What an fantastic way to wrap up the 2011 wedding season!! Debbie & Matt’s wedding was just fantastic!! From the day beginning at the Sofitel Hotel in downtown Chicago, to a super fun time of offsite pictures around Chicago with their great wedding party, to a intimate and sweet ceremony, to a knock-your-socks-off party and super fun(and beautifully stylish) reception…it just was ALL THAT and MORE!! I knew from the first time that I talked with Debbie that not only was she going to be super easy, soo nice and just wonderful to work with, but she was that perfect combo of easy going and fun, yet organized and very ontop of things! I love that combo! Debbie also has great style and to top it off, is gorgeous TOO!! Onto Matt, he is soo sweet and relaxed, fun and spontaneous! From looking at Debbie like he could just see right into her heart, from busting out a dance and a rap on the bus, to serenading her while playing the piano before cocktail hour, to dancing the night away on the dance floor…he’s a pretty cool cat! He and Debbie are an awesome fit! They were surrounded by soo many great friends and wonderful family…you could feel the love around these two!! I absolutely loved getting to be a part of this wedding…and as the night came to an end and Debbie and Matt were whisked away into the night in downtown Chicago on their horse and carriage….Erika and I left for our hotel and both, almost in sync, said, WOW, THAT was a GREAT wedding!! And it was!!! Debbie and Matt…you two are both SOO cool. and nice..and easy going…and fun…and not to mention gorgeous together! Thank you for entrusting your wedding to me! I wish you both a lifetime of bliss…and babies! XO!!

VENUES/VENDORS:

Church – St.Mary of the Angels
Reception – Newberry Library
Prep- The Sofitel Hotel
Band – Becca Kaufman Orchestra
Caterer – D’Absolute Catering
Design and Floral – Cattleya Bridal & Floral Design
Invitations – Lola Bean
Cake – Oak Mill Bakery
Video – I DO Films
Hair & Makeup: Mireya Villarreal
Horse & Carriage – Chicago Horse & Carriage Ltd.
Jeweler – Stevens Jewelers

I have been looking forward to Jenny and Michael’s wedding for a while!! They are two people within a wonderful group of friends who I’ve been soo privledged to work with…a group of super fun, fantastic people!! The minute I met with Jenny, I just knew this wedding was, in fact, going to be SOO FUN…and really beautiful!! Jenny and Michael are such laid back, happy, life loving people and it’s really soo evident in the way they approach everything! You will see it soo clearly in their images and in the joy that they exuded throughout their entire wedding day! Jenny had, in my opinion, the perfect approach to her wedding planning…very organized and involved, yet not ever loosing site of the joy and the love that was at the center of it all, while having a fantastic eye for style and beauty…and being flexible enough to always make sure there was time and space for FUN!! They also trusted me completely and I value that soo much. The minute they got in front of the camera, they were SUCH naturals!! I was soo impressed! And as I said, they just enjoyed every moment….as did their wedding party and family!! It was such fun to capture this day with such real, genuine joy!! It was a fantastic wedding from beginning to end and I LOVED getting to be a part of it!! Jenny and Michael…thank you soo much for entrusting me with your wedding photography. You are wonderful people to the core and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed your day! I wish you a lifetime of bliss and lots of laughs!!

My heart also goes out to you with the recent loss of your friend and groomsmen, Jobe. His spirit was evident in the images (included below) and his was clearly a life loss too young. You all have a group of friends that is not easy to come by in this day and age…and I commend you for cherishing it as you do. He was obviously a special, vibrant, fun loving person and I’m truly sorry to you for your loss.