Romantic Micro Wedding in Chicago | Amina & Vinnie | Chicago Elopement Photographer | Melody Joy Co.
Romantic Micro Wedding in Chicago | Amina & Vinnie | Chicago Elopement Photographer | Melody Joy Co.
Amina and Vinnie revived my love for intimate micro weddings! This wedding day started with Amina and Vinnie getting ready together in their downtown high rise flat. We then walked around downtown Chicago to take portraits in some of their favorite pieces of architecture. The first stop was The Chicago Theatre, next was The Board of Trade building on La Salle, then there was The Art Institute of Chicago on Michigan Avenue. We must have walked a couple of miles downtown, but we had so much fun together strolling around and Amina was extra impressive with how good she was at walking long lengths in heels! She said her Thunder Heel Pumps from Prada were plenty comfy!
After we took their portraits we walked up Michigan Avenue to the ceremony and reception venue, The Skyline Club. The Skyline Club is the Penthouse of a high rise overlooking the Chicago River. If you are looking for a stunning rooftop view surrounded by skyscrapers as your outdoor rooftop wedding ceremony backdrop, then The Skyline Club would be the perfect fit for you! You can also have indoor or outdoor seating for your cocktail hour or reception!
The night resumed with endless family time, a thank you speech, their cake cutting, a delicious meal and a table of homemade desserts! All in all, I would say having a micro wedding with just twenty of your closest family and friends is the way to go to be able to enjoy these season, specifically with the laws in different countries, or if you simply want to provide a higher quality of celebration for your loved ones. The less people you have attend your micro wedding as well, the more time you have to have full conversations with all of them too! Overall, it’s a sweet way to have a celebration while still making it feel intimate and just about you both. If you ever need any advice on elopements or a micro wedding, I would be happy to share my thoughts on venues, styles, details and timelines that will work well for a beautiful micro wedding day! x
Wedding Dress - Emilia Wickstead Bridal // Wedding Shoes - Prada // Wedding Head Piece - Jennifer Behr // Wedding Portraits - Board of Trade Building and Art Institute of Chicago // Wedding Florals - Design de Flores // Chicago Wedding Venue for outdoor Ceremony and indoor Reception - The Skyline Club //
Hacienda Siesta Alegre | Puerto Rico Wedding Venue | Destination Wedding Photographer
Hacienda Siesta Alegre | Puerto Rico Wedding Venue | Boho Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Elena and Wesley had the most stunning
tropical destination wedding,
in the heart of Puerto Rico!
Their wedding took place this past December and it was my first time visiting Puerto Rico. I actually flew into Old San Juan on Christmas day. After spending the morning opening gifts and eating a delicious brunch with my family, I set off for a country I’ve been wanting to visit for many years. I took a few days to relax, explore and eat my way through the historic neighborhood of Old San Juan. I really love history, so one of the first places I explored was Castillo San Cristobal — one of the oldest Spanish forts in the New World.
The fact that Puerto Rico’s main airport is so close to Old San Juan makes the country a perfect destination for overseas weddings, offering your guests a chance to take in the city’s many sights, sounds and flavors before celebrating your special day with you.
For destination wedding days, I’m always with you from start to finish to tell your whole story. So, I started the day by capturing Elena getting ready with her girls. There was a gorgeous bridal suite surrounded by greenery at their boho wedding venue, Hacienda Siesta Alegre. The surroundings made you feel like you were on top of the world, with stunning views of the El Yunque rainforest mountain range in the distance. There were so many beautiful corners on the historic hacienda, including arched doorways and French window panes. It made choosing a corner spot for them to read their vows to each other before their ceremony incredibly easy and beautiful.
They had so many unique details, like a cigar bar where handmade cigars were made and given to the guests as favors. Of course, the hacienda had endless places for the bride and groom to take images together with their loved ones. The outdoor reception consisted of beautifully decorated farm tables that surrounded an incredible courtyard with a lovely fountain in the center. The courtyard was lit by string lights that really set the mood for both the reception, and later, an epic dance floor! Their chef, Enrique Piniero, is one of the best chefs in all of Puerto Rico! His food was phenomenal and I highly recommend him if you are going to do a destination wedding in Puerto Rico. I only wish you could taste his food in an image, but you’ll just have to visit and try it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!
The reception dancing was orchestrated by the top DJ in Puerto Rico, Big J Music, playing the best tunes! He is also another solid wedding vendor choice for your Puerto Rican destination wedding! It’s always great to see a DJ who can read the crowd and keep the guests excited for what song is coming next, and to see everyone’s faces light up and rush to the dance floor!
Elena and Wes also surprised the guests by having Plena music played by an amazing local group, Yuvi Plena! The music was perfect for the setting and every single guest absolutely loved it! They had the crowd doing a dance train around the entire venue and the dancers and instruments were all so entertaining — a perfect complement to the evening, tying in a bit of Puerto Rican tradition for the guests with an exciting twist!
They ended the night surrounded by sparklers and their loved ones! The smiles on their faces said it all. It was truly a beautiful wedding day!
If you’re looking for a venue for your tropical, boho destination wedding, Hacienda Siesta Alegre is one of the best wedding venues in all of Puerto Rico, seriously, just google “wedding venue in puerto rico”, I’m not making that up. Beautifully situated within a national forest, the historic villa and unique architecture of the property make for not only a stunning wedding day, but a truly memorable one.
Ceremony + Reception Venue - Hacienda Siesta Alegre / Wedding Planning - Rosalina Torres / Florist Company - Jat Lozano / Make-up + Hair Artist - Javier Moreno / Brides Dress - Gali Karten / Jewelry - Cassouto Jewels / Shoes - Bella Belle Shoes / Garter - La Gartier Wedding Garters / Bridesmaid Dresses - Show Me Your Mumu / Groom Suit - Suit Supply / Groomsman Suits - The Groomsman Suit / Engagement Ring - Majestic Jewelers / Wedding Band Instagram - Creative Design Jewelers / Caterer - Chef Enrique Piniero / Cake - Gabriel Diaz / DJ - Big J Music / Wedding Filmmaker - The Film Writer / Photo Booth - Flipeate / Pleneros - Yuvi Plena
If you’d like me to capture your wedding day or see if your wedding date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to create something beautiful with you!
Here is the amazing film by The Film Writer below!
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.