Emma Mullins Photography

Last month I had the pleasure of photographing Caitlin and Tommy’s Milwaukee engagement session. I’ve known Tommy for a few years now, and was thrilled when I learned of his summer engagement! Even more excited was I to meet his adorable bride-to-be. If she loves Tommy, I thought – she must be awesome! And guess what? It couldn’t have been more true.

I met Caitlin and Tommy in the parking lot of Lincoln Warehouse in Bay View. This was convenient for many reasons – namely that Tommy’s brewery Enlightened Brewing Company had just opened a tap room on the first floor of the Warehouse less than a month prior. I was so excited to check out the tap room – almost as excited as I was to meet Caitlin! Needless to say, their session included a bit of imbibing… but more on that later.

Because their wedding next June will take place in nature, Cait and Tommy wanted a more urban, industrial feel to their engagement session. After starting at the Warehouse, we ventured off to several locations in Bay View and Walker’s Point. We even stopped at a Milwaukee River boat launch for a quick happy hour – and if you know Tommy, you’d better believe he was prepared with a flask and good beer. Oh, Wisconsin – sometimes I miss you more than I realize.

One thing I will say about these two is that it’s obvious they love each other. Just as obvious is that they love to have a good time.

It was nearing sunset, so we headed back to Lincoln Warehouse for the grand finale. Tommy had arranged for our exclusive rooftop access to watch the day turn into night (shout out to Drew for escorting us up there!). This was, by far, my favorite part of the evening. We could see everything: the skyline, Milwaukee’s Hoan Bridge, Lake Michigan, the Basilica of St. Josaphat… you name it. Oh, and the PIGEONS! Did I mention the pigeons? Despite Drew’s warning that we may get attacked by these things, we were determined to make magic happen. The birds actually made for a pretty sweet backdrop!

Things I learned from our time together:

1. Rooftop + Lovers + Angry Birds at Sunset = one heckofa photo session.
2. Don’t ever go anywhere with a professional brewer and expect them not to have beer.
3. It’s okay to indulge (a little) if your couple continues to offer you beer at their photo session. I mean. It would only be rude to say no!

Cait and Tommy are some of the most kind, genuine and generous people I have ever met, and I am so happy they’ve found each other. Their wedding next year is going to be full of love! And happiness! And… BEER!

I am so excited about these images, and looking forward to more sessions in Milwaukee! It still feels like home every time I visit.

Cheers, Tommy and Caitlin! Here’s to many more…

When Vakul first contacted me about photographing his surprise Adler Planetarium proposal, I was both thrilled and a little nervous. I had never photographed a proposal before – would I know what to do? What if she spotted me? How would I know where to stand, how to best capture the moment on camera? Luckily, I’m an expert fly on the wall. Vakul had plenty of ideas, and we had fun coordinating together before the morning he proposed.

I arrived on site with plenty of time to scope out our chosen location. The area wasn’t as crowded as we’d anticipated, which made my plan to blend in with the tourists a bit challenging. Thank goodness, when Vakul and Ashima arrived, he led her immediately to the spot! Once they were in position I was able to get closer without her suspecting a thing.

Vakul picked a private spot on the steps where he shared something he’d written for Ashima. They had each other’s complete attention! Pedestrians and cyclists went by, but I don’t think either of them noticed. He asked, she said yes, and the rest is – well, their beginning!

Finally, it was time to reveal myself to Ashima. The three of us (all teary-eyed) walked along the lake for some photos before I left these two to enjoy their engagement day! What an incredible experience this was, and a true honor to be a part of this couple’s journey. Thanks for asking me to capture these moments for you, Vakul! I have a feeling your proposal will not be my last 🙂

Planning your own Adler Planetarium proposal?

Excellent choice! Of course, Chicago’s Museum Campus is one of the most picturesque locations in the city. The skyline view is top notch, and looks especially stunning at sunrise or sunset. A few tips:

• Sunrise and sunset also happen to be the best times for romantic lighting! If you’re planning a surprise proposal, I’d recommend shooting for either of these times of day.
• Keep in mind that this iconic location may be crowded with tourists and locals at any given time. Weekends, especially Saturdays May-October, will probably leave you little to no privacy.
• If you’re planning to include friends or family in your surprise proposal, make sure they’re hidden well out of sight until you ask the question!
• Finally, don’t forget to hire a professional photographer to document the moment so you can announce your engagement in style!

Hello, friends! With tomorrow being Labor Day, I thought I’d share a little summer lovin’ to remind us all how incredible this summer has been.

That being said: not every engagement session makes it to the Blog. I swear that if I could, I would share all of them! This one, though, stood out for so many reasons.

Nothing seemed to be going as planned. It was an evening in late June, and the temperature was maybe 65 degrees. We were all a little chilly. The location we had planned for our session fell through at the very last minute. Morgan and Cory had just moved to Chicago, so they didn’t have any favorite hangouts or meaningful spots we could use as a Plan B. Coming from San Diego (where they became engaged), they wanted their session to have a California beach feel, and include the sunset if possible. We ended up driving through rush hour to North Avenue Beach – and am I ever glad we did!

The three of us made it with just enough time to utilize that golden hour light, and captured some sweet Save the Date images. We played in the Lake, chased a few birds, got a little cozy, and laughed a lot. I mean, a LOT. These two definitely know how to make each other smile, and their happiness is undeniably contagious!

Once the sun began to set, this immediately became my dream engagement session. There is nothing more captivating than a couple in love, smack dab in the middle of Mother Nature’s wonders. The waves, the light, the colors – need I say more?! California beach feel: check!

Congrats again, Morgan and Cory! I know your California wedding next year will be the most fun and perfect day.

Hello, world! How is it the end of August already? This summer has been a complete whirlwind… in a good way.

In June I had the opportunity to capture Megan and Kyle’s Crete, Illinois wedding ceremony. These two were legally wed last 4th of July, and their big celebration finally happened in June! And guess what? Yours, truly was right there to photograph it.

The intimate ceremony took place on the terrace at Lincolnshire Country Club in Crete, IL. The day was hot, too! Kudos to the entire bridal party for making it through the day. We had a lot of fun together – and believe me, that bridal party can, well – PARTY.

When I first spoke with Megan about her wedding, the one thing she had her heart set on was a photo on top of her favorite hill at nearby Plum Creek Nature Preserve. To my future brides: I’ll let you in on a little secret. Say the words “Nature Preserve” and I’m hooked! Or, in this case: “Nature Preserve” and “I have a long flowy dress and veil and want to stand at the top of a giant hill with my new husband.” It couldn’t have been more perfect! I am so glad I got to steal these two away for some alone time with nature and each other (and the camera!). As for the bride and groom? They sure seemed to enjoy themselves, too…

I’ve included some of my favorites from their day. Congrats again, Megan and Kyle!!

Vendor Team

Dress: David’s Bridal/Shoes: Juicy Couture/Florals: Golf Flowers & Gifts, Morton Grove IL/Hair & Makeup: Emily Dodd, Denise Rosalie Lopez

Our time in Cologne was fleeting – but well-spent. We needed to return to Paris to catch our flight home, but decided to detour through western Germany. I believe we were in the country for 24 hours total.

Really, there were three main attractions to Cologne: the Schokoladenmuseum (Chocolate Museum), the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral), and, of course, refreshing kölsch beer. We were able to experience and appreciate these things along with a few unexpected surprises.

Let’s start with the Chocolate Museum. Ever in Cologne? Go there. Ever in Cologne with kids? GO THERE. Ever in Cologne with kids on their birthday? You are now “the coolest grown-up EVER.” Plus – free admission on your birthday. Just saying.

Yes, there were free chocolate samples. Yes, there were antique chocolate molds and wrappers and vending machines to ooh and ahh at. And yes, we got to watch attendants pressing out perfect squares of chocolate on a conveyor belt to be boxed and opened by one lucky recipient. There was even a simulated rainforest you could walk through! I was, however, expecting slightly more of a Willy Wonka aspect to the whole thing. Confession: I couldn’t get the Oompa Loompa song out of my head the entire time we were there.

We wandered around town for a bit and found Hohenzollernbrücke, or Hohenzollern Bridge. The steel bridge allows high-speed trains to pass in and out of the city – but has earned popularity for its endless mass of lovers’ locks. Traditionally, couples in love have attached padlocks to the bridge and then tossed the key into the Rhein River. The padlocks come in every different color and most are engraved with initials. What a sight to see – I was in awe! Read more on Hohenzollernbrücke here.

Across the bridge is Kölntriangle, Cologne’s Triangle Tower with an impeccable observatory. We took the elevator all the way to the top (scaling tall structures seemed to be the theme of the entire trip). We were able to spot the Chocolate Museum, Hohenzollern Bridge, and the Cathedral. Really, the Cathedral is visible everywhere in Cologne. You literally can not miss it.

Next door to the Cathedral is Gaffel Kölsch Brauhaus, serving frosty beers and delicious German food. Having grown up in Wisconsin, I felt most at home in Germany. These beer halls are everywhere in Milwaukee, and always the place for a family gathering. Seriously – can’t afford an overseas trip? Visit Milwaukee, Wisconsin – it’s the closest thing to an authentic German experience.

We decided to dedicate our final afternoon in Cologne entirely to the Cathedral. Inside, outside, and up to the very top. (We climbed this thing too, of course. Sans elevator.) The entire structure is a marvel – not to mention it’s withstood bombings of both World Wars. A true gothic cathedral, full of worshippers and mourners and tourists alike. You can’t step foot inside and not be in complete awe of your surroundings. Sidenote: rumor has it, the Three Wise Men are buried here. Pictured are some highlights.

Sadly, my adventures in Europe have come to an end. I could go on and on, but… there may not be enough space on the Internet. Thanks for looking – stay tuned for the next adventure!

Amsterdam, Schmamsterdam. And by that I mean: what an incredible city. I am SO happy we stopped here!

The first thing I did when we got off the train was stop at Stubbe’s Haring stand for a fresh fish sandwich. I was starving, and it was across the canal from Centraal Station. It was tasty – pickles, onions, and, well – fish. Welcome to Amsterdam!

Our apartment was located in the Jordaan neighborhood, a trendy area on the city’s west side. We traveled the entire city by foot, though bicycling is clearly the city’s choice mode of transport.

Although Belgian beer seems highly superior to Dutch beer (sorry, Netherlands), we chose to explore the world of Dutch beer at Arendsnest, Amsterdam’s beer-geek destination. Their extensive selection of drafts and bottles is overwhelming (in a good way) – all from Dutch breweries. We tried our first Jenever here – a spirit derived from juniper berries that is native to Belgium and the Netherlands. Think of the best-tasting Malort you’ve ever had (I know, I know)… and now imagine that it’s a delight to sip on. That’s Jenever. (Thanks, Jenever.)

Actually, some of the best foods we ate while in Europe were in Amsterdam, which came as a pleasant surprise. There is no shortage of Indonesian restaurants – we treated ourself to a meal at Indrapura on Rembrandt Square our first night in town. Another favorite was Jordaan’s Café Restaurant de Reiger. The food here was hands-down phenomenal, and the ribs were almost as good as yours, Mom.

We did more than eat and drink in Amsterdam, really! Since we couldn’t possibly visit all of the museums we wanted to, we spent an entire afternoon at the Rijksmuseum. Some highlights are pictured (I got a lot of fashion ideas). We also stopped into the Cheese Museum, the Tulip Museum, and may or may not have wandered into another “more risqué” museum which shall remain nameless.

We did get a chance to visit the Anne Frank House, which was not originally on our itinerary. Honestly, I think every human should go into that place. I still can not put the experience into words. It will change you.

On our last night in town we rode the ferry across IJ River to check out the festival at EYE Film Institute. The building itself was such a work of art, and the film we saw was – well, an art film. Wanna get weird? Watch Lucille Hadžihalilović’s Évolution.

In all, Amsterdam is a city I will never forget, with its own unique history and culture. And food. I would happily return.

Next up: Cologne, Germany!

Ah, Belgium. Magical land from my most precious dreams. How I miss you so.

Following Paris, we took the high-speed train to Brussels, Europe’s unofficial capitol city. The official languages spoken in Brussels are both French and Dutch – and most everyone we encountered also spoke English. At times, I’ll admit – this was pretty convenient.

We stayed in a perfectly designed, modern studio apartment I found on Airbnb that included two bottles of Leffe Blonde ale in our mini-fridge left by the previous travelers (huge shoutout to those previous travelers!). I do miss that apartment. I’ve seriously considered moving in permanently.

Each day we walked through the Grand-Place (pictured), basically the to city square full of shops and touristy waffle counters. The centuries-old gilded buildings were most impressive, inciting lots of neck craning and cell phone selfies (guilty!). Even more popular, though, was Brussels’ (unofficial?) mascot – a bronze fountain only a few streets away, the beloved Manneken-Pis. Atop the fountain is a statue of a small boy (Manneken-Pis) relieving himself with such a laissez-faire attitude, you can’t help but adore him. Replicas of Manneken-Pis appear throughout the city – they even dress him up in costumes for special occasions! Seriously, he even has his own wardrobe.

(Again – anyone looking for a roommate in Brussels?)

Sidenote: squatting Jeanneke-Pis (Manneken’s little sister) was erected in the 1980s as a counterpoint to Manneken-Pis, but is not nearly as popular. Also not pictured here.

Anyway – though our time in Belgium was largely spent drinking delicious beer and eating delicious waffles (and CHOCOLATE, obviously), we enjoyed a fair amount of culture and exploration. We spent an entire afternoon at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, which included the René Magritte Museum and also a stellar exhibit by Andres Serrano. We took a day trip to Bruges, a quaint Medieval town dubbed “Venice of the North,” where we toured De Halve Maan brewery and climbed the Belfort belltower (as seen in the film In Bruges). Also pictured is Queen Astrid park where, in the film, one of the characters attempts to “off” himself. To my overwhelming surprise, the park was quite peaceful, actually.

Our last day in Belgium was spent at Atomium, a futuristic-looking structure built for the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels. You can take the elevator up to the top and look out, and then escalators throughout the rest of the structure, stopping at each level for different city views and to read up on its history. Atomium was great. A short train ride from the city center – I highly recommend it if you’ve got the time.

I left a part of my heart in Belgium. Believe me, I will return.

Thanks for looking! Next up: Amsterdam.

Bonjour, tout le monde! Today is July 14 – also known as Bastille Day in Paris, France – commemorating that time in 1789 when the French rebelled against the monarchy by storming the Bastille (prison). Out of all my Europe photos, I thought it appropriate to blog Paris today.

In April I spent two weeks in Europe with my significant other. The trip was anything but spontaneous – we’d been planning to go for almost four years. Early 2016 marked milestone birthdays for both of us, so we took the opportunity to make it happen.

This was my second trip to Europe ever. Paris was the only city I revisited, this time after five semesters of French education under my belt. Did it help? A little bit. Admittedly, I was rusty. And believe me – saying that the French are particular about their language is an understatement. Luckily, I remembered the words for “cheese” (fromage), “wine” (le vin), and “baguette” (baguette)! Next time I plan to brush up for a month before visiting.

There are so many sights to see in Paris – you can’t possibly tour the city in a matter of days. We stayed in the 10ème Arrondissement between the Gare Du Nord and Gare De l’Est. Our first apartment was on the sixth floor of an old building with a spiral staircase – worth the climb for the amazing view (pictured). Highlights also pictured include: La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Les Catacombes, Musée du Louvre, Place de la République, Les Jardins du Luxembourg, and of course, Le Tour Eiffel. Anyone traveling to Paris in the near future: I recommend visiting the Eiffel Tower at night! Crowds are significantly smaller and the view is infinitely spectacular.

Not pictured: Our (nearly) private showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show at a theatre in the Latin Quarter with live French shadow cast, complete with impeccable costumes and (simulated?) adult behavior. This was, easily, one of the most memorable parts of our entire trip.

Thanks for looking! Stay tuned for more Europe on the Blog.

A few weeks ago I met Jake and Leah at Cafe Jumping Bean for their Pilsen engagement session. They were as cute as can be, giddy with excitement and affection for each other. We talked about their story, their wedding plans, and their unconditional love for the Chicago Cubs. I learned that they first met in math class in high school, reconnecting after years of being apart. Jake popped the question during a trip to Kentucky, and the rest, as they say, is… their beginning!

I had so much fun exploring Pilsen with these two, checking out graffiti murals and strolling through the neighborhood. They definitely have a sense of adventure – I am beyond excited for their wedding this fall!

Congrats again, Leah and Jake! This IS the year.

Hello, Blog. It’s been… a while.

It’s (finally!) springtime in Chicago, and last week I was fortunate enough to spend an afternoon with a couple whom I absolutely adore. Having become acquainted with Ali over the past few months, I’d never met Jeff until that afternoon – and it didn’t take long to realize that they’re completely crazy for each other. Not to mention, they were balls of energy! How lucky am I?! This is exactly the couple I look for – exactly the couple I love to photograph. Even Ferris Bueller couldn’t help but stare. We had a blast!

We started out near some graffiti murals on Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square, and worked our way through the neighborhood to some more (and some more). A few highlights from the day: it didn’t rain, though it was in the forecast; there was a lot of running involved (a LOT); and Jeff and Ali were officially crowned King and Queen of Graffiti Castle. You know – officially unofficially.

These two were such great sports that I just had to share their session. Would be delighted to work with both of them again.

Stay tuned for more posts – I promise to stay on it!