Married! Jay and Shannon

Jay has a very special place in our hearts. In the eight years that I have known him, he has become like a little brother to me. Allison and I knew very early on when we met Shannon that she was the One for Jay. At my 30th birthday party, a few weeks into Jay and Shannon dating, they played the basketball free-throw arcade game and of course Jay’s ultra competitive side came out. Instead of running away, she loved it! That was the moment that we knew that she was the One.

Fast forward two years later and I got the honor of both standing up while one of my best friends got married and getting to capture their big day. The bride was gorgeous, the groom handsome, and the weather a perfect sunny day (despite the mosquitos)! Seeing Jay standing on a gorgeous path in Fox River Forest Preserve, nervous, yet excited, waiting for his beautiful bride to come up and tap him on the shoulder filled my heart with love. All of his nervousness washed away as he saw Allison and I uncontrollably smiling once we saw Shannon walk down the path. The portraits, and most of the ceremony, flew by in a fun, happy whirlwind of smiles and tears. Then time stopped. Just as Shannon’s uncle pronounced them husband and wife, two white butterflies flew over Jay and Shannon. Everyone in attendance knew that Jay’s dad, who passed away eight years ago, was with Jay and Shannon in that moment.

Hearing Shannon’s best friends hilariously describe the girl that we have come to love got everyone laughing. Evidently Shannon has always been a professional planner and decorator, which she definitely proved on her wedding day. The rustic wine barrels and cedar alter paired perfectly with the fall colored flowers that really popped in the September sun. Everything was predictably gorgeous, and very Shannon. She even had a large J and S made out of wine corks at the reception to deck out the already immaculate Avante Banquet Hall.

Jay and Shannon, we love you guys so much! Seeing how happy you are together and seeing how you bring out the best in each other fills our heart with joy. You had the most amazing wedding day and we want to thank you for letting us be a part of it. You both have incredible families that welcomed us in with open arms. We really enjoyed getting to know your parents, brothers, and friends a lot better. You two make competition fun - keep that up! You have a very bright future ahead of you, which we a happy to be a part of!

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Married! Dave and Huma

Hey friends! We are so honored that we got to photograph the wedding of dear friends of ours, Dave and Huma. They had the most beautiful wedding at County Line Orchard! It was the perfect day to get married in an apple orchard surrounded by all of their family and friends.

We loved Huma’s choice of blush and royal blue, it went perfectly with the farm feel of the orchard and barn. As a big Harry Potter fan I was in awe when I walked into the reception hall. From the cake to the gift table to the open bar, the whole barn was decked out in Harry Potter decorations with a fun Dave and Huma twist. My personal favorite was the Marauders Map warning at the bar.

Now to the real reason we were looking forward to this day for so long. Dave and Huma, we love you guys! We knew that you two were an amazing couple, and family, even before Dave finally asked you out only to recant the date. I’m sure that sitting directly across from your future spouse made work much more enjoyable. Watching Dave become a father figure for Saliha makes our hearts swell up with joy. You can see it written all over their faces how special they are to each other now. We loved being apart of these families joining together, both Dave joining Huma and Saliha, and the Manns with the Shirazees.

Allison and I are so happy for you three! We wish you the best for your new life as a family. This is just the beginning of an amazing journey!

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Family! Espinoza

What a great day for a photo shoot this day was at the Naperville River Walk! We got to spend a beautiful morning with a beautiful, full family. They were definitely a tight knit bunch! The leaves were changing perfectly for fall photos and the Chicago Cubs themed pictures were even more perfect, with the World Series win just days after! These were probably some of our favorite family photos to look through, as everyone looked amazing and the colors really popped. 

Hope you enjoy some of our favorites as much as we did!

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Family! Ken and Catherine

Allison and I really enjoyed chasing the Moy boys around the Naperville Riverwalk last week during their family portrait session. At 5 and 2 years old they are VERY energetic and never stop moving. Luckily we were able to get them to slow down long enough to capture some great photos. Sweet 7 month old Victoria looked precious in her red dress. The sun came out right before the session started, which was perfect. 

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Wedding | Joanna Becomes a Mitchell

Allison and I are so excited to welcome, officially, Joanna into the Mitchell family! They had a beautiful wedding at the Salamander in Middleburg, VA. I am glad that I was able to capture some of their special day when I was not busy being best man. There are lots of photos from the groomsmen getting shaves and the reception. Enjoy!

Introducing Mr and Mrs Matthew Mitchell

Introducing Mr and Mrs Matthew Mitchell

Everyone is looking dapper for the rehearsal dinner

Everyone is looking dapper for the rehearsal dinner

This is certainly a fun group of friends

This is certainly a fun group of friends

All the groomsmen got professional shaves at the barber in town

All the groomsmen got professional shaves at the barber in town

Joanna is a gorgeous bride, Matt is a lucky man

Joanna is a gorgeous bride, Matt is a lucky man

Matt and Joanna made a guest signature book using their engagement photos

Matt and Joanna made a guest signature book using their engagement photos

The Weeks family (including the adorable flower girls) had a photo session of their own

The Weeks family (including the adorable flower girls) had a photo session of their own

Stephen loved having his photo taken

Stephen loved having his photo taken

How cute is the groom dancing with the flower girl?

How cute is the groom dancing with the flower girl?

Joanna and her mom had a blast on the dance floor together

Joanna and her mom had a blast on the dance floor together

Packed dance floor at the reception, craziness is bound to ensue

Packed dance floor at the reception, craziness is bound to ensue

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Matt and Joanna came through a sea of streamers during the send off

Matt and Joanna came through a sea of streamers during the send off

Bride and groom walk off into their future

Bride and groom walk off into their future

5 Common Mistakes When Choosing a Wedding Photographer

Finding the perfect venue, band, flowers, photographer, and decorations for your wedding day can seem quite overwhelming and daunting. Allison and I wanted to help make finding the right photographer for your big day a little easier by putting together a list of 5 common mistakes that couples make when selecting the person that will capture the memories to last a lifetime. Read on to find out how to save yourself from these 5 common mistakes.

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Greg and Kathy's Wedding

Allison and I had a blast shooting her mom's wedding at the Union Station in Kansas City. We are so happy to welcome Greg into the family! Union Station even decorated the whole place with beautiful lights just for them (or maybe it was just for Christmas). Here's my favorite picture from their big day. To see the rest click the link below the photo of the newlyweds.