Emma Mullins Photography

Last September, I had the pleasure of photographing Brigette and Michael’s Cafe Brauer wedding in Chicago. You may remember these two from their downtown summer engagement session in 2020! Fun fact: When they originally booked their venue, Brigette and Michael lived within walking distance. But, then there was a pandemic, and – things changed a little bit. One day Michael shared news that they’d moved to Denver, and their Cafe Brauer wedding would now be a destination wedding! I was pumped!!

The day began at Hotel Lincoln with Brigette and her wedding party. There was no shortage of music or dancing… or champagne! When it was time, we hopped on a trolley to Northwestern Law School to meet up with Michael’s side. This is where Brigette and Michael first met, and I absolutely love that they decided to have their first look here! They even exchanged private vows in the courtyard, one of my favorite ways to break tradition 🙂

Lincoln Park Honeycomb Wedding Ceremony

After a quick stop for photos with the skyline (and more dancing, of course!), we made our way back to Lincoln Park. Originally having planned a Cafe Brauer wedding, Brigette and Michael opted to move their ceremony to the Lincoln Park Honeycomb! Okay – it’s not technically called the Honeycomb… but if you live in Chicago you most likely know what I mean by this! In a COVID-19 world, this was the perfect alternative to an indoor ceremony. Brigette and Michael made it official surrounded by loved ones, and even had a former professor officiate. Believe me, the celebration continued throughout the night! I’m so happy I got to capture this unforgettable day!!

Brigette and Michael: Thank you again for trusting us to capture these memories for you. It’s been a pleasure working with you two! Wishing you all the happiness in the world.

Spring is in the air these days, and I thought it would be a perfect time to share Libby and Avi’s Gallery 1028 wedding from last May! I first met these two in early 2020, only months after they’d gotten engaged. Though the world was full of uncertainty at the time, one thing was for sure: Libby and Avi were getting married in 2021! Since then, it’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know these two and watching their wedding day vision come to life.

Libby and Avi got ready separately at Viceroy Chicago, one of my favorite hotels in the city! After their first look on the rooftop terrace, it was time to hit the town. The wedding party was in for a tour – we stopped at Museum Campus for those epic skyline views, then made our way to the Loop for more Chicago vibes! And – if you’ll recall from their neighborhood engagement session, Libby and Avi LOVE the CTA. Naturally, we made a stop there on wedding day, too!

Gallery 1028 Wedding

When we arrived at the venue, the space was aglow with candles, string lights, and colorful spring florals everywhere you’d look. Libby and Avi tied the knot surrounded by family and friends, both virtually and in person. After the glass was broken, it was time to celebrate! Dinner led to dancing and these two couldn’t keep their eyes off each other. It was truly a night to remember, and I’m so happy to have been a part of it 🙂

Libby and Avi: Thanks again for having us last May!!! All my best and a lifetime of happiness to you both!

Brittany and Adrian’s September wedding at Royal Sonesta Chicago River North was much-anticipated, to say the least! Guests traveled to Chicago from near and far to celebrate with these two as they tied the knot in our dear city. You may recall from their fall engagement session that Adrian and Brittany met at a University of Illinois football game! I was not at all surprised at the frequent pops of orange and blue in their wedding details.

We arrived at the downtown hotel to capture Brittany and Adrian getting ready separately. These two were dressed to the nines, of course – and their wedding party was no exception! Their happy first look on the Chicago Riverwalk was one of my favorite moments from the entire day, and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to stop at some other iconic locations nearby. After an emotional ceremony, these two were ready to PARTY! Our night concluded with popping champagne outside of Rock Bottom Brewery, another place they visited on the day they met 🙂

Highlights

Some highlights from the day include Brittany’s surprise choreographed dance with her dad, and honoring their mothers with a rose during the ceremony. They also had many unique DIY details, such as naming table numbers after places they’ve traveled together! Oh – and I will never forget their epic first dance to Robyn’s Show Me Love!!! This made my night… you’d better believe I was singing along to EVERY word.

Pro tip: Want to know what it felt like to be at this wedding? Play the song while scrolling through the images in this post!

Brittany and Adrian: Thank you again for having us in September! I will never forget your awesome wedding day… wishing you both the very best in Married Life!!!

On a lovely August day last year I had the pleasure of capturing Ada & Brendan’s downtown Chicago wedding. Without a doubt, this day was bursting with joy from beginning to end! These two got ready separately before their emotional first look in the lobby of TheWit, where Brendan was waiting for Ada with a bouquet of red roses (I know!). After an exchange of letters and gifts, it was time for some downtown Chicago wedding day photos with yours, truly 🙂

If you can’t tell from the photos, Ada and Brendan were a blast to explore the city with! We stopped at the most iconic photo locations, not to mention they received PLENTY of congrats from passersby! When it was time to head to the North Side, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity for some CTA photos at their local stop. Ada loves the area surrounding the Paulina station, and I’m so glad we stopped here for a few!

Finally, we arrived at Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro just in time to dodge the summer rain. Ada and Brendan were married in an intimate ceremony officiated by a mutual friend. One of my favorite things about this day was how intentional everything was – including DIY details by Ada! Every guest seemed to be bursting with happiness for these two, not to mention the newlyweds themselves. Truly, this was the most wonderful day… I’m so happy to have been a part of it!

Ada and Brendan: Thank you again for having us in August!!! All my best to you both and your future together!

What can I say about Jessika and Matthew? I first heard from these two around this time last year, when they were planning a wedding ceremony and celebration in 2022. After a few conversations, and with the state of the world, they decided to completely switch gears and get married last September instead! Of course, I’m SO happy they did 🙂

Jess and Matt tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Grant Park with their immediate families present. Jessika got ready at their South Loop home, while Matthew was at The Ritz-Carlton. Lucky for me, I got to see my girl Nala again (remember this sweetie from their spring engagement session?!) – then it was time to head out for their first look!

Looking stylish as ever, Matt and Jess met up at the Art Institute of Chicago for their first look and a private vow exchange. This was one of my favorite moments of the entire day! In fact, we basically had the entire gardens to ourselves… which never happens!! After stopping at a few iconic downtown locations, it was finally time to make it official. We arrived at the Rose Garden in Grant Park with perfect timing, and they were married in golden light surrounded by loved ones. The evening concluded with a stroll to Italian Village for a delicious wedding dinner!

Jessika and Matthew: Thank you again for having us in September!! Your intimate wedding day was truly a joy to capture, I wish you all the best in Married Life!

Sarah and Luke’s Mid-America Club wedding in October was one for the books! These two were engaged at the Grand Canyon in 2018, and I got to visit for their NYC engagement session the following year. Since then, these two moved from New York to Chicago, re-planned their original 2020 wedding (twice!), and officially tied the knot in their new hometown.

Luke and Sarah got ready separately at The Fairmont, steps from their wedding venue. The weather could not have been more perfect… I mean, who doesn’t love downtown Chicago in the fall?! The wedding party received their fair share of congratulations from passersby in Millennium Park, and before long, it was finally time to get these two MARRIED.

If you’re not familiar with the Mid-America Club, you should know that it’s located 80 stories above ground level, and the views are spectacular. Sarah and Luke were married in a room overlooking the entire city, surrounded by family and friends. One of my favorite moments was Luke playing the piano as Sarah walked toward him down the aisle! Though many from Luke’s side were unable to travel from England for the festivities, I’m so happy they could join the ceremony virtually. Once the knot was tied, the Newlyweds were ALL smiles 🙂

The reception consisted of food, drink, dancing… and Luke giving his own Best Man’s speech (it’s true!). This was truly a night to remember, and I’m so happy the team could be there to capture it all.

Sarah and Luke: CONGRATULATIONS to you both!!! Thank you again for having us capture these memories for you, we wish you nothing but the best in Married Life!

Maureen and Peter’s summer Columbus Park Refectory wedding was a celebration MANY were looking forward to! These two traveled from San Francisco to tie the knot in our fine city, with family and friends joining from all over. It was of utmost importance that Peter and Mo were surrounded by their favorite people on this day. I’m so lucky to have been there to capture it all!

The day began with Maureen and Peter getting ready separately with their families… and checking the weather a lot, too! In fact, we felt a few raindrops as we arrived at the church (yes, it IS good luck!!). The ceremony at St. Clement could not have been more picturesque – seriously, this is one of my favorite churches in Chicago! Once the knot was tied, their smiles grew wide, and it was time to PARTY.

Columbus Park Refectory Wedding Reception

Next stop: Columbus Park. Shout out to Mother Nature for clearing up the skies just in time for outdoor photos on the property! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The Chicago Park District is an awesome option if you’re looking for unique outdoor space to host an event. Columbus Park in particular is home to two natural waterfalls, a large lagoon, and historic building with Spanish-style architecture. What’s not to love?! The wedding party’s colorful florals were a perfect compliment to the lush green landscape, and of course we had to take advantage of the summer scenery.

Finally, after plenty of delicious food and drink, it was time for Maureen and Peter to let loose with their guests on the dance floor. It’s no secret that this was the moment they’d been waiting for… and The Chicago Players kept the party going all night long! Truly a night to remember, that’s for sure 🙂

Peter and Mo: Thanks again for having us in July!! We had so much fun on your wedding day and wish you all the best in the world!

Want to see more Peter & Mo? Check out their awesome Highlight Film by Amy Lynn!

Do you believe in fate? Like, REALLY believe in it? If the answer is no, I have a feeling that might change after reading this post. Kristal and Brian’s story is one that could be the premise of a film – a Real Life definition of serendipity. A perfect series of events led up to their wedding day.

In their words:

“Our story is a lifetime of missed connections, perfect timing, and fate… Stories like this are said to be called twin flames or mirrored souls, when one soul splits into two bodies that find each other. We have actually been somewhat connected our whole lives.”

Long story short, Kristal and Brian’s families had been acquaintances since they were children. As teenagers, they went to the same high school AND worked at the same movie theatre, and somehow never crossed paths. When they eventually met through a dating app in 2019, they started to make these connections. And get this: Thanks to social media, they even found photos of themselves dancing together at a club from ten years earlier… and neither of them remembers the encounter!! You’d better BELIEVE those photos resurfaced on wedding day… printed large for guests to view during the ceremony 🙂

Galleria Marchetti Wedding

As you can imagine, their June wedding at La Pergola was a much-anticipated event! Brian and Kristal got ready on separate floors of a sweet AirBnb in the West Loop. Their emotional first look took place on the rooftop of their home… including their pup Astro! The summer rain began to fall as soon as Brian turned to see Kristal, and to be honest, this was one of my favorite parts of the entire day.

When we arrived at the venue, romance was in the air. I absolutely LOVED the Roaring 20’s vibe of their decor… perfectly executed by Him & Her Vintage! Kristal and Brian made sure to work with local vendors, some who they even knew personally (shout out to Gurnee Donuts!). From beginning to end, this day was bursting with so much joy, romance, and LOTS of dancing.

Kristal and Brian: It was an absolute honor to be part of your wedding day. Thank you again for trusting my team to capture these memories for you!! Wishing you all the best in your future together.

Want to see more Kristal & Brian? Check out Amy Lynn’s Highlight Film!

Last summer, Alex and Jack tied the knot at City Hall Events in Chicago’s West Loop! Originally planned for August 2020, there was no doubt they were ready to PARTY when the timing was right. After all, Jack and Alex DID start dating when they were 13 years old… yes, you read that correctly! I loved hearing their story and getting to witness them tie the knot surrounded by family and friends.

Their day began with Alex getting ready at her sister’s home, and Jack at their home a few blocks away. Of course, that meant that Jack also got to hang with their pup Bruno before meeting up with Alex! Remember this adorable guy from their summer engagement session?! We decided to keep their First Look in the neighborhood, at the stunning Formal Gardens in Humboldt Park! I’m SO happy we did this – it was one of my favorite first looks to date. After a romantic stroll in the park, it was time to meet up with the wedding party in the West Loop and get these two MARRIED 🙂

City Hall Events Wedding

The ceremony space was filled with candlelight and greenery, and the most stunning skylights you will ever see. Jack’s uncle officiated the ceremony, and after the I-Dos it was time to celebrate! Guests enjoyed local food and drink, and then danced the night away. I’m lucky to have pulled the Newlyweds away for a night photo with the Chicago skyline during a break in the music!

Alex and Jack: THANK YOU again for having us in August – I loved everything about your wedding day. Wishing you all the best in your future together!

Check out Amy Lynn’s Highlight Film to see more from their day!

Terrence and Shawn’s Cindy’s Rooftop wedding in September was one for the books. When I first heard from these two, they told me of how they met, their dog Clover, and 2019 engagement. Like many other couples, their original wedding plans were affected by the pandemic… which brings us to Cindy’s!

After a little re-planning, these two decided to tie the knot in an intimate ceremony at one of Chicago’s most iconic locations. Shawn and Terrence got ready with their families at the stunning Chicago Athletic Association Hotel overlooking downtown. They read personal letters to each other before meeting on the marble staircase for their happy first look! Before the ceremony, we had a chance to take photos inside the hotel and in the gardens at Art Institute of Chicago (my fave!). This crew was a blast to hang with – I love that they included their siblings as the wedding party!

Finally, it was time to get these two married. Terrence’s father officiated the ceremony on Cindy’s terrace, and I don’t think there was a dry eye among us! As soon as the knot was tied, cheers and applause erupted from their guests… and also patrons at the restaurant!! It was truly an unforgettable moment. Positive energy filled the air for these two the entire evening 🙂

Terrence and Shawn: Thank you again for having me in September!! Your Cindy’s Rooftop wedding was a highlight of my season. I wish you nothing but the best in Married Life!

Want to see more Terrence & Shawn? Check out their Sunrise Engagement Session featuring pup Clover!