Feeling Like a Kid Again Among the Butterflies

Winter is never going to end, or least it feels that way in Chicago.

That is why I decided to get out of my wintery funk by going to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to check out the butterfly exhibit. While the museum is geared mainly towards kids, I got to feel like a kid again when I walked into the Butterfly Haven. It was very balmy in there, a much needed relief from the cold outside. I immediately noticed this guy hogging one of the feeding stations:

There were so many beautiful specimens of butterflies to be seen that I felt a little giddy, like a young girl again.

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In addition to the gorgeous butterflies, there were interesting plants, birds flying about, even a turtle and koi fish. I would definitely recommend the Nature Museum for the young and young at heart.

 

And when you exit the butterfly portion of the museum, you can see more butterflies being created in cocoons. How cool is that?

 

Lizzie and Mike: Salvage One, Chicago Wedding

Just because it is cold outside – bitterly cold, I might add – love waits for no one in Chicago.

I was lucky enough to witness the wedding of Lizzie and Mike last weekend at Salvage One in Chicago, IL. It was a special occasion for many reasons, one of them being that many of the guests had traveled from near and far to witness the adorable love between Mike and Lizzie. Although  Lizzie is originally Illinois, she now lives in Australia with the dashing Mike. They had friends travel from Australia, England and several other places to witness the exchange of their vows last weekend.

While I am a sucker for tradition, I truly enjoy a couple that is super relaxed and does not adhere to any rules. They helped each other get ready before the ceremony, and had a blast posing for pictures around the amazing Salvage One. Seriously, this place is incredible. It is chock full of amazing nooks and crannies that offer endless photographic possibilities.

These two were such a bundle of fun that they were up for just about anything. I don’t know if I have met a couple that were just so genuinely happy to be around each other as Lizzie and Mike. There is no doubt that these two will have a long, happy and fun-filled marriage – hopefully with tons of kids to share the goofiness with!

   

The event was just as relaxed and beautiful as their love. Thank you to Shanna Wolf Photography for inviting me to shoot this beautiful wedding. If you are in Madison, WI you should check out S. Photography and the talented Shanna Wolf.

 

My First Orthodox Jewish Wedding, and What a Party It Was!

Last weekend I was one of four photographers and two videographers capturing the wedding of Zach and Aliza in Elk Grove Village, IL.

While I look forward to shooting all of my weddings, I was especially excited/nervous for this event because it was a) an orthodox Jewish wedding and b) was going to host 400 guests. Larry, the lead photographer, explained the order of the day and what I could expect. He could never have prepared me for the exhilaration of being involved in such a joyous, emotional and frentic event.

The khattan (groom) was especially dapper, and his kallah (bride) was an absolute stunner. They were both outdone, just a smidge, by the array of adorable kids running around.

I absolutely adore the gray color scheme of the wedding. Don’t the bridesmaids look gorgeous in their varied shades of grey? And let me tell you, they were wearing some of the most amazing dresses that I have seen in a while.

After everyone was all gussied up for the event, Zach and Aliza saw each other for the first time. They were adorable, all smiles and giggles, and the crowd cheered for them.

While the photographers took turns gathering family members for group shots, I couldn’t help but notice this fun trio. They were trying to get the attention of the aforementioned adorable kids for the photographer, and it looked like they were having way more fun than the kids probably were.

Soon after the men went into a separate room while the women gathered around the bride for the badekkin. Friends and family members approached the bride and offered their well wishes and prayers for a happy marriage. The bride can also use this time for some prayers on her own before the big event.

 

A little while later, the groom is escorted to the bride, surrounded by friends and family singing loudly and jubilantly. Some prayers are recited and the groom brings the veil down over his bride’s face. You can start to imagine what a wedding of 400 people feels like in the following images.

   

The group then proceeds to the chuppa, or the wedding ceremony. Both sets of parents carry candles as they escort their son and daughter down the aisle. After the ceremony has been completed, the married couple are then escorted down the aisle with laughter, singing and dancing.

The newlyweds are given a few minutes to themselves after the ceremony, which is much needed, since what proceeds is wild dancing. The men and women are taken to separate areas of the dance floor and everyone is given a chance to dance with the bride and groom. I stayed with Aliza and documented what was one of the most intense moments of my wedding photography career. Imagine 200 women surrounded you in ever-widening circles, all jockeying to get a moment to dance with the groom. The energy filled the air and I was amazed at just how long those ladies got down! I don’t know how long the dance went on, but as you can see from the images below, Aliza was a very happy bride and her guests were more than happy to dance the night away in celebration.

Millie and Jillie: Why You Should Foster/Adopt Today!

Last week I brought Blake back to PAWS and was a bit teary while doing so. She is a very sweet and fun cat, and I really hope that she gets adopted soon. I jumped back into my car and headed south to the PAWS Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic where foster kittens and puppies are kept. I tell you, I don’t know how the people there do it, working day in and day out surrounded by such cuteness.

I am now a proud foster mommy to Millie and Jillie, two sweet kittens who are going to be VERY hard not to keep. From the moment we got home, Millie was all over me, giving me sweet kitten kisses and love. Poor Jillie raced into the closet and stayed there for most of the day. To make matters worse, both kittens were suffering from an upper respiratory infection, so they were sneezing, wheezing and coughing all over the place.

A few days later, and much struggling with medicine, my two foster kittens are feeling much better. Millie is the black kitten; the picture below was taken by my friend Mike while she cuddled on my shoulder. She scrambles up there whenever she can and I never say no. Jillie is the black and white kitten, and while she is reserved, she knows how to party when the mood strikes her. Did I mention that they are sisters? I hope that someone adopts both of them together, because they are the perfect blend of sugar and spice. If you want to foster animals, or even better, adopt a dog or cat, visit PAWS in Chicago. The shelter is amazing, the people are incredible, and the animals are ready for their furever homes.

  

My Dream Wedding: Sparkly Shiny Happy People Version

Yes, I realize that I am 30 years old and still am obsessed with sparkles. Is that bad?

I think it is great, which is why I love when I see brides planning weddings that are filled to the gills with sparkly goodness. When it comes to your wedding day, you should get to wear whatever you want, decorate however you please, and dance the night away under a disco ball.

 When it comes to my dress. I want to light up the aisle, the dance floor, everywhere! I love how this dress has tons of sparkle and sheer sleeve coverings to conceal my problem arm areas.

I truly cannot decide whether I would want to wear my hear up or down, but if it is up in a loose chignon, I would definitely adorn it with this amazing hair jewelry. Is that a term? It is now.

I don’t know if they would love me or hate me for it, but how amazing/horrifying would it be if my bridesmaids all wore a version of this sequin gown?

See, this bride did a similar thing for her winter wedding. I think it looks amazing and totally chic.

No matter whether my wedding is indoors or out, I think a chandelier is appropriate. Top it with electric lights or candles and I will be a happy girl.

As for table toppers/name holders, how could I say no to these amazing glitter unicorns? I saw them on Style Me Pretty and they went to my Pinterest board IMMEDIATELY…

And then I could put them onto this sequined table covering…yes, it is WAY too much. But I’m just throwing the ideas out there.

When I inevitably take off my heels to tear up the dance floor, I could display my bejeweled heels with this glass jar idea.

Well, these are just a few of the sparkly ideas that I’ve seen floating around on the web that I totally love. There are so many more ideas out there, many of them DIY, which I love even more. Why pay a fortune when you can convince your hubby-to-be that it would be fun to add sparkle to 50 vases? Just give him that winning smile of yours and the promise of a cold beer after.

Eileen and Michael: St. Charles Wedding at the Hotel Baker

Who says that classy can’t be fun?

Michael and Eileen’s wedding proved that you can have a silly time at at an incredibly gorgeous venue. Even though rain kept everyone indoors, the Hotel Baker set up an incredible ceremony space filled with details galore. Luckily we had enough time to sneak a few pictures in the manicured garden, a fun hideaway spot along the waterway. The bride and groom were nothing but smiles beforehand; just see the picture below of a beaming Eileen being escorted by her father. As with many receptions, the speeches had me nearly in tears, as everyone was keen to talk about the incredible love held by the beautiful couple for each other. After a few tears were shed by family and friends, things got down to business on the illuminated dance floor. As you can see, the young and old alike put on their dancing shoes and celebrated the joyous occasion.

I am a sucker for details, as you can probably tell from my gallery. I absolutely loved that Eileen sewed a piece of her mother’s wedding dress into the hem of her own. What an incredible homage to her parent’s loving marriage! Thanks to Brittany Bekas Photography for inviting me to shoot this beautiful fall wedding in St. Charles.

    

Jenna and Kevin: Smiles, Babies and More Smiles!

Sure, every wedding has its share of smiling people. But one look at these pictures and you will see that Jenna and Kevin were smiling fools for each other. They were not alone, as their family and friends, including an adorable grandmother, witnessed the genuine love felt between these two people. The pair were married at St. Xaviers, after which we went to Adler Planetarium to take pictures outdoors. While you cannot tell from the images, it was absolutely freezing outside! Despite the weather, everyone had – you guessed it! – huge smiles on their faces while they took group shots. The reception was held at Maggiano’s in Schaumburg on the top floor. I was stunned at just how beautiful the location was, and was enamored of the vintage wedding pictures that adorned the dark wood walls. It was a joy to witness this wedding while shooting for Christopher Foltz Photography.

                        

Never Give Up On Love: An Ageless Wedding Story

Last weekend I had the pleasure of shooting a wedding for Jolie Images that I will never forget.

Sure, everyone – well, most people – looks ridiculously happy on their wedding day. But nobody will beat the total joy that Gary had for his bride on Saturday. Everything he did on that day was done with a huge smile and a dance in his step – literally! Both had been married before, both had lost their other halves several years ago. So what makes this story different from many others? Well, Gary is 80 and his beautiful bride, Meghan, is 74.

During the speeches, I learned that both are members of a senior social group where they first met. Gary’s dazzling dance moves caught Meghan’s eye, but she was too shy to speak to him that first night. Luckily, he was at the next event she attended, and their lives have been intertwined ever since. Just six short months later, the two were walking down the aisle surrounded by a bevy of adoring friends and family members.

I am a sucker for love stories, everyone knows that. But I was darn close to tears when I listened to the speeches and heard just how happy everyone was for the love between Gary and Meghan. Everyone spoke about how neither had given up on finding companionship again, and how lucky the two families were to be connected as a result.

Love is hard, love is sometimes painful, but in the end it can triumph when your heart is open to it. To all of my single friends out there who are still waiting for that special someone, be patient. He or she is still out there, waiting for the right time to come into your life.

My Dream Wedding: Outdoor/Barn Version

I spend a lot of time on Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes and the Ruffled blog.

If you know what I am talking about then we are on the road to becoming best friends. I do this to search for new ideas to further my own wedding photography business in Chicago, but also just to drool over what other brides are doing.

Sure, I don’t exactly have a ring on my finger just yet, but a girl can dream, right?

The problem is that with so many options available, I am having trouble choosing one coherent theme. If I put all of my hopes and wishes together into one wedding, it might be more Alice in Wonderland than anything else. That is why I am going to break down my dream wedding into several different blogs, each with a new theme. I hope that this will help you with your own wedding planning, plus it will justify my need to drool a little more over everything that the internet has to offer.

So my first theme is an outdoor wedding with the ceremony being held in a barn. I imagine that my groom and his best buds will be wearing suspenders, maybe some tweed vests and jaunty caps:

As for me, there are a million dresses that I might choose, but I love this one with the lacy cap sleeves and scalloped edging:

Our ceremony would be held in the middle of a field, or under a giant tree that feels like it could only exist in a dream. I would have cute accents like these flowers in bottles, which would be easy to do myself. I love this altar made of books, since I am an avid reader, but I might go for something with twigs, berries and flowers.

 

If possible, we would stand on a giant hay bale and kiss as the sun sets behind us. We will also bring along our adorable dog – yet to be adopted – and he/she would be a ring bearer and all around cute member of the wedding party.

Our barn ceremony would be decked out to the max, yet still conveying a sense of rustic chic. Is that a thing? There will be chandeliers and tons of greenery, but won’t feel so stuffy that people won’t take off their shoes and dance the night away.

Doesn’t that sound like a beautiful day? It sure does to me.

Reasons I Love October

If you know me, you know my biggest battle: staying warm.

Unless it is completely sweltering outside, I am likely to be wearing long sleeves and shivering when everyone else is enjoying the weather. So why do I love October, the month when it starts to get really cold in Chicago? Let me count the ways:

1) Beginning of fall: there is something uniquely beautiful about the fall season that can make even the grumpiest grump smile. Sure, spring brings gorgeous bouquets and summer heralds jacket-free weather, but fall signals all of those fun holidays that are just around the corner. When the trees become an array of reds, yellows and oranges, I Just want to rake up a big pile of them and dive in like a kid. Who wants to join me?

2) Halloween: yes, I still love Halloween. As a style chameleon, I am always changing my wardrobe. Sure, I have my tried and true favorites, but I love experimenting with new trends. Halloween is the one day where you can dress up as anyone or anything you like and get away with it. Within reason, of course – c’mon ladies, let’s stay classy out there this year!  I still can’t decide what I should be this year. HuffPost released a list of totally creative Halloween costume ideas but I will probably wind up finding something weird in my closet and running with it.

3) Sweaters, knit leggings and cozy hats: oh man, when I dig my sweaters out of storage, I am one happy lady. Throwing on a sweater when the weather starts to get a little chilly always puts a smile on my face, especially when it is a new sweater filled with a whole season of possibilities.

4) Crochet: whether you think it is cool or not, I love to crochet. I taught myself how to crochet two years ago by watching several YouTube videos and find such comfort in it. I can’t quite crochet when it is warm out, so I save it for the fall and winter seasons. During those times you are likely to see some yarn and a crochet hook hanging out of my purse. Like my other Pinterest boards, I have pinned a ton of crochet pieces I want to make this year. My goal is to make five of them for myself, friends and family.

5) Holiday anticipation: I know that Santa Claus is not real but I still get giddy for the holidays. Seriously, if someone could hypnotize me to believe in the big man again, I would be very tempted to do it.

6) Crockpot goodness: in my house, the crockpot is used mostly in the fall and winter. Tonight I used my cherry red Crockpot for the first time and made a delicious shepherd’s pie using this recipe. Man, it was so tasty. If I wasn’t watching my weight, I might have scarfed down the whole thing by myself.