Metropolitan Imageworks

Andrea and Paul’s wedding day provided crisp fall temperatures and beautiful blue skies and bright afternoon sun. I was armed and ready to shoot my final 2010 wedding in the Midwest before heading to my winter location in the Southwest. (Funny side-note: One of Andrea’s bridesmaids was married at my final Midwest wedding in 2008!) When I first arrived at Andrea’s parents house to photograph the girls getting ready, her dad greeted me at the door and gave me a shrug and a small grunt when I introduced myself and ask how the morning went. I thought he was just being a typical dad surrounded by a group of ladies getting make-up applied and hair coiffed all morning. As I made my way farther into the house, I realized there was a small snafu with the bouquets not looking exactly as Andrea had imagined. Fortunately the florist hightailed it back to the shop and returned with some more yellow flowers to fill in the bridesmaids bouquets with minutes to spare before all the girls piled into the limo to head to church.

I’m sharing this because weddings are a big deal. A very big deal. Most of my clients spend many long months making decisions about attire, flowers, colors, accoutrements, locations, themes and anticipate an overall feel of the day. It’s very easy to set certain expectations of exactly how the day will play out. It’s also very easy to get emotional when something doesn’t go according to plan. I remember with my own wedding eight years ago I made a cut-off for myself the week prior to the wedding and delegated anything that needed a decision at that point. I figured my friends and close family knew me well enough and knew what I expected out of my wedding day to answer on my behalf. I think I also realized at that point things were beyond my control and the most important part of the day would happen – we would say our vows in front of our family and closest friends and be married. Never mind that our officiant didn’t bring copies of the vows we wrote and emailed to him three weeks prior. When I learned of this about five minutes before the ceremony began I shrugged and said, “Oh well, we’ll still be married no matter what vows we use.” Which of course prompted my friends to look at me in shock and awe and wonder where the real Rachael was. It’s also pretty easy for me to talk about it now, since the day is just a memory for me. It’s also easy for me to say my awesome friend and go to girl for the day, Lani, handled a lot of the little things like answering questions about placecards, candles, wedding party members asking where to be and most importantly finding the florist before she left the venue and having a bridesmaid bouquet redone after it was accidentally drop kicked. Sure Murphy’s Law is pretty evident and because there are so many important components of pulling together an entire wedding – something is bound to go awry. I have seen it all from no show limos to the wrong color flowers, to a bridal gown without a bustle (I was able to make one with some giant safety pins at the reception), to missing bartenders to broken zippers on bridesmaid dresses during getting ready to a fainting groomsman during a ceremony to missing centerpieces to ice-storms and rainstorms and heatwaves and snowstorms. But in all my time I have never once had the ultimate goal delayed – my couples always get married!!!

Just look at the pictures of Andrea – you couldn’t wipe the grin off her face all day long, unless of course you gave a tearful toast but then that’s to be expected. Congratulations Andrea and Paul,  no matter how little or how much yellow was in the bouquets, you had a beautiful day shared with fantastic friends and family and you’re married!!!

I’m also proud of the wedding party who braved the cooler temps and romped around the park with us after the ceremony – that late afternoon in the fall sun was too glorious to not take advantage of for wedding party photos. We were all rewarded with an appetizer spread at Charleyhorse during the extra time we had before the reception at Tiebel’s.

Photographers: Rachael Michael and Ariel Biscan

Ceremony: St. Maria Goretti, Dyer, IN

Reception: Tiebel’s Restaurant, Schererville, IN

- I’m making it my own personal mission to photograph a wedding in a St. Maria Goretti church in every state in the US. This past April I was at St. Maria Goretti in Scottsdale, AZ and for Andrea and Paul’s wedding in early November I was at St. Maria Goretti in Dyer, IN and next spring I will photograph a wedding at St. Maria Goretti in Madison, WI. So here is my personal request for more weddings at St. Maria Goretti churches. It would have been perfect if she was the patron saint of wedding photographers but I looked it up and she is the patron saint of chastity, rape victims, youth, teenage girls, poverty, purity and forgiveness (according to Wikipedia.) -

I like to think I had a special hand in helping the events unfold during the wedding day. I met Jackie last August at Emily and Michael’s wedding and learned of her own engagement and upcoming wedding. Jackie was trying to figure out how to have a classy city affair without going overboard on total costs and making sure to keep the intimate feeling as a theme. She was also honest about not wanting to be the center of attention all day, which is no easy feat when you are the bride and it’s your wedding day!  I shared details of a wedding I had photographed the year prior in Galena – the bride and groom invited 30 guests for an intimate ceremony and those same 30 guests joined them for an intimate dinner at a chic restaurant in downtown Galena. Following dinner the guests hopped a trolley to an Irish pub and about 125 more folks joined the celebration and partook of cocktails, cupcakes and dancing. It was a very progressive way of celebrating. Jackie and Mike loved the idea and ran with it in their own way.

Sixteen guests joined Jackie and Mike (and the officiant and two photographers) at the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool in Lincoln Park for a short and very sweet wedding ceremony and then a charter bus, complete with flowing champagne, whisked them off to a succulent dinner at La Luce where a few more guests arrived to partake of the meal and celebration. After dinner the rooms filled with even more guests and good cheer. Adding in guests as the day and night progresses is a way to include more folks in the celebration and to get a chance to talk and interact without the feeling of being pulled in a million different directions the whole time.

Personally, I went to bed dreaming of Jackie’s shoes. They are that awesome!

Ceremony: Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, Chicago, IL

Reception: La Luce, Chicago, IL

Beth and Dave had a signature cocktail – BD Rivers – which was a colorful martini named in honor of the two of them and their first meeting at Rivers in Chicago, on a blind date/introduction from Beth’s older sister’s friend who used to work with Dave. Follow that? I and everyone who celebrated with them on their wedding day are very happy they hit it off from the get go!

The day was packed with activity and a full wedding party with ten bridesmaids, ten groomsmen, a flower girl and feisty ring bearer! Although the weather was a little wet early on it cleared up enough to allow ample time for a portrait around the grounds of C D & Me, which was landscaped and hard-scaped as a photographers eye candy. Of course, who doesn’t love a big white tent complete with swags and lanterns?  I think we all agree Beth and Dave put on a fabulous party. Hope you’re enjoying the Hawaii!

Ceremony: St. Francis of Assisi, Orland Park, IL

Reception: CD & Me, Frankfort, IL

Cancan and Nhan’s romance blossomed on the East Coast, continued to Geneva, Switzerland and finally landed them in the heart of Chicago, allowing for a fabulous Chicago wedding.

After sitting down with Cancan and her parents last summer it was love at first meeting all around and I knew right then I wanted to photograph her wedding! Cancan met with me on a whirlwind trip to Chicago to look at venues. She didn’t have a location yet or even a wedding date but she knew she loved my photography enough to sit down and talk about her ideas for the day. Fortunately for all of us, she chose Michigan Shores Country Club and they had a date available that worked for everyone.

The day began early with a tea ceremony rich with tradition honoring both families.  Cancan’s family is Chinese and Nhan’s family is Vietnamese and the blending of both cultures through incense, candles, respecting family and gift giving was both beautiful and emotional. Afterwards the guests dined on traditional Vietnamese cuisine and relaxed before the Western wedding ceremony later that afternoon.

Blue skies and fluffy clouds greeted us on the lake front as we ventured out for a first glance between the bride and groom in full wedding attire and then had a little fun with the wedding party.

Back at Michigan Shores, Nhan’s cousin officiated the ceremony and personalized it with juicy tidbits from Cancan and Nhan’s early romance to reasons why they followed each other around the world for love.

Tea Ceremony, Wedding Ceremony & Reception: Michigan Shores Country Club, Wilmette, IL

DJ: Style Matters DJs, Chicago, IL

Exactly six years ago Tara and Mark began dating, which made September 4, 2010 a very appropriate day for their wedding! Fabulous blue skies and cooler temps made for very pleasant outdoor photo sessions all day long.

Tara and Mark chose their wedding colors very carefully and shared a sweet story with all their guests – on Valentine’s Day of 2005, Mark bought Tara a dozen white roses. However, there was one red rose in the center. In Mark’s card, he explained to Tara how out of all the roses, there was one rose that caught his attention and that was Tara. For the wedding, the colors of the roses are reversed, and Tara is the white rose among all the red roses.

All day long I saw Tara’s beaming smile toward Mark and Mark’s tender looks toward Tara. Love really was in the air!

Ceremony: St. John Neumann, St. Charles, IL

Reception: Eagle Brook Country Club, Geneva, IL

I love weddings. I love the visual appeal, the people, the emotions, the details, the sounds, the tears, the hugs and the laughter.  I love weddings because everyone is on their best behavior, wearing smiles, generally wearing their best clothes and they smell good!

Jenny and Isaac’s day just reaffirms the reasons I love weddings! Not only did they smell good but the warmth and love that emanated from all their family and friends just filled the farm with such a great aura. Each member of the large wedding party holds a special place in the hearts of Jenny and Isaac and you could just sense the closeness of their bonds while observing the interactions.

The location lent to the free-spirited flow of the day from the entrance of the grandmas on the horse and carriage, to a mostly barefoot bride, to sibling officiants, to horses joining in the formal pictures, to fresh Alaskan salmon caught by a cousin and cooked by an uncle, to heartfelt speeches, to a variety of pies and of course a jam-packed, rockin’ n’ rollin’ dance floor!

Ceremony & Reception: Huntington Farms, Viroqua, WI

Love and baseball, that’s all you really need.

Imagine a beautiful summer day complete with blue skies, fluffy white clouds and temps in the 90′s.  Perfect weather for a game at Big Ball Park in Riverside. Add in a big, white tent that provides the right amount of shade and you have the perfect location for a wedding!  Jenny and Lee chose Big Ball Park for their wedding ceremony location for a number of reasons, most important being that Jenny spent many years there playing ball with her dad as coach. For sure he was there in spirit that day.

After a touching ceremony the festivities moved to Montefiori in Lemont complete with cocktails, live music, lawn games and the stunning landscape as a backdrop. Jenny and Lee added baseball touches throughout the day – guests used their “tickets” to find their tables, signed a baseball jersey with the couple’s last name embroidered on it, little baseball hats adorned each place setting and all of the paper items were baseball themed as well.   Reminding all of us that Love and Baseball is what makes the world go ’round.

(And this Cub’s fan has no problem shooting Sox fan weddings.)

Ceremony Location: Big Ball Park, Riverside, IL

Reception Location: Montefiori, Lemont, IL

Florist: Phillips Flowers, Chicago

Band: Deja Vu, Chicago

Videography: Metropolitan Filmworks, Nationwide

Blue skies, summer temps, gentle breeze and true love. That’s what makes for a lovely wedding! Emily and Jeremy had a perfect day in many ways – surrounded by family and friends, a beautiful backdrop and good times had by all. From a first glance, to fun wedding party photos and family photos, throughout a touching ceremony and into a festive reception their love for each other was very evident.

The ceremony was held outdoors on the veranda at Bartlett Hills Golf Club with a background of the beautiful course and late afternoon sun. A string trio provided the live ceremony music and one of their friends played a solo during the sand ceremony. The festivities moved indoors for cocktails and the reception. I can guarantee from the packed floor and faces I witnessed, everyone was having a blast! Both Emily and Jeremy are musicians and Jeremy pulled off a sweet surprise and serenaded (with the help of a few groomsmen) Emily at the end of the dinner hour.

Ceremony & Reception Location: Bartlett Hills Golf Club, Bartlett, IL

Anjali and Paul had a jam-packed wedding day with two ceremonies, multiple outfit changes and a wonderfully fun reception while surrounded by important friends and family members. The day was packed with activities, locations, and amazing traditions. Visual eye-candy from the photo and video perspective for sure.

Anjali and Paul took a few moments early in the day for their first glance and then spent time with the bridal party on Michigan Avenue for portraits.  The first ceremony was held at the lovely and historic First Unitarian Church of Chicago.  The intimacy and coolness of the church interior reflected the intimacy and solemnity of their marriage.  Their processional and recessional were led by bagpipe to reflect Paul’s heritage.

We made time for a quick stop at the Planetarium for a few more portraits of the bride and groom and then back to the Hotel Intercontinental for a costume change and the second ceremony of the day.  The Hindu ceremony was held in the Grand Ballroom and steeped with tradition to reflect Anjali’s background and featured a glowing Mandap, flower garlands, exchange of gifts and even a bounty for the groom’s shoes.  Anjali had another costume change during the transition into the reception and the next hours were filled with speeches, dancing and overall celebration.

Ceremony 1 : First Unitarian Church of Chicago, Hyde Park, IL

Ceremony 2: Hotel Intercontinental, Chicago, IL

Reception: Hotel Intercontinental, Chicago, IL

DJ: Toast and Jam, Chicago, IL

Videography: Metropolitan Filmworks, Nationwide

This celebration has been a long time coming and now Wendy and Ryon are husband and wife. I was very honored to be asked to photograph Wendy and Ryon’s wedding celebration. Not only did I capture the portraits, the moments, the action and the emotions, I also celebrated right along with both of them.

Wendy and Ryon had their intimate wedding ceremony a few days earlier at the courthouse on a very significant date, May 5th. They invited family and friends to celebrate all together on Saturday. Wendy and Ryon’s party hosting skills are so incredible, even Elvis joined in and rocked along with the crowd!

Honestly, I love weddings so much that when I am photographing them I am completely in my element. I always hold a place in my heart for all of the Metimages clients. Wendy is also someone I call a friend and she impressed me with her wedding planning skills, attention to detail and of course all the walking she did during for our outdoor portrait session.

Reception: Bull Valley Golf Club, Woodstock, IL

DJ: Music in Motion, Woodstock, IL

Florist: Apple Creek Flowers, Woodstock, IL