I have a few personal favorite shops that I frequent regularly. Heritage Bicycles is one of them. This is Heritage. They not only serve excellent coffee, but they sell and fix custom bikes. The interior design is right up my alley as well. The muted color palette, the original, fading wood floors with the stark contrast of the bold white walls with high ceilings just makes me so happy.
Since I am always commuting to different coffee shops around the cities I travel to, and now live in, I love to have a comfortable backpack to carry my laptop and camera gear in. I finally found a beautiful one for the city. The Kamrette Lyra Backpack. It has a separate zip sleeve in the back that is big enough for my 15 inch macbook pro, and I don't have to unzip the whole front camera gear section to get to it. It's a win-win kind of bag because it is not only beautifully designed but a 'pocket-lovers dream'.
Enjoy this little peak into my day to day life. The only part I didn't include is my lunch breaks to Mcdonalds, my endless emails and my rough hair that is probably hidden under a hat.
Coffee Shop Heritage Bicycles // Location Lincoln Park, Chicago // Camera Bag Kamrette Lyra Backpack // Eye Glasses TIJN Eyewear