Modern Chicago Wedding at the Bridgeport Art Center

I always love any excuse to visit Chicago, so when Lucy and Daniel asked me to photograph their wedding I was over the moon! I arrived at the Ambassador downtown and was greeted by their sweet Corgi Winston who helped me assemble all the lovely detail shots. Their rooftop first look was so incredibly sweet…and incredibly windy. We almost lost Lucy’s veil over the side of the building, but managed to snag it before it blew away. The Ambassador’s historic lobby area made for some really fun Vanity Fair style wedding party images - made even better by the mis-matched floral bridesmaid’s dresses. 

The ceremony and reception were held in the Bridgeport Art Center — it was the perfect blend of industrial, modern, and romantic. Before their guests arrived, the three of us snuck off to a quiet little corner for them to exchange their vows privately. I’ve had more and more couples sharing vows during the first look or during another private moment during the day - it’s a really great way to share personalized vows without having to get up in front of everyone if that’s not your thing.

During the processional, their flower girl took her job VERY seriously and made sure to evenly distribute the rose petals down the aisle…so much so that I’m pretty sure the DJ had to improvise and loop the song to add some extra time. It had all their guests and the whole wedding party cry laughing and was just the perfect start to their ceremony. At the reception, there were so many sweet details - like constellation napkins designed by Lucy to go with their paper straws for the cocktails, a swan ice sculpture that anyone who ordered white wine got to watch it pour through, a delicious desert bar, and photo-booth. I could go on and on, but let’s just let the photos speak for themselves.

If you’re looking for another art-filled modern wedding you should check out Jessica & Arno’s 21c wedding.

Florals : Flowers by Stem // Venue: Bridgeport Art Center // Event Design: Art of Imagination // Dress: BHLDN // Catering: D’Absolute // Hair: Danielle Catalano // Makeup: MAKE me UP by KJ // DJ: Toast & Jam

Romantic & Modern Historic Wedding at Kentucky's Ashford Acres Inn

During Annastasia and Taylor's engagement session, a summer thunderstorm rolled through almost as soon as we started. We hid out under a pavilion for a few minutes, but once it was clear that it wasn't going to stop raining anytime soon, they spent the rest of the evening dancing and laughing together in the downpour. You can tell how adventurous, joyful, and resilient they are in those images and it resulted in some of the best photos I've ever taken. If there is one thing I've learned over the years, it's that you can tell so much about a couple by how they respond to difficult or unplanned situations and these two are clearly amazing together. Since the day, I have been counting down the days until their wedding!

Annastasia is the event planner and inn manager at Ashford Acres, so their wedding venue was especially significant to them. My jaw dropped when I first got there - I still can't believe how well the venue balances historic southern charm with modern elegance. They made wonderful use of the space as well. They got ready in the main house, had their ceremony in the corner green space, the cocktail hour was held in the yard where they provided lawn games, then guests made their way into the modern barn for the reception. There were so many thoughtful details throughout the day— including a bourbon tasting bar, a cozy sitting space on the barn veranda, and a spread of desserts that included bundt cakes, cupcakes, and bourbon balls. I especially love how they created a dramatically long head table using wooden farmhouse tables surrounded by rounds with two different colors of tablecloths in the dining area. That, combined with the handwritten place cards, made each seat feel special and unique. All in all, the day highlighted all the best parts of Kentucky in the sweetest and most thoughtful ways.

The most difficult part of the day for me was narrowing down where to take couple's photos— every corner was stunning and I could have spent half the day running around with just the two of them in that gorgeous space. However, it's really important to me that my couples spend most of their wedding day celebrating with their friends and family— not posing for endless photos. My primary goal is always to document the day as it unfolds. All those candid interactions are the memories that mean the most in the long run. I am so in love with how everything turned out and am really excited to share some of those images with you all! If you're looking for more Kentucky wedding goodness, this colorful stunner from last year and this romantic fall wedding both highlight Kentucky in the sweetest ways.

Coordinators: Hope Mullikin, Haley Carr, & Whitney Blue // DJ: Travis McGuire with Elite Events DJ // Florals: Hal's Flowers / Catering: Ashford Acres Inn & Food Truck // Venue: Ashford Acres Inn // Videography: Happy Camper Films // Dress: Twirl Boutique // Hair: Maddie Woff // Makeup: Hanna Barnett // Tux: Men's Warehouse // Cake: The Simple Kitchen // Desserts: Nothing Bundt Cakes // Furniture Rentals: Canvas Event Furniture and Oasis Productions // Ice Cream: Crank and Boom // Jumpsuit: Francesca’s // Rings: Jared’s

Modern Speed Art Museum Wedding

I met Jessica when we were both working at Louisville Visual Art— she was (and obviously still is) smart, passionate, fierce, funny, and the list could go on and on. It seemed like such a perfect fit when she chose The Speed Art Museum as her wedding venue since art has played such an important part in her life. The whole day felt effortlessly modern and she made an incredibly gorgeous bride. When I first met Ethan it was obvious that he was the perfect partner for her— he is just as hilarious and intelligent as she is and they compliment each other so well.

They both did an amazing job balancing their fun, quirky ideas with clean and modern aesthetics. They even took on the task of some pretty serious DIY projects— namely making and bottling cold brew coffee as favors for their guests as well as creating the stained glass table numbers for the reception. I really enjoyed the temporary tattoos they had for everyone as well as some his & her golden dinosaurs for the cake. I love when weddings highlight a couple's goofy side, but it's even more impressive when it is done in such a fun and gorgeous way. 

Admittedly, my favorite part of the night was getting to sit down with my spouse for dinner surrounded by some of my favorite people from my time working at LVA. It isn't often that I get to actually experience what it's like being a guest at a wedding and it was such a magical, special thing. Getting to have Bobby there also allowed me to pass off my third camera during Jessica's entrance so I could have a side shot of her entering on the stairs (thanks hon!) while also capturing Ethan's face as he saw her for the first time. It ended up being one of my favorite images from the day!

If you are wanting to see some more unique venues, I loved getting to photograph these weddings at Yew Dell Botanical Garden, The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, The Fox House Nashville, and Lost River Cave.

Jessica & Ethan’s wedding was featured in Louisville Bride.

Featured in Louisville Bride Summer Issue 2018

Venue: The Speed Art Museum // Florals: Boston's Floral // Caterer: Wiltshire at the Speed // DJ: Yancey Entertainment Services // Hair : Brandi Bleemel with Mane Beauty Parlour // Make-Up: Joanne Wolf // Bride's Dress: Ashley & Justin Bride through Kleinfeld Bridal // Bridesmaid's Dresses: Sorella Vita through Rebecca's Wedding Boutique // Wedding Coordinator: Ashley French with Fairytale Occasions