When Jamie reached out to us after seeing our feature on Wedding Chicks I knew that we had found our ideal client!  When we first met with Jamie to talk over initial wedding day details her energy and passion for her wedding day was what got us excited to work with her and her fiance Chris. That and the fact that they were having a ceremony overlooking Lake Michigan at Illinois State Park Resort was a huge bonus ( psst: we LOVE outdoor ceremonies!) A big part of the start of their relationship revolved around bike riding along the lake front so Jamie made sure that their engagement session AND wedding included her beloved beach cruiser in one way or another! It’s always such a great feeling to walk into a venue and just know that all the work the couple has done has really paid off and that it looks like THEIR wedding!

From morning until evening Jamie and Chris’ loved ones came together to celebrate the joining of two amazing people. We couldn’t have asked for a more fun, creative, and friendlier couple to work with!  Its always a huge honor when a fellow photographer (Jamie is a talented children portrait photographer) invites us to photograph their love story. Here are a few kind words from Jamie:

” I am also a photographer and finding my perfect wedding photographer was tough because of my own artistic visions and high standards, then I found Liz & Joe, the answer to my photography wishes!!!  Liz & Joe were amazing at bringing both my visions and theirs to life in such a gorgeous way…and I am AMAZED at how they brought my fiancé (does not love getting his photo taken) out of his shell! They really loosened both of us up so that we were natural and could have SO MUCH FUN….and we feel so lucky that we can call Liz & Joe new friends, they’re that great!! ”

Thank you Jamie + Chris for inviting us to photograph such an amazing day!  We wish you a beautiful marriage and many more dirty dancing solos! Love you guys 🙂

Wedding Ceremony + Reception: Illinois Beach Resort

Flowers: Balmes Flowers

Cake: Sweet Discoveries

Catering: Illinois Beach Resort

Hair + Makeup: RC Beauty

Dress: Gigi’s Closette

I can honestly say that we work with THE best couples. Thankful for this great wedding review from one of our amazing 2015 couples Michelin & Will. They were married at beautiful http://www.qasbasilica.org/ where Michelin’s mother and father also held their own wedding ceremony at as well. Their elegant reception was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Chicago. Such a special day for this couple that we were so honored to be a part of. Here is more from the bride:

 “Planning our wedding from a far was a bit of a challenge. We could not have a face to face meeting or see everything in person. Liz & Joe were the absolute best at working through that challenge. When we first decided to consider them as our photographers Liz was great about emailing us materials. When we were pretty sure they were what we wanted they set up a Skype date so we talk through our expectations in detail. A few months before our wedding they set up a meeting with us on a weekend when we were in town to discuss last minute logistics. They also put up with viewing our engagement pictures that we had done in Philadelphia (where we live) so I could show them what I believe are our best angles.”

“On our wedding day they were amazing. It was a long, HOT day and their energy kept us going. We were really ready to get into the air conditioning at some points throughout the day but they encouraged us to get a few more photos, which I am VERY grateful for because they turned out amazing. They captured every moment I wanted. Whenever I wanted to snap a photo with a group of friends they were right there. The photos are unbelievably beautiful, my husband and I, as well as our family and friends look like our best selves. Liz & Joe had their work cut out for them capturing difficult subjects: small children, our beloved dog, and our big families, but it all turned out great. We are a relaxed couple – we do not take ourselves seriously and I really think all our wedding photos capture who we are and what the day was to us. I could not be more thrilled. They are the BEST!”

We are thrilled about creating our first Guestbook sample using one of our favorite Engagement sessions to date. We are so passionate about offering these to our current and future clients mostly because I so wish that we would have done this with our own engagement photos. Not only is it a great way to bring together all of your favorite photos but its also a way to share your Engagement photos with your guests. Leaving plenty of white space on each page allows your guests to write there best wishes too.

And we are beyond thrilled to have found such a great book making company as well. Redtree Albums are hand crafted and bound using beautiful Fuji Crystal Archive paper with lay-flat binding. The front and back cover make the best canvases to show case your favorite image, with a single photo that wraps around to the back. We love these albums for there modern and minimalistic take on an heirloom.

It will surely be the best coffee table book you will love to flip through for years to come!

We couldn’t have ask for a more perfect way to jumpstart this weekend by having our FIRST (eek!) official wedding featured on my favorite blog Wedding Chicks. Hop over to see all the gorgeousness from this Chicago Garden Wedding  and the coolest  couple to date!  We loved capturing Andy + Malerie’s romantic wedding story. There is truly no better feeling than spending the day in the presence of  love, family, and friends. A BIG thank you to Tiffany of A Splendid Occasion for introducing us to Andy and Malerie. We loved working alongside you and your amazing team!!

Venue: Chief O’Neill’s Pub
Flowers: FabFlora
Hair & Makeup: Lia of Nika Vaughan Bridal Artists
Dress Shop: BHLDN
Bridesmaid Dresses: Little Borrowed Dress
Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Dj: MaryMonica Music, Inc.
Lighting: UltraPom Rentals
Cake Stands & Dessertware: Vintage Place Settings
Macarons: Delightful Pastries

Andy and Malerie are married!  Here is a quick peek into their gorgeous beer garden wedding. We LOVED following them and their (awesomely cool) family and friends all day to capture the best moments!  Guys, we can’t wait to show you the rest!!

In case you missed it last week, our handmade vintage Blumen Garden wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty, yayyy!!! And almost a week before our 1 year wedding anniversary to boot!  We couldn’t have asked for a more special way to commemorate our best day ever. Check it our here to get the full scoop along with all the diy goodies that we created to express our amazing day.

Being in this years Indie Wed wedding show was definitely highlight for us!  Joe and I were  excited to see so many familiar (and talented) faces at this years show. We worked really hard to highlight our booth and I think we did just that and more! With a custom chalkboard and beautiful fresh arrangements by the uber talented Becca Blue Flowers to help make our booth smell and look fresh! We enjoyed getting to meet a handful of really nice couples and  got to share with them what we are about.  Thanks to all who stopped by to say hello!!

It’s was great girly fun to capture this fun DIY floral event last week at Anthropologie hosted by The Everygirl! The ladies gathered round to demons fresh and budget friendly floral hairpieces. Such a cute and festive idea for any special event this season. Wear one to a wedding as a guest or bridal party member!  Head over to The Everygirl website to get the full deets on how to craft your own beauty!

This past Sunday morning a group of vendors met for the first time under the El tracks in Ravenswood to meet, greet, and collaborate on this shoot that Elaine from Shadowbox Dreams had been putting together for  while.  I think I’m not the only one who left that sunny morning totally inspired and grateful to be part of an industry that is so supportive, collaborative, and full to the brim with creative energy. Each of these ladies not only brings talent to the table but personality and passion for what they create. Thank you Elaine for inviting me to be a part of this fabulous group of ladies!  I hope we can all work again soon 🙂

Vintage Rentals: Shadowbox Dreams

Paper Bouquets: Little Spoon Events

Candles: Chicago Candle Co.

Wedding Suite: Chykalophia

Baked Goods: Bot Bakery

Graphic Artist: Chyrel Banias

Handmade Backdrops/Supplies: Penelope & Lala