I met Vanessa a few years ago at her parents place, though I wonder if she even remembers meeting me back then. I am friends with Vanessa's brother, Johnel, who is a dear friend of mine. He casually introduced us, we chatted for a second and that was that. Fast forward a few years into the future. I see Vanessa at her sister-in-laws baby shower and she tells me she wants to talk about wedding photography (for her wedding, of course). I feel both excited and honored that she would consider me to photograph her wedding. We then email each other back and forth and set a time for me to meet with her and Luis. We chatted, connected, booked the wedding, and then later had a great engagement session. Awesome!
Vanessa and Luis are the kind of people that you want to be friends with. They are kind and love their friends and their families, which was evident at their wedding. These are just a few of the reasons why I was excited and honored to be there at their wedding.
So about the wedding. The ceremony was at the BEAUTIFUL Holy Cross Church. The church was amazing to shoot in. Period. Luis grew up attending this church and knows the Pastor, so there is an emotional tie to this amazing building.
After the ceremony the entire party went out to the Adler Planetarium for a few portraits near the lakefront. The weather was perfect (yay, no rain) and the smiles were genuine. What more could a wedding photographer ask for? There was just enough cloud coverage to provide some texture to our portraits and to block out the sun. We all hung out there for a bit and then started to feel the heat of the sun. It was time to get in the air-conditioned bus and off to the reception.
Vanessa and Luis planned the perfect reception and here is why (IMHO):
- LOCATION: The reception was held at the beautiful Chateau Del Mar in Hickory Hills. The perfectly mowed grass and trees made for a fantastic view and a perfect setting for wedding photos.
- MUSIC: A mariachi band played during the cocktail hour. Those guys could SING! Everyone was dancing!
- PARTICIPATION: Hats, masks, and whistles were given to everyone! People felt like they were a part of this wedding.
My many thanks to the Flores and Mugnaini families for having me be a part of such an important day in their families history. Luis and Vanessa, you guys are amazing and I hope the absolute best for your future. I look forward to hearing your part of your wedding story. I hope that you both had a blast.
I want to thank Gary Middendorf for his assistance and for his amazing shots. Thanks dude, you ROCK!
Holy Cross / IHM 4541 S. Wood St. Chicago IL 60609 773.376.3900
Adler Planetarium 1300 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago IL 60605 312.922.STAR (7827)
Chateau Del Mar 8301 West 95th Street Hickory Hills, Illinois 60457 708.599.3400
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By The Way: Using off-camera flash adds so much dimension to your bride and groom portraits. I love the look and the challenge that off-camera flash brings.