Photographing a Ravenswood Event Center wedding:

I had an absolute blast working with Missy & Danny! They brought so much fun energy to their engagement session and wedding day that honestly they were easy to photograph. I also really appreciated their overall mindset on the day. They started from a place of love and authenticity, and simply wanted their family and friends to come together and celebrate. Everything outside of that was secondary.

We started the day at Hotel Zachary in Wrigleyville. I’ve been there with wedding parties getting ready a few times now, and I have to say it’s one of my favorite hotels from a photography standpoint. The suites have floor to ceiling windows, so the light is nearly perfect everywhere you look. The hotel decor is also tasteful, unique and stylish. So much so that we did the couple’s first look in one of the rooms. Since they were having a traditional Jewish ceremony, they decided to read their vows just after seeing one another. It was incredibly sweet, and I truly enjoy photographing emotional moments like this.

From there I got some unique photos in the hotel lobby, in particular while photographing Missy’s dress from above. Fortunately Jenny MacBeard of Blue Moon Events put together an ideal itinerary, which allowed me space for some creative freedom. I cannot recommend hiring a planner enough, and Jenny is fantastic!

We made our way directly to the Ravenswood Event Center. There’s many reasons why I love photographing at this venue, but in particular it’s the vintage car and neon sign collection. It was a chilly February day, so ideally we needed an indoor location for wedding party photos. Combining my own lighting with the signs and cars worked out perfectly.

For most weddings I tend to wrap up coverage about an hour after the dance floor opens, but ultimately it’s up to the couple. However Missy and Danny they wanted their entire reception captured, from the introductions to the last song. I have to say their guests did not disappointment. I don’t think I’ve seen a crowd party that hard for that long before. There were hilariously fun moments constantly happening until the very end!

Congrats again to the couple, and I cannot thank them enough for having me!

Thanks to these Chicago Wedding Vendors!