I met Melanie and Ashley through my friend Jill, whose wedding I photographed 2 years ago. It's always so cool and encouraging to get a referral from a past bride whose wedding I photographed. It means that they were willing to give my info out without me having to ask. That is good stuff indeed. So thanks Jill for introducing me to this fun and loving couple! It's been really fun getting to know Melanie and Ashley (M+A) - I liked them right away and I could tell that they really cared for each other. What was there not to like? They're both fun and creative, love to laugh (Ashley), mad comm skills (Melanie), and had custom Chuck's made for their wedding. Enough said.
Their wedding took place in Zion, Illinois at the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center. The coastline of Lake Michigan looked sweet that day - thanks dramatic clouds! It was my first commitment ceremony, so I was very excited. The day started off really rainy and overcast. I was hopeful it would get better. And then it got REALLY cold. I think it got down to like 50 degrees at one point. I was still hopeful it would get better - I had to since the wedding was to be outdoors. The rain was still coming down as M+A walked down the aisle, but I could see that the clouds were going away. It finally stopped raining as the ceremony began (finally!) and then never rained again. Awesome!
Shooting at Illinois Beach was really cool. The sand and dramatic clouds made for an amazing setting. M+A were totally up for walking around the beach and we all had a blast shooting out there. I was assisted by the talented Suzy Rohan who took some beautiful detail shots and also kept me laughing the entire day.
Here are a few of my favorite photos from M+A's wedding:
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Melanie and Ashley, thank you again for being such a joy to work with. Photographing your commitment ceremony was such an honor and I, too, had a great time. I hope that you have amazing futures, as I am sure that you will. You guys rock! My thanks to my "dos" shooter Suzy again for making that day fun. Your willingness to learn is refreshing.
Illinois Beach Resort & Conference Center 1 Lake Front Drive Zion, IL 60099 (847) 625-7300
By The Way: Don't get too discouraged if the weather is nasty. Have a plan B and communicate it with your couple. Setting them at ease is a huge plus and a success to the rest of the day.