Emma Mullins Photography

Lucinda and Mark are getting married in TEN DAYS!! Today I’m starting the countdown with their lovely spring engagement session at The Art Institute of Chicago. I met up with these two on a Thursday afternoon in May, to take advantage of the museum’s extended hours. One of the first things I learned about Lucinda and Mark is that they got engaged here (awww!)… so of course we had to return for engagement photos! Turns out they got engaged on a Thursday evening as well – how sweet is that? It’s like we planned it!

Art Institute of Chicago Engagement Photos

If you’re looking for a unique and classic location for your Chicago engagement session, The Art Institute is an easy choice. Besides being a built-in rain (or heat!) plan, this place gets great natural light during the day! There are infinite locations for photos, not to mention the gorgeous outdoor gardens if weather is nice. That evening we decided to visit the Modern Wing, my favorite O’Keefe, and a handful of world-famous paintings (namely Nighthawks and American Gothic). Oh – and Mark wanted to check out the Thorne Miniature Rooms… so cool! Rumor has it Wes Anderson is a big fan of these as well.

Chicago Lakefront Engagement

Many of you know that I love to end a session at the lakefront with a view of our skyline. This was no exception! After our museum adventure, we headed to North Avenue Beach to do just that. After all, we wanted to embrace the Chicago theme – which will come into play on wedding day as well! Fun fact: these two first met when Lucinda had just moved here from England, and Mark was kind enough to show her around our great city. Needless to say, Chicago holds special meaning for them. I’m so glad we were able to end their session with this VIEW 🙂

Lucinda and Mark: This was such a fun session!! Thanks again for having me – can’t wait to do it again very soon!

Looking for more Art Institute of Chicago engagement session inspiration? Check out these other posts on the Blog!

Kasia & Jonathan | Jolene & Will | Jess & Matt Elopement

Wedding season is in full swing, and I’m throwing it back to one of our favorite wedding days from 2023! Kat and Emilio’s intimate Adler Planetarium wedding last September was one for the books. Highlights include gorgeous Chicago weather, a private vow exchange in Grant Park, and a sunset lakefront ceremony. These two were all eyes on each other, making my job easy, of course!

The Blackstone Hotel

The day began with Emilio and Kat getting ready separately at The Blackstone on Michigan Avenue. I was lucky enough to hang with Kat’s party in the Suite of Presidents, where countless names have stayed throughout history. This hotel is one of my favorite photo locations in the city – the location is unbeatable, and each suite has its own unique style. And speaking of style, Kat and Emilio rocked their own as well! My favorite details include Emilio’s custom green suit and Kat’s dried floral bouquet. After their first look on Michigan, we headed across the street for photos in the park.

Adler Planetarium Wedding

Later that afternoon, we headed south to the Planetarium to meet the wedding party. We had a blast taking in the iconic skyline view, and before long it was time to get these two married! Kat and Emilio tied the knot along the lakefront, in a ceremony officiated by a friend. I absolutely love that these two decided to celebrate with a more intimate group. The entire reception felt very personal and romantic, and I’m certain this is one reason why!

That evening, guests enjoyed cocktails on the terrace as the sun set over Lake Michigan. The reception was filled with astrology-themed details, including a private Sky Show for guests! Other favorite themed details included their table numbers and cocktail napkins, in honor of their pup Wanda who could not be in attendance 🙂

Kat and Emilio: Thank you again for having us last year!! We loved everything about your wedding day, wishing you a lifetime of happiness!

Neha and John are getting married in just a few weeks, and today I’m excited to share their summer Lincoln Park engagement session! Dan met up with these two outside the Lincoln Park Conservatory, a nod to their spring engagement earlier last year. After a lovely evening stroll in the conservatory gardens, they headed south to the Nature Boardwalk. As you’d expect for mid-summer, the wildflowers were in full bloom! If there’s one thing I love for engagement sessions, it’s a pop of color – and what better place for that than Lincoln Park in the summertime?

As the sun began to set, they made their way to the lakefront for some romantic photos with our skyline. They even crossed paths with the occasional runner or cyclist… a given for any Chicago summer engagement session! My favorite photos are some of the creative ones, including that romantic silhouette at sunset 🙂 Thanks for capturing these moments so beautifully, Dan!

Neha and John: Thank you again for having us last summer! I can’t wait to be part of your wedding day next month!!

Looking for more summer Lincoln Park Engagement inspiration? Check out some other favorite sessions on the Blog!

Kenia & Bobby | Claire & Mark | Minal & Drew | Libby & Avi | Sara & Brian

Kasia and Jonathan’s wedding day was an absolute honor to capture. From their gorgeous Bond Chapel ceremony at the University of Chicago campus to the evening reception at Lacuna Lofts, loved ones were eager to congratulate and celebrate with these two! We even had a chance to stop at some of Chicago’s most iconic photo locations in between.

Bond Chapel Wedding Ceremony

Kasia and Jonathan got ready separately that morning before their emotional first look outside the chapel. We were super lucky to see some spring blooms on campus, even in late March! Because Jonathan is a staff member at the University, the location had special meaning to both of them. Father Andrew officiated the ceremony, and once the knot was tied, these two were ALL smiles!! Their church exit says it all… I can still smell the spring air and feel the joy!

Lacuna Lofts Reception

That evening, friends and family gathered at Lacuna Lofts to celebrate Kasia and Jonathan. The space was a perfect fit for Kasia, a talented artist herself! The spring air turned moody just in time for some epic rooftop photos with the skyline – one of the best views in the city! Guests enjoyed delicious food and drink before dancing the night away. And to top it all off, we were able to step outside for a sparkler exit on the rooftop! My absolute favorite way to end a wedding day 🙂

Kasia and Jonathan: Thank you again for having us this year!! Your wedding day was a pleasure to be part of, wishing you all the happiness in the world!

In March, we kicked off 2024 wedding season with Morgan and Jarett’s LM Studio Chicago wedding! Remember their adorable Chicago engagement session last year?! I have been counting the days until their wedding ever since!

The day began with Morgan’s side getting ready at Hilton Chicago, and Jarett’s at Le Méridien down the street. After their first look on the Hilton hotel staircase, the crew took a stroll across Michigan Avenue for photos in Grant Park! The wedding party stunned in black tie attire and shades of sage, and Morgan and Jarett were all eyes on each other. Before long, it was time to head back to the studio and get these two married!!

LM Studio Chicago Wedding

That evening, Morgan and Jarett tied the knot at LM Studio surrounded by loved ones, overlooking our incredible city. Their emotional ceremony included several personal touches, such as honoring each of their mothers with a single rose. Once it was officially official, everyone was ready to PARTY… and it didn’t stop there! Guests enjoyed delicious food and drink, and the newlyweds were happy as can be. Not to mention the PARTY on the dance floor that lasted well into the night! Alexis was lucky enough to sneak them outside for a few night photos – some of our favorites from the entire day 🙂

Morgan and Jarett: Thank you again for having us this year!! It was an absolute honor to be part of your day. We couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2024! Wishing you two alllll the happiness in Marriage!!

It finally feels like SPRING here in Chicago, so I thought I’d share Megan and Eric’s sunny spring engagement session in Lincoln Park! These two are getting married in exactly ONE MONTH, which also happens to be their five-year anniversary. How great is that?! It was a pleasure hanging out with these two last year, I’m getting SO excited for wedding day!

Lincoln Park Engagement

I met up with Megan and Eric at one of our city’s most iconic locations for engagement photos, Lincoln Park. We embraced the Chicago sunshine, strolling through the Nature Boardwalk and South Pond area. These two could not have been more adorable together, making my job easy! Weather was lovely for a walk in the park – including the first sign of spring blooms. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Lincoln Park is ideal because it’s picturesque every time of year, with any kind of weather! I’m so happy we decided to take photos here 🙂

As the sun began to set, we headed to North Avenue Beach for photos with the Chicago skyline, of course! We were lucky enough to have the lakefront mostly to ourselves, a rare occurrence in the summer and fall, for sure. Eric and Megan were a breeze to photograph… and up for trying all my ideas! The double exposure from their session is one of my absolute favorites to date, tying in their wedding theme (stay tuned about that next month!).

Megan and Eric: Thanks again for having me capture these moments for you! Your Chicago spring engagement session was a dream, can’t wait to do it again very SOON!!

Caitlin and Daniel are getting married in less than two weeks!! To celebrate, I’m reminiscing on their summer Wicker Park engagement session. These two are nothing but smiles when they’re together – I have no doubt their Chicago wedding day is going to be AWESOME. See for yourself!

Wicker Park Engagement Photos

On a beautiful evening last summer, I met up with Daniel and Caitlin in their neighborhood for photos. We had the best time strolling down Milwaukee Avenue to all their favorite spots… including Wicker Park itself and The Robey Chicago, of course! Not to mention my new favorite mural, freshly painted by Lisa Wronski and a perfect representation of the neighborhood. This one is a must for any Wicker Park engagement session!

We made our way up Milwaukee for cocktails at Up Room. Caitlin and Daniel celebrated here after they got engaged – making our stop even more special! Sidenote: if you’ve never been to this iconic rooftop bar at The Robey, you ARE missing out. The views alone are worth the trip!

Chicago Lakefront Engagement Photos

As the sun began to set, we stopped back at their place for an outfit change before heading to the lakefront. By now, you probably know that North Avenue Beach is one of our favorite engagement session locations in the city… and it’s easy to see why! The sky gets especially colorful here during the summertime, and when the city lights come on I’m one happy photographer 🙂 This session was the perfect mix of romance, fun, and ideal Chicago weather.

Caitlin and Daniel: Thanks again for having me last summer! You two were a treat to spend the evening with. Can’t wait for you to tie the knot later this month!!

Last month, I got to meet up with Cynthia and Arjun in NYC during my trip to the East Coast! These two were a treat to photograph and explore the city with… oh, did I mention this was only hours after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit New York?! Good times! Don’t worry, guys – it was a minor quake and most locals didn’t seem bothered by it. Lucky for us, our planned photo locations remained accessible and we were able to have the DREAMIEST spring session in the city.

World Trade Center Engagement Photos

I met these two inside the Oculus building at the new World Trade Center transportation hub. This building officially opened in 2016, and was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava (who also designed the Milwaukee Art Museum, of course!). After some artsy warm-up photos (you know I love those lines!), we took a lovely evening stroll through Lower Manhattan.

Brooklyn Bridge Engagement Photos

One of the things I had most been looking forward to for this session was Brooklyn Bridge! Not only is it one of the most iconic landmarks in New York, I was eager to hang out here during golden hour and create some magic. Arjun and Cynthia were all about each other, and even got congratulations from pedestrians (and there were a LOT of pedestrians!). I’m so happy that earthquake left the bridge intact!

DUMBO Engagement Photos

Our final destination was another personal favorite, and one I’ve visited many times: DUMBO! If you’re not familiar, this neighborhood is an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. It’s filled with cobblestone streets, cute restaurants, and fantastic skyline views. An ideal spot for tourists – and engagement photos! We made our way to the waterfront as the sun set over East River. Finally, we ended with a classic New York slice at Front Street Pizza!

Cynthia and Arjun: Thank you again for having me in April! This session was truly a dream, wishing you both all the happiness in the world 🙂

It’s no secret this month has been full of travel, starting with Alex & Stacey’s Jersey City engagement session! These two have been East-Coasters for a year, and I was excited to meet them for photos in their hometown 🙂

Jersey City Engagement Photos

We started with a stretch of colorful murals on 12th street, just north of downtown. Stacey and Alex were quick to warm up to the camera… and their outfits happened to perfectly coordinate with the street art! After a quick round of mural-hopping, we made our way downtown for more city vibes. We strolled Newark Avenue, and even popped into Barcade for a game of Galaga! Shout out to the staff for letting us sneak a few photos!! Of course, we couldn’t leave the neighborhood without hunting for cherry blossoms (which weren’t hard to find at all).

Liberty State Park Engagement Photos

As the sun began to set, we made our way to Liberty State Park for a killer view of Manhattan’s skyline. This was one of my favorite locations from our session – filled with iconic city views, an abandoned train station, and yes, even more spring florals! Alex and Stacey were basically pro models by this point, and up for trying all my ideas. I couldn’t have asked for a better first visit to the Garden State!

Stacey and Alex: Thank you again for having me this month! Can’t wait for you to tie the knot in Chicago this summer!!

Throwing it back to last SUMMER with Haley and Anthony’s wedding reception at Morgan’s on Fulton! As you may recall, these two eloped in Milwaukee last May with their immediate families and sweet pup, Fletcher 🙂 Since then we’d been counting down the days until they’d get to celebrate with family and friends at home in Chicago!

West Loop Wedding Photos

Haley and Anthony got ready separately at The Emily in the West Loop, surrounded by their favorite people. After their joyful first look outside the hotel entrance, we took a quick stroll around the neighborhood! Shout out to the manager at Time Out Market who invited us to take photos with the epic Rahmaan Statik mural honoring Virgil Abloh. I’m pretty sure this impromptu invitation was inspired by Anthony’s wedding shoes!

Morgan’s on Fulton Wedding Reception

That evening, we made our way to the venue in time for finishing touches before guests arrived. And when they arrived, they were ready to celebrate! Just like their marquee says: it was Party TIME. I don’t think the newlyweds stopped smiling or hugging people the entire night!

Delicious food and drinks flowed, and lots of kind words were said about the happy couple. Some highlights include their elopement photos on display for guests to see, and custom cookies to honor sweet Fletcher! We were even greeted with a little Chicago weather as dancing began, and the newlyweds were great sports about taking a night photo in the rain. It IS good luck you guys… I promise!!

Haley and Anthony: THANK YOU again for trusting me to capture both your elopement day in Milwaukee, and Chicago celebration last year! You two are an absolute delight in front of the camera, wishing you nothing but the best in your future together.

Want to see more Haley & Anthony? Check out their joyful Milwaukee elopement on the Blog!!