{Kevin & Diana} - Engaged!

First it was us, then Zelig, then JC and now Kevin. Another one of Doug's {best} friends from grade school is going to get married and I had the honors of shooting their engagement photos. On a colorful fall day, we soaked up the sun at Millennium Park, but first we started at Sweetwater, where Kevin & Diana had their first {blind} date!

Diana, you are a gorgeous little thing and I can't wait for Michele to photograph your bridal portraits!

We love you guys and can't wait for your wedding next August!!

My Best Friend's Wedding

Ok so it wasn't my best friend's wedding (get on it Agatha!). But it was Doug's. After ten years in the making, JC and Shannon are officially husband and wife! While JC was one of Mia's first and only visitors at the hospital when she was born and Shannon is one of our only trusted friends to babysit, they gave our daughter the honor of being one of their flower girls. Mia has been preparing for this day for over a year! Literally! Humming "Here Comes the Bride...", making a random piece of tulle into a veil, having daddy be her groom, and walking up and down pretend aisles. My three year old girly girl was excited, to say the least, to take part in Uncle JC and Auntie Shannon's special day.  

**These photographs were made on a personal level, as a guest to the wedding of a couple very near and dear to us. 

To see my team's professional wedding portfolio, hop on over to the Benchmob's newly redesigned site.**

 "Mommy, I look like a little bride!"

Mommy on the way to church: "How do you feel today?"

Mia: "I'm so happy!"

 The little ring bearer had a relaxing wagon ride down the aisle complete with snacks, led by little man Lucas.

Mia handled the super long aisle and onlooking guests like a pro.

 And received compliments for behaving so well during an hour and a half long mass.

I love wedding ceremonies where the bride and groom's wishes for each other are read aloud for all their guests to hear.

Is he the happiest guy in the world or what!?

Mia followed the newlywed couple and led the bridal party recession as if she's done this before.

I really do not think JC could be any happier. Love you two!

As the crowd dispersed, this little lady didn't notice anything that was going on around her...simply enjoying her bubbles on a gorgeous day in June. And I didn't even place her in the middle of the church steps!

Mia was very disappointed that she couldn't go on the trolley with daddy and the bridal party. But after her nap, she was refreshed and ready to party!

Our friend: "She's a natural at the bar!" Doug: evil Idon'twantmydaughtertoevergrowup glare

These two are such an emotional pair.

Although walking down the aisle was exciting, I think Mia was even more excited about the dance party. We expected her to dance with mommy and daddy, hand in hand. But instead, we had a flash forward to our future...She repeatedly brushed our hands away to run off with other kids her age and didn't look back!

These boys have come along way from junior high. I'm glad we have solid friends to share such life changing moments with. Congratulations Shannon and JC! You've accomplished so much in the past year and half and we'll be right by your side for what's to come! What better way to spend your birthday than with all of your friends and family? Happy Birthday Uncle JC!

 

Travel Themed Wedding - DIY Details

While my newlywed friend is honeymooning on the beaches of Thailand and Bali, I wanted to share her travel themed wedding with you all. There were too many DIY details for me to keep to myself! {I attended as a guest admiring their details and not as their hired wedding photographer.} Jing and John got married less than a year after they got engaged.

Programs and menus were printed on their own and adorned with the couple's personalized stamp.

The personalized stamp was also used on their save the date, invitation, and other paper goods throughout.

On top of training for her first marathon, the couple had a lot of {hard} work to do and decisions to make to pull together every detail of their “non-hotel” wedding. Even if it meant squeezing in 2 hour runs home from work, Jing was determined to make her wedding vision happen. With the help of event management team Oliveaire, Jing & John selected the former warehouse turned Skyline Loft at the Bridgeport Art Center for the brick walls, lengthy windows, skyline view and urban feel.

Jing doesn’t consider herself a creative/artsy/right-brainer, but from her very pulled together wedding, every guest would disagree. Upon mysteriously entering the freight elevator to go up to the cocktail hour and reception, guests were greeted with the couple’s initials. The DIY twine wrapped letters were actually made by a bridesmaid for another friend’s wedding. Thanks Tina and Jackie!

To go along with the travel theme, Food Evolution Catering personalized a worldly cocktail hour menu complete with margaritas served in mini Patron bottles (Mexico), sangria in mason jars (Spain), sushi (Japan), and more.

Luggage tags debossed with a travel quote on the back doubled as giveaways and place cards. There's that personalized stamp again! In typical {late} Jing fashion, the order was placed less than two weeks before the wedding and she didn't even have to pay rush shipping!

An open suitcase welcomed guests’ cards instead of a standard box.  Postcards collected from their travels (and friends and family) were used in lieu of a traditional guest book. Guests picked a postcard, wrote a message and placed it in the mailbox. 

Hanging tea lights and DIY lace/twine wrapped mason jar candles created a warm atmosphere throughout the loft.

Thanks to Ebay, Jing scored massive amounts of luggage for half the price of vintage stores. Can you see the paper airplanes hanging as a backdrop behind the head table? Over a few weeks/months, Jing’s brother-in-law’s brother folded 400+ airplanes! Thank you, Ray! However, stringing the airplanes on 20-foot strings and transporting them was a whoooooole ‘nother issue. But so worth it!

Adam Havrilla was the {awesome} head designer who came up with the unique centerpiece idea of ivory lilies and gardenias and blush and faint yellow garden roses inside suitcases. To cut costs and avoid purchasing 30 suitcases, other tables were adorned with traditional vases to enhance the pretty, antique, vintage look of the venue.

Bridesmaids painted $1 thrift store frames (what a deal!!) and filled them with maps and numbers cut using a Cricut.

Jing found her Allure Couture dress from Weddings 826. Since the dress was a little to plain for Jing’s liking, it was customized with a sweetheart neckline and flower embellishments. Here's the couple enjoying a song performed by their family.

The DIY details for Jing and John’s travel themed wedding décor was a true family and friends affair. Everyone from bridesmaids, brother in laws, aunts, and sisters chipped in with their time and effort. For more travel themed wedding ideas and resources, check out Jing’s Pinterest boards here.

Vendors:
Venue – Skyline Loft at the Bridgeport Art Center
Caterer - Food Evolution
Florist - Artistic Blooms Chicago
Wedding Planner - Oliveaire
Suitcases & Luggage – ebay
Luggage Tag Place Cards – Motivators
Dress – Allure Couture via Weddings 826

Annnnd with White Castle sliders passed by servers on silver platters, we called it a night!
Good job Jing - you guys pulled it off beautifully!