Their high school lockers were practically next one another throughout high school. Bianca knew of Joe, and Joe knew of Bianca, but it was limited to the cliques of high school. They didn’t really know each other.

It wasn’t until Bianca saw Joe’s name pop up on Facebook, years later, that the two started to get to know each other. After Joe accepted her friend request, Bianca sent him a message seeing how he was doing. Small talk ensured, but not long after, the two went out for an official date. The conversation flowed and there was an instant connection. They knew they had found someone special.

I spent a perfect fall afternoon with Joe and Bianca, and it was such a joy to have these two in front of my camera. Joe and I are practically family as our parents have been friends since before either of us were born, so it was extremely special to photograph him and Bianca at Graue Mill for their engagement photos.

The fall colors were simply perfect for our session which made me so happy. Bianca and Joe really wanted fall photos, so I was thrilled the leaves were so colorful.Graue Mill has a lot of different places to take photos at so Joe and Bianca had variety in their photos.Love this!

Bianca suggested we take some photos on the stairs, and I couldn’t be happier that we did. Joe found the perfect little nook so that we could get down by the water.

New Year’s Eve, the last hurrah of the holidays, is a time to rock glitzy outfits, reflect on the past and ponder resolutions. Nina planned to spend the evening with her girlfriends at a nearby New Year’s Eve hotel party. The night was full dancing, celebrating, and meeting new people as Nina and her girlfriends soaked in all the fun. She wasn’t planning on meeting her last boyfriend that evening, but as fate would have it, Chris was at the same party among a group of mutual friends.

As the clock ticked down to midnight …. ten … nine … eight … seven …. Nina walked right up to Chris and gave him a New Year’s kiss. Chris was surprised and thrilled. However, Nina wasn’t sure she was ready for a boyfriend like the folklore of a New Year’s Eve kiss suggests, so she dashed away moments later and left Chris to track down a way to see her again.

Chris managed to find her phone number from a friend and the two started dating. Two years later, Chris asked Nina to spend forever at his side on New Year’s Eve just moments before midnight at the same hotel party where their relationship started.

I met Nina and Chris at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville for their engagement photos. It was the perfect fall afternoon.

We wandered into the woodsy trails tucked away from everyone to start the session, and I just loved the location.

The main goal of my engagement session was for Nina and Chris to have FUN — even if that means we have to be a little silly …. like throwing leaves.

Nina and Chris were complete naturals during their engagement session … cuddling up and falling even more in love.

A total favorite below …

The leaves were just starting to change colors throughout the forest preserve.

He first noticed her sitting in class at Indiana University as his professor spoke about India.  The professor was preparing the students for their upcoming summer trip to India, and Nick couldn’t be more excited to explore a country he had never visited. Weeks later with his passport in hand, he headed to the airport to embark on a life changing trip.

The class trickled into the designated airport meeting area as Kristin flipped through her book. As she looked around the room seeing both familiar and unfamiliar faces from Indiana, she spotted Nick. She knew he must have been in her class last semester since he was on the trip (and carrying the same book), but she had never really noticed him. After a 15+ hour flight, both Nick and Kristin landed in India with their classmates, ready to explore and experience the vibrant culture of India. It was during their trip that Nick and Kristin became friends as they shared in once-in-a-lifetime experiences in India.

When the trip ended, they hoped they would run into each other on campus in the fall. However, when they returned back to campus, fate intervened and they the found themselves as neighbors. Soon they were cooking up dinners together, doing homework and hanging out. Their friendship became a vibrant, colorful relationship.

I met Kristin and Nick at Olive Park for their Chicago engagement photos. The weather was cool, but these two stayed warm cuddling up together as the Windy City proved its name.

We practically had all of Olive Park to ourselves for the session so Kristin and Nick could be in their own little LOVE bubble.

These two are sooo sweet.

There was no shortage of laughter during our session which made me smile so much! I love it when my couples genuinely have FUN during their engagement session.

I’ll leave you with this last one because it feels like a movie poster. The moment right before something magical happens. :)

When Nicole first met Bryan, it was a simple exchange of hellos. Her friend Melissa, who also happened to be Bryan’s sister-in-law invited Nicole to a small gathering, and she introduced Nicole to Bryan. But the timing wasn’t right. And timing can be everything.

Fast forward two years, Nicole was out on the town at Bourbon Street when she noticed a very cute guy … who happened to be Bryan. She walked over and starting chatting with him. He instantly put her at ease and kept her laughing. And she was intrigued. So when Bryan asked her out on a date the following week, she was excited to get to know him more. This time, the timing was right.

Just as Nicole was about to walk out the door for their two year anniversary dinner, Bryan grabbed her hand in his, looked into her gorgeous blue eyes and told her that while she looked absolutely beautiful, she was missing something. He dropped down to one knee and told her she needed a ring.

I met Nicole and Bryan at Lake Katherine in Palos Heights on a gorgeous September evening for their engagement photos. The weather was simply perfect and the location was beautiful!

Nicole and Bryan wanted to include the newest addition to their little family …RANGER! I was all for it. He even had a matching bow. I mean, how cute?!

Lake Katherine is full of gorgeous backdrops for engagement photos … especially at the beginning of fall when the leaves were just starting to change colors.

Just as the sun was setting behind the lake, we wandered over to the rose gardens to soak up the last few minutes of beautiful afternoon light.

As Stacy got ready for a work awards event at the Adler Planetarium, she beamed with excitement. One of the programs she started since becoming a professor at Loyola was presenting awards to students for their excellence and achievement, and Stacy was thrilled to be apart of it. As she mingled about the room, she talked to a plethora of colleagues and attendants until Matt caught her attention. She was making small talk with a group of people when Matt decided to make a joke to break the ice.

“God must really love Saturn because he put a ring on it.” Silence overtook the group … except for Stacy who giggled at Matt’s joke. Matt introduced himself, and him and Stacy chatted for a little throughout the evening. As the event came to a close, a group headed over to a nearby bar for a few more drinks. People came and went as the evening lingered on and soon it was just Matt and Stacy left. They knew they had found something special.

I met Stacy and Matt on a beautiful September afternoon at the Alder Planetarium – the place where it all began.  Matt joked that it is the place where life changed … as it did. He found the love of his life.

The area around the Alder Planetarium was still lush and green. It was the perfect compliment to the Chicago skyline photos that we ended the engagement session with.

I just adored Stacy’s little white dress …. the ruffles …. the back … it was all so PERFECT.

She was all dressed up … rocking her high heels and a sassy little skirt … out to celebrate her best friend’s birthday with friends. Tracy instantly caught Jim’s eye, who was out with the same group of friends. Neither Tracy or Jim knew who the other was at first. But as they got to talking, their friend mentioned that both Tracy and Jim play hockey. As their conversation continued, they realized that they both played in the same men’s hockey league and they were actually on the same team …. they even played on the same line but they didn’t recognize each other without their gear on.

A few night later, they went on their first date and a wonderful relationship grew. I spent an afternoon on the ice with these two praying that I would not move too fast trying to capture the perfect photograph and fall flat on my face. Let me tell you, photographing on ice is not as easy as I thought. However, it was so worth the fear and anxiety  to create these photos for Tracy and Jim.

When I first met with Tracy and Jim and she told me the story of how they met and how she wanted their engagement photos to be at a hockey rink, I was giddy with excitement. I just LOVE it when my couples pick locations that represent them and their relationship. And this … well … it was a no-brainer for them.

Tracy and Jim wanted their new puppy, Monster, to join them for some photos after our time on the ice. This little walkway was right behind the hockey rink and made for a great background for a few outdoor photos during their session.

Aren’t they just the cutest little family? Yes, I know ….

Hello my gorgeous girl…..

And I’ll end with this one … probably one of my favorites from our session.

I first met Carly and Jay in April when I photographed Sibel and Brian’s wedding. They were both in the wedding party, so when Carly emailed me a few months ago asking if I was available to photograph her upcoming wedding, I was immediately excited. I love being able to photograph couples I already worked with (especially when I know they are as fabulous as Carly and Jay) because they already know me and how I work.

Carly and Jay met me at Olive Park on a perfect July evening just as the sun was setting behind the Chicago skyline. I got to know them both better during our session learning how they have been together since high school and how their relationship flourished despite doing the long distance thing while Carly was at Western University. It is clear that they have found their match in each other when you are around them just by the way they look at each other. I had such a wonderful time with them during their engagement session, and I just know that their November wedding is going to be even better!

One of the perks of having your engagement session photographed during the week is that the locations are not crowded like they are during the weekends. We practically had the whole Olive Park to ourselves, and Carly and Jay were total naturals in front of my camera.

Olive Park has gorgeous Chicago skyline views which is why Carly and Jay picked it for their engagement session.

A favorite from the engagement session … right here.

Real, genuine laughter makes my heart smile.

Another favorite …. I just loved that we could also use Navy Pier as a backdrop for the engagement session.

I mean ….. seriously, Carly?!? Just stunning ….

And I’ll leave you with this one …. because it is just too sweet.

As the rain poured down on a Friday evening in April, Geoff and Abby were separately in route to a mutual friend’s dinner party in Chicago. The party was a celebration honoring a friend from out-of-town and resulted in a diverse group of friends gathering at a local restaurant famous for it’s Mai Tai’s. Abby immediately caught Geoff’s eye when she arrived, and he was determined to get to know this beautiful woman better over the course of the evening. Abby and Geoff spent some time talking during dinner, but as the evening came to an end, Geoff knew that this one evening wasn’t enough time with Abby. He had to see her again …. on his own.

They started dating and just as the long Memorial Day weekend approached, Geoff knew he was ready to take their relationship to the next level. So he packed his bags and showed up at Abby’s Lakeview apartment for the long weekend … ready to kick off what would be an amazing summer together. It was during this weekend that Geoff and Abby realized they had found their perfect match.

Abby and I used to work together when I worked in advertising, so I was so excited to spend an evening catching up and getting to know Geoff as I documented their love around Lincoln Park.

I mean …. seriously, Abby?! Just stunning ……

Abby and Geoff are getting married next summer in Abby’s hometown in Wisconsin, so they had their hearts set on photos with the Chicago skyline. I must admit that the Lincoln Park area is one of my favorite views of the Chicago skyline, and it makes for an excellent location because there is SO much variety around the park and zoo.

 Just as I arrived to the engagement session, raindrops were coming down …. but luckily they stopped just long enough for our session .. although we had to be extra careful on the wet pathways….

I’m pretty much obsessed with Abby’s ring … rose gold … yes, please!

And I’ll leave you with this one because it sums up how cute, sweet and fun these two are!

Kim was studying in London. Nate was in Dubin. They had both left the States for a semester of exploration and culture …. new friends and new experiences. It would be a semester of college they would never forget as their passport pages filled up with foreign stamps. Nate’s college roommate was studying abroad with Kim in London, so when their spring break rolled around, Kim and Nate found themselves with a group of new friends traveling around Greece together. A romance didn’t spark instantly between Kim and Nate though. In fact, Kim laughed as she told me one of her first memories of Nate is of her yelling at him through the wall for being too loud the first night they were in Greece. It was late and everyone had to be up for a 3  a.m. flight, and Kim was longing for a night’s rest. However, this did not stop Kim and Nate from developing a great friendship during their trip.

As they immersed themselves in the cultures of England and Ireland, their friendship changed and shifted into a relationship. Between another trip and a few visits to Ireland, Kim and Nate found themselves happy together …. as a couple. And once they were back in the States, they continued to date long distance as Nate finished up his degree at Cornell and Kim completed her’s at Boston. Not long after, the two moved to Chicago. I was lucky enough to spend a beautiful July evening with these two around Chicago … laughing … dancing and getting to know them better.

I love it when my couples can relax and just have fun in the front of my camera. Kim and Nate were such a blast during their engagement session … they even humored me for a dance off in the middle of Lincoln Park.

Because Chicago is the first city that Kim and Nate lived in together, it is very special to them, so it was really important that we capture the essence of Chicago and our beautiful skyline in their engagement photos.

This might be one of my favorites from our shoot…..

We wandered over to North Avenue Beach to finish up our Chicago engagement session, and I couldn’t have been happier. I loved that we had the twinkling lights of the city in the background.

It all began in junior high. The time of first kisses, hand holding and dates to the local movie theater (which their parents would drop them off at). Danielle and Nick met and started dating so long ago, that they just laugh when asked about how they met. To them, it as if they have always been together, so it only seemed right that they would promise the rest of their lives to one another.

I spent an evening with them exploring the beautiful grounds of Independence Grove in Libertyville. It is one of my favorite locations to shoot at, and I was beyond excited to finally photograph an engagement session there — especially when Danielle told me that her and Nick wanted to rent a kayak during their session. Yippe, I knew it was going to be amazing … and it was. The crazy Chicago rain stopped just an hour before our session and stayed dry so that all of this could unfold in front of my camera.

It all began at Purdue. Mindi and Adam were out with a group of mutual friends enjoying an evening out. They may have chatted with each other, but nothing more than the casual mingling that happened within the group that night. But in the time out, Adam developed a little crush on Mindi. The next day, he asked Mindi’s roommate (whom he knew well enough to ask as his best friend was dating her) for Mindi’s phone number. Rather than simply call Mindi and ask her on a date, he took a different, more mysterious approach. He started texting her. And continued to text her for one week. Without ever saying who it was. Yes, he was the phantom texter. His own little secret admirer to Mindi, who wasn’t worried or phased by the fact that she was texting with someone for days without even asking or knowing who it was.

That weekend, friends gathered at the local bar for cocktails and a night of fun. Adam made his way over to Mindi to reveal he was the phantom texter. But again, he chose a different approach than the boring, “hey, so we have been texting” route most guys would have gone. Instead, he marched right over to Mindi and said, “Kiss me.” She resisted at first. But when he asked again, she gave in and gave him her last first kiss.

Five years later, Adam slipped a beautiful ring on her finger as she slept, so that when she awoke, she could say yes to a lifetime of waking up next to Adam. I am beyond excited to photograph these two all over again in a few months in St. Joe’s, Michigan!

We started the engagement session at Kinzie Street Bridge. This is one of my favorite urban engagement locations in Chicago because there is SO much variety in such a short distance.

Mindi is so bubby and is gorgeous inside and out ….

I had so much fun spending the afternoon getting to know these two better. We had a blast and there was a ton of laughter (which I always LOVE).

Adam looked dapper as ever. I love it when my future grooms get dressed up for their photos. And he was a total natural in front of the camera (per the below …)

Hm, I am not even where to start with telling you about these two because I am afraid that my words will not really describe how wonderful Hillary and Jim are. I first met Hillary and Jim two years ago at Kristin and Jordan’s Mexico wedding. I didn’t get to spend a ton of time getting to know them in Mexico, but Hillary made a lasting impression on me when I think about Kristin’s bridesmaids because after the wedding she sent me the sweetest note that just made my heart melt into a puddle of appreciation. Seriously, it might be one of the BEST notes … one of those notes I look at when I am having a bad day or when I don’t feel great about my work, business, etc , I pull it out and smile.

So when Hillary emailed me early this year asking me if I would be available to photograph her and Jim’s wedding in Punta Cana … well, I knew I would do anything to be there. Hillary could have told me they were getting married in the middle-of-no-where, the moon or Antarctica (I’m not a huge fan of cold, people), and I would have made it happen because, well, Hillary and Jim are pretty much a dream couple. Not only are they gorgeous, but they are also fun, sweet and kind. They are good people … the type of couple you want to be great friends with.

Jim and Hillary met through mutual friends out one night. Jim, a fireman and Hillary, a nurse …. instantly hit it off. And I can tell you first hand that they have one of the cutest relationships. Hillary was a little nervous for their engagement photos, thinking they would be awkward, but they were total naturals and were super adorable for the camera. I’m sure Jim got hassled the next day at the fire station for all the “cute” things he did  …. but my heart is so full of happiness as I glance through their session and tell their story.

We started the session at Jim’s fire station in Lisle-Woodridge. I was giddy with excitement because it was my first time photographing at a fire station, and well, it just was exciting! The trucks, the hoses …. I felt like a VIP.

I mean hello, hottness. Aren’t they just perfect? Yes, I know.

Hillary rode horses for years growing up, so we headed to the grounds of Danada House in Wheaton to add in some rustic elements to their engagement session. And I must say, it was pretty gorgeous.

We may have snuck into the barn for these photos. Yes, I am a rule breaker when I have a camera in my hand. But it was so worth it to get this shot, right?

And I will leave you guys with one … so sweet and fun.

Ahh, where do I begin with these two?! Besides how gorgeous of a couple these two are (which you can clearly see in these photos), they are so down-to-earth, fun and have hearts of gold. I just adore both of them. And it was so fun to spend an evening getting to the two of them … as a couple.

I have known Tiffany since junior high school – crazy!. We grew up in the same town,and although we attended different high schools, we would always run into each other. As the years went by, I would still see her regularly as she became my go-to hairstylist.  I would come to the salon, and we would sit and catch up on all things … including the men in our lives, who is getting married, and what ever other juicy gossip we knew of. So when Tiffany emailed me right after the holidays last year telling me she was engaged, and she wanted me to photograph her wedding, I was giddy with excitement.

We had originally planned to do engagement photos in May, but due to the long winter and late start to spring / summer, we decided to wait until things were actually green. And boy, was I glad we waited. Because when Tiffany and Mike met me at the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool near Lincoln Park, it was finally lush AND green … just perfect for their Chicago engagement session. We had so much fun wandering around. Tiffany and Mike were such naturals in front of the camera – being so adorably cute, I thought I might explode with happiness right there. From dancing on the pathways to the perfect little sweet kisses … it was … well magical. I cannot wait to do it all over again in November at their Chicago wedding.

He saw her as one of his little sister’s friends. She was still in high school. He was already out in the “real” world. Even though they were only a few years apart in age, they were at such different points in their lives despite growing up in the same hometown. Tara and Devin couldn’t really date … or could they? …. So, they gave it a try … unsure as to where they could go and years later, they share a relationship with so much love and happiness, they didn’t know how they ever thought it might not work.

In an effort to do more things around Chicago last year, Tara and Devin vowed to do one tourist activity per month. The first month was the Field Museum. When Tara suggested they check out the Skydeck at the Willis Tower (aka Sears Tower for my Chicagoans) for the following month, Devin was secretly relieved Tara had suggested it first. It was his plan all long to ask Tara to marry him while on the Skydeck …. but with the holidays around the corner, he was a little worried she might be suspicious. As they stood 110 stories above the city they both love so much (Tara fighting against her fear of heights), Devin got down on one knee and asked Tara to spend forever with him.

I met Tara and Devin at the Art Institute Gardens on the most perfect day last Sunday afternoon for their engagement photos around Chicago. I was so excited to see that things are finally starting to bloom and the gardens were almost totally green again!

Isn’t she just gorgeous? I love this photo …..

Devin was a natural for his individual photos ….

We strolled over to the Lurie Gardens at Millennium Park just in time for the PERFECT light of the afternoon.

Tara picked out this gem of a flower, and I must admit … it was simply perfect for showing off her GORGEOUS ring.

CHICAGO ENGAGEMENT LOCATIONS : art institute gardens, lurie gardens in millennium park, and buckingham fountain, chicago // MAKEUP : shannon o’brien 

Let’s face it, this “spring” hasn’t been much of a spring. Things decided to bloom later than expected and the weather is …. well … you just never know. So after rescheduling one engagement session, I met Jen and Mike at the Art Institute gardens (one of my favorite locations in Chicago) for their engagement photos. It was cold. Like so cold that I had a sweatshirt AND a winter jacket on …in MAY. But Jen was a full on supermodel the whole session not wearing a jacket because “real models do not wear coats on photo shoots”. I couldn’t help but laugh a little and admire her for toughing out the cold because I could not.

And from that moment on, I knew I was going to have an amazing time photographing Mike and Jen. Our sessions was everything I could hope it to be (minus the cold). Mike and Jen are insanely adorable together. They are fun, goofy, real, loving, sweet and so much more. This is a dream team people… especially from a photographer’s perspective. We ended their session with a faint sunset at Oak Street Beach, and I have to say … it was pretty perfect. I’ll let the photos show you …..

One of my favorite things about being a photographer is capturing moments. True, authentic moments as they unfold. So when Julio emailed me asking if I could photograph his proposal to Yasmin, I knew I HAD to be a part of his special moment.

Julio dropped to one knee on the bridge at the Lincoln Park Zoo just three days before Christmas (which also was his birthday) as the snow flurried around. It was such a magical moment … there was no one on the bridge except them (and me…) and Yasmin had the reaction that every guy hopes for .. shocked, overjoyed, emotional. And I would be lying if I didn’t admit that as I watched Yasmin’s perfect reaction unfold, I got a little teary-eyed behind the camera. How could I not? These two are beyond adorable.

Julio + Yasmin – Congratulations a million times! Thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of this magical moment that you will remember for years to come.

It was her red shoes. Brian didn’t like them. He thought they were such a strange thing to wear … so he teased her a little about being bold enough to wear such a thing. But Sibel didn’t care. She had a boyfriend, and Brian was the new kid on campus. She was only meeting him that night because he had some mutual friends in common.

As time went on, Brian was always hanging out with Sibel’s friends at Western University. They became closer friends as the seasons changed … and then one day they found themselves as boyfriend and girlfriend. The type of couple that other couples hope to be. Their relationship is rooted in friendship, but it radiates with love, goofiness and compassion.

I met these two for the first time at their engagement session, and I knew that we were going to have fun right away. It felt like I was hanging out with old friends right away as we braved the very windy city. When I told Sibel how cute her coral pumps were, Brian smiled. He had, in fact, picked out these perfect shoes. And I couldn’t help but smirk …. since it all began over a pair of shoes.

Brian just moved back to Chicago from Utah, so we decided to start their engagement session near the Kinzie Street Bridge for a more urban, Chicago feel to their photos.    This next one is a favorite of mine …. the wind in her hair, the passion. LOVE.

It took us a few tries to rock the serious faces, but I must admit … these two pull it off so well.

We then headed to Oak Street Beach … the exact beach that Brian proposed to Sibel in July with the twinkling city behind them.

  One more of my favorites coming up ….. 

Oh my gosh. Let me just start out with the fact that Hillary and Jack are probably one of the cutest couples I have had the chance to photograph. I could have photographed these two for SO much longer, and I am so happy that I will get to do it all over again in July when these two say their “I do’s” in Galena.

During their engagement session, I couldn’t help but smile the whole time. These two are so adorable together …. I’m pretty sure I kept telling them how cute they are to the point of being annoying, but I couldn’t help it. Hillary and Jack would be so sweet with each other … giving each other soft kisses as if no one was there and then moments later Hillary was tossing leaves at Jack with the cutest apology (“sorry, Brittany, I couldn’t resist”). I loved every second of how comfortable they were and how in love they both are with each other.

I think what makes their relationship so special is that it began with a friendship. Hillary and Jack met through a mutual friend while Hillary was in college at Florida State University back in 2006. The distance kept the two from becoming boyfriend and girlfriend initially, but when Jack helped Hillary find a job in Chicago at the company he was working for … things changed. Their friendship turned into a relationship which later led to Jack getting down on his knee during a private dinner filled with lanterns in candles in South Africa … (swoonworthy, right?!).

Engagement sessions are probably one of my favorite things to photograph … especially when I get to use the city of Chicago as my backdrop. But what I love most about engagement sessions is when I get to spend time getting to know my amazing couples. And with Courtney and Grant, it was no different.

We started their session at a location meaningful to them … Oak Street Beach. When these two first started dating, they would walk over to the beach with a blanket and a bottle of bubbly and sit there and talk with the twinkling Chicago skyline in the background. So that is exactly what we did for their engagement session before heading downtown for some more photos.

These two are beyond nice …. super fun … and total go-with-flow. Courtney is the type of person who you feel like you have known forever when you first meet her. She is bubbly and gorgeous. And Grant is the perfect compliment to her … making her smile and laugh … and bringing out such a fun side of personality. And what I love even more about Courtney and Grant is that they don’t take things to seriously. Even after all the serious and romantic posing for their session, they were total goofballs … cracking up and getting into character with their Halloween masks to end their shoot. I can’t wait to document their “I do’s” next May.

I am so excited to finally be posting Danielle and Ryan’s engagement session. I was fighting a terrible cold last week … which meant this super cute session was just waiting to be seen … until now.

I met Danielle and Ryan at Maple Lake in Willow Springs and let me tell you, this place is gorgeous. From the tree lined trails to the picturesque lake, I knew I could shoot here for hours. What I loved even more about this location though is that it was meaningful to Danielle. Her grandfather used to take her here fishing when she was a little girl, so it was so amazing that we could come to here for their engagement photos. Danielle and Ryan are such a laid back couple … total go-with-the-flow … which is perfect compliment to my Type “A”ness. I had so much fun with these two, and I cannot wait until July to document their wedding.

Noelle and Chris are … well pretty awesome. Yes, I am starting this blog post with awesome. Besides the fact that I knew Noelle and I would be fast friends when we finally got to sit down and talk, I knew her and Chris were (and are) such an amazing duo. They are the type of couple, I do adore working with … and the type of couple I HAD to work with.

They met back in junior high school. Yes, they go back even further than high school sweethearts and that makes my heart flutter. Noelle and Chris went through all the challenges and bumps in the road that you do with a first love and best friend … only they began their relationship as “kids” …. and they conquered all the growing pains of young love together.

When Chris was ready to ask Noelle to spend forever at his side, he decided it should begin when it all started. They met at their childhood park, and Chris skated over on rollerblades, just as he had when they first met and got down on one knee. I mean, how sweet is that?!

I spent a perfect afternoon proving to them that they would not look awkward in their photos. We started the session near their apartment in Roscoe Village with their energetic puppy, and then headed to Lincoln Park just as the sun dipped behind the Chicago skyline. September cannot come soon enough for me to photograph them again.

This one is a total favorite … the ivy, the kiss … swoon.

Noelle’s ring was designed by Chris and includes her mom’s diamond. I love it when brides are able to work a family heirloom into their rings … especially when they are this gorgeous. 

I mean hello…. why they thought they would look awkward?! No one knows. Total naturals.  Another favorite …. right here.

Becoming a photographer has allowed me to reconnect with so many people over the last few years … people from my childhood, past careers, friends of friends … and more. It is one of the many things I love about my job. So, when Christina emailed me a while back asking if I could document her bridal shower and take some engagement photos of her and her fiancé Mike, I couldn’t say no. You see, I have known Christina’s fiancé Mike since 6th grade (which feels like a lifetime ago).

We had the most perfect overcast Sunday afternoon for their engagement session in the rose gardens at the historic Hotel Baker in St. Charles. I am … and was  … in love with pretty much everything about this session. The perfectly gorgeous backdrop, Christina’s stunning purple frock, and the adorable cuteness these two have when they are together. Let’s face it, they are one hot couple … and they made my job so easy between their sweet glances at each other and lots of laughter in between. It is clear that Mike found his perfect match in Christina, and I loved being able to document their love.

Christina and Mike – Congrats again. You are both such beautiful people inside and out. I wish you nothing but many years of love and happiness. lots of love and xo – Brittany

I love engagement sessions. For a ton of different reasons …. but it is even more fun/special when I get to photograph an engagement session when it is one of my oldest friends. I know, I have said a couple times on this blog that this X + Y are my oldest friend … but for real, Jenny and I have been friends for so long, I don’t know when we actually first became friends. My mom and Jenny’s mom have been friends for over 28 years … so naturally when they both had little girls who were less than a year apart in age, it meant that we were destined to be friends.

I have so many memories of Jenny … having sleepovers at her house where we would make up crazy dance routines and perform them for our moms … playing Barbies until we couldn’t dress another doll … and afternoons of her trying to teach me how to play pool (which I still am terrible at … btw). We watched love stories and talked about falling in love over the years … so when she told me she was engaged to Mike … I was beyond thrilled for her!

Jenny looks at Mike in the way you just know they are crazy about each other. You can see the sparkle in her eyes and the glow on her face that she found the one. And it is evident that Mike adores her just as much. He might have a tough guy exterior, but he is smitten. I’m so happy that these two found each other … I can’t wait to be able to document their wedding next May!