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Intimate Chicago Restaurant Wedding

Intimate Chicago Restaurant Wedding. Lauren and Andrew FINALLY got to get married after a long year of waiting. Due to everything that has happened because of the pandemic, many weddings had gotten postponed. For Lauren and Andrew, their time for a fairytale wedding arrived and it couldn’t have been more perfect. I was so excited to be there to capture this special day for them, ESPECIALLY after their incredibly epic engagement session.

Getting Ready & Wedding Portraits

We started off the day by getting some great shots of them both getting ready! Can we take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is Lauren’s shoes though? I LOVE! They also matched perfectly with their wedding invites which made it even better. Andrew got ready at a separate hotel called the The Hoxton, while Lauren got ready at Loews Hotel. It was really fun to do two different spaces and have my lovely second photographer, Claire, help out with getting some photos with Andrew. After getting ready, it was then time for the first look! I took them to one of my favorite paths which coincidently is right outside of Lauren’s hotel room, so it worked out perfectly! Of course first looks are some of my favorite things because you get to capture those raw and genuine reactions between the couple and are just so amazing to watch.

We then drove around Chicago stopping at some of my favorite/iconic locations. The Wrigley Building is a must when it comes to Chicago wedding portraits, and of course we had to stop at some of the bridges and really soak up all that the city has to offer. Before heading to their wedding venue, we made sure to stop at Lincoln Park. We really wanted something that incorporated more greenery and nature, and this was the PERFECT spot. They were so much fun to take pictures of and were down to be creative and I just loved hanging out with them.

Intimate Chicago Restaurant Wedding

After some wedding portraits, we made our way to the venue for their ceremony. Lauren & Andrew had their ceremony at Salvatore’s, and it was just beautiful. They were able to have their parents walk with them down the aisle and have the wedding that they’ve always wanted. It was such a beautiful ceremony and I loved every single bit of it. Next, it was time for the reception. Which can I just say that the decor and set up was just phenomenal. I love these intimate restaurant type settings and it gives off those old school Chicago vibes, which I love. During the reception they had some speeches, shots out of this cup that Andrew’s mom had bought him years ago and then went into the first dance. After the first dance, the dance floor opened up and EVERYONE got down. Some of my favorite moments to capture is the open dance floors, so don’t be afraid to get down on it!

Congratulations to L+A for having the most epic wedding and giving me the honor to capture such special moments for you both! Cheers!

Oh and if you loved this Intimate Chicago Restaurant Wedding, then you’re going to love this Cafe Brauer Chicago Wedding with Tatom & Nick!

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