Emma Mullins Photography

Last month I had the pleasure of traveling to my home state for Alex and John’s fall Wisconsin engagement session! Besides getting to meet these two in person, I was extra excited to check out Bridle Barn & Gardens. The Bridle Barn has been in Alex’s family for decades, and just so happens to be a stunning Wisconsin wedding venue! John and Alex were in town from Washington D.C. for the weekend, and I’m so happy we were able to meet up for this session 🙂

I met these two on the property just after sunrise on a Monday. They offered me coffee and a quick tour of the space: venue, gardens, cornfields, and all! We played in the morning light and got to see the fall colors just starting to change. Alex and John even cracked open our favorite New Glarus beer to celebrate!

Alex and John: Thank you again for having me, and for showing me around the Bridle Barn! Already getting excited for your Chicago wedding day next year!!

At this time last year, Stephanie and Jimmy were getting ready for their fall wedding celebration with family and friends after eloping in October 2020! I first heard from these two in the summer of 2019, when they were planning their dream wedding for the following fall. We met up for their downtown Chicago engagement session that September, and only a few months later started talking about a Plan B for wedding day. After much thought, they decided to get married on their original date… and I’m SO happy they invited me to capture their intimate Joliet Birdhaven Greenhouse wedding! Finally, in November 2021, they were able to experience their wedding day as originally planned.

Stephanie and Jimmy got ready separately before heading to church in Lemont. After the stunning ceremony, it was time to party at the club! The newlyweds were ALL smiles, and their love and happiness was definitely contagious. We even got lucky with the most perfect fall weather… our golden hour photos are some of my faves from the entire day!

Their reception was filled with dinner, dancing, champagne, dancing, Polish traditions, and more dancing. In fact, Stephanie was personally responsible for the dance party playlist – and the dance floor was packed all night! The newlyweds let me steal them away for a few night photos at the end of the evening, and they couldn’t have been happier. I’m so thrilled they finally got to see their dream wedding day come to life!

Stephanie and Jimmy: THANK YOU for trusting us to capture your memories over the past few years! It has been an absolute pleasure working with you two, wishing you all the best in years to come 🙂

Want to see more Stephanie & Jimmy? Check out their Highlight Film!

One of the highlights of my year was getting to see Mahala and Marla walk down the aisle together. I first heard from these two in 2019, when they were each focusing on grad school and their long-distance relationship. Three years, two PhDs, and one pandemic later, they finally got to have the wedding they’d been planning for years! I’m so happy to have been there to capture the beauty and joy of this day.

The festivities began at First United Church of Oak Park, Mahala’s childhood church! Marla and Mahala got ready separately there, sharing a first look in the outdoor garden before the ceremony. Some of my favorite moments were Mahala’s brother performing a song during the ceremony, and their fun bubble exit on the way to the reception!

Garfield Park Conservatory Wedding Reception

If you’re familiar with the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago, it should come as no surprise that photographers absolutely LOVE this space. Mahala and Marla’s wedding was actually the first time I’d taken photos there since January of 2020! We visited all the rooms together (The Fern Room is my fave!) including the in-bloom Monet Garden outside of Horticulture Hall. The space alone is a photographer’s dream, but… when newlyweds look at each other like this?? I could have taken photos of them together all day!

The evening was filled with delicious food and drink, heartfelt words from friends and family, and LOTS of dancing. I was lucky enough to steal them away for a few night photos in the Desert House! This day went by so, so fast and I’m lucky to have been a part of it 🙂

Mahala and Marla: Thank you again for having me capture this day for you! I’m so happy you finally got to have the wedding of your dreams. All my best to you both!!

Want to see more Mahala & Marla? Check out their sweet Valentine’s Day engagement session on the Blog!

Today’s post goes out to Megan and Taylor. It just so happens that today is their TWO YEAR wedding anniversary (it’s true!)… Happy Anniversary, guys!! I first heard from these two in May of 2019, when Taylor told me all about their first messages on Tinder in reference to Alanis Morissette’s Ironic. In case you were wondering: No, it did NOT rain on their wedding day 🙂

Shortly after their unseasonably snowy engagement session that November, things changed in the world. Like so many couples, they made the difficult decision to postpone their fall 2020 wedding to the following year. Shortly afterwards, they decided to officially tie the knot on their original date in an intimate ceremony surrounded by immediate family. I was lucky enough to be there for both their 2020 elopement AND the celebration last year!

Taylor and Megan got ready separately with their wedding parties before their first look along the lakefront at Kenilworth Beach. From there, we walked to the church for an emotional vow renewal (and more photos, of course!). After the ceremony, the newlyweds and I took a lovely horse-drawn carriage ride to Michigan Shores Club where their guests were waiting to greet them.

Michigan Shores Club Wedding Reception

I was so excited to finally see this historical space in person, and it did not disappoint! Some highlights from the reception include the seasonal decor, Megan’s sister’s speech featuring their original Tinder photos (!!), and the dance PARTY that lasted all night! These two waited an extra year to celebrate with their people, and I had the absolute best time capturing it all.

Megan and Taylor: Happy Anniversary! Thank you again for having me, it’s been such a pleasure getting to know you two over the years. Cheers to many more!!

More summer nostalgia this month with Meg and Pat! Emma C had a blast at their Pilsen engagement session in June… and it just so happens they’ll be married in THREE DAYS!!! We first met Meg and Pat last year at Alex and Jack’s wedding, and time has been flying ever since.

I love that Meg and Pat wanted to take engagement photos in a location that’s meaningful to them. This is something we always encourage couples to think about when planning a session! Pilsen is where Meg and Pat shared their first home together, and we were lucky enough to take photos at some of their favorite places. Shout out to the staff at Thalia Hall for allowing us to use the space at Dusek’s and Punch House 🙂

After some delicious cocktails, it was time to hit the town! These three got to take advantage of the neighborhood’s colorful murals, and an evening stroll through El Paseo Community Garden. Everything you could possibly want in a summer Pilsen engagement session! For their final stop, they decided on golden hour photos with the skyline view at Ping Tom Memorial Park.

Thanks again for having us, Meg and Pat! I can’t wait to see all the photo magic from this weekend!!

This spring, I was lucky enough to capture Cierra and Steve’s fun and fashionable wedding at Salvage One! It’s no secret this is one of my favorite Chicago wedding venues… and it was absolutely perfect for Cierra and Steve. When I first heard from these two, I learned that they were both yoga instructors… AND they got engaged at Zen Yoga Garage after one of Cierra’s classes! Steve surprised her by inviting family and friends and their sweet pup, Zion, who you may remember from their awesome engagement session last September.

On wedding day, Cierra got ready with her party at home while Steve and his side were in the West Loop. When it was time for their first look, we felt a few raindrops! Not to worry – they still got to exchange personal notes outside their home, and we made it to the venue with plenty of time for photos. After exploring the many unique levels of Salvage One (seriously – I could spend all day in here!), it was time to get these two MARRIED!

Salvage One Wedding

Cierra and Steve were married in an intimate ceremony officiated by a dear friend. Some highlights include dancing down the aisle, flower pup Zion, and one of the most unique ceremony spaces in the city. I especially love that this day really felt like them – from the wedding party fashion (Steve’s favorite color is purple, and can we talk about Cierra’s dress?!) to their memorable first dance under the disco ball. These two were also intentional about the vendors they chose to work with on this day – and I must admit, I think they made excellent choices 🙂

Cierra and Steve: Thank you again for choosing us to capture your wedding this year! I’ve had so much fun with you two and wish you nothing but the best in Married Life!!

Last summer I had a blast hanging out with Alex and Alex – aka Alex squared! We kept things local to their neighborhood of Lincoln Square, starting at home with sassy calico Rory 🙂 One of my favorite things about visiting their home (besides Rory) was getting to see all the space-themed decor! These two are getting married at Chicago’s own Adler Planetarium in ONE MONTH (!!), and it was clear before our session that this was the perfect location for them to tie the knot.

When I first heard from Alex², they told me:

“If ‘space but classy’ is a theme, then that would be ours. We’re huge science/space nerds and have had too many dates to count at the Adler Planetarium… If you’ve ever attended an ‘Adler After Dark’ event, that’s the vibe we’re trying to achieve.”

As you can imagine, I am counting the days before we get to see their vision come to life!

After photos at home, we headed out into the neighborhood. The Ainslie Arts Plaza had recently opened, and it was the perfect place for a colorful afternoon stroll. We even got to stop at Sulzer Library for some romantic reading… and Alex to show off his perfectly on-theme new shirt!

Finally, we made our way toward the lakefront for photos with the skyline at Montrose Harbor. I think we even felt a few raindrops – but Alex and Alex weren’t fazed! This was such a fun session and I absolutely loved hanging with the Alexes. I’m so excited to do it again very SOON 🙂

Planning your own Lincoln Square engagement session? Check out these other sessions on the Blog!

Caitlin & Brett | Terrence & Shawn | Jackie & Mike | Andrew & Claire

Kevin and Brandon’s Chicago summer engagement session was just what I needed before kicking off the busy fall season. You may remember these two from Brandon’s surprise proposal in March of 2021… well, now we’re only weeks away from their wedding date! I’ve been looking forward to getting these two in front of my lens again ever since.

We met in the West Loop to take advantage of some fresh new murals (!!) and summer sunshine. They even stopped traffic with a few signature dance moves in the street! After a quick stroll and an outfit change, we headed to their local Jeni’s for an ice cream treat and the rainbow crosswalks of Boystown. Hanging with these two reminded me how easily they make each other smile – thanks for making my job easy, guys!

As the sun began to set, we made our way toward the lakefront. Fun fact: A week before Brandon popped the question last year, Kevin surprised Brandon by proposing at Diversey Harbor! We couldn’t end our session before stopping there together. Although I’m sure there were fewer ducks in February (and probably more snow), I’m so happy we included this meaningful location as part of their engagement story 🙂

Kevin and Brandon: Your wedding day next month is going to be awesome! Can’t wait to do it again SOON!!

Mindy and Daniel’s Artifact Events wedding in May was a pleasure to be part of. These two are so clearly smitten with each other, it made the entire day seem like a breeze! Add in an A-List vendor team, gorgeous Chicago weather, and one of the most unique venues in the city… I knew their wedding was going to be GOOD.

Daniel got ready with his party at home, while Mindy spent the morning at her parents’ place nearby. We conquered holiday weekend traffic and made it to the Art Institute gardens for an emotional first look! This is one of my favorite Chicago portrait locations, and definitely worth a stop for any downtown wedding day. After a few more iconic photo-ops, we headed north. It was time to get these two MARRIED!!

Artifact Events Wedding

Artifact Events is part of the industrial corridor on historic Ravenswood Avenue. The venue itself is massive – offering multiple options for weddings and other events. We were lucky enough to have the opportunity for photos in the North Atrium before their courtyard ceremony!

That evening, Mindy and Daniel made it official in an intimate ceremony officiated by Daniel’s sister. One of my favorite details was Daniel’s father playing the Oud during the processional! Once the knot was tied, I don’t think they stopped smiling for a second. It was an absolute joy to capture the love and support surrounding these two on this day 🙂

CONGRATULATIONS, Mindy and Daniel!!! Thank you again for having us this year! Wishing you the very best in your future together.

Miranda and Fernando’s Milwaukee engagement session in June was a highlight of my summer! From their very first email (which happened to mention the Packers AND cats) and our lovely first video chat, I was more than eager to start working with these two. And guess what – they’re even more delightful in person!

We met at their home for photos with Tabb, their “only-child feline fur baby.” This lucky guy got to soak up allll the pets before accompanying us outside for a quick stroll! Miranda and Fernando told me more about their Valentine’s Day engagement at Disney World and we talked wedding planning, too. But mostly, these two were just gushing over each other 🙂

After Tabb’s turn in the spotlight was complete, we headed to nearby Boerner Botanical Gardens for some stunning golden hour photos. Seriously, we could not have asked for better weather! We wandered through the peonies, rose garden, past the koi pond, and ended up at the rock garden (my fave!). Finally, it was time to head downtown for photos with the lakefront at sunset.

As a Milwaukee native, I cannot pass up the opportunity to visit the Art Museum campus and Calatrava bridge when I’m in town. Coincidentally, these happen to be some of my favorite photo locations in the city! Fernando and Miranda were a treat to have in front of my camera, and before we knew it, the colorful sky turned to dusk. I couldn’t be happier with how this session turned out and am SO excited for their wedding day next year!

Miranda and Fernando: Your Milwaukee engagement session was a dream!! I had a blast with you two and am already counting the days until May…