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ON THE BLOG

Summer Wedding at Fairlie Chicago

Getting Ready

Summer Wedding at Fairlie Chicago. We started off the day with Dominique getting ready at the Westin River North Hotel. Accompanied by her gorgeous bridesmaids, everyone was ready to tackle on the day! While getting ready, it’s common to get some fun shots with your bridal party. They took it to a whole new level by throwing confetti!! I always love being able to do fun shots like that for weddings! It lightens the mood and it’s just fun to get super creative with those shots. Once those were done, Dominique slipped into her wedding dress. Can we take a moment though to appreciate how stunning her dress was. Her dress is from Mira Couture and I was so obsessed! I actually went to college with one of the bridal specialists there so if you’re ever looking for a great bridal shop, definitely check them out!

While I was taking photos of the girls, my second shooter/bf/partner in crime, Jake, went over to take photos of Todd and his groomsmen getting ready! They even got to sneak in some pre-wedding beers in the lobby, which is always fun *wink*.

First Look & Portraits

After Dominique and Todd were done getting ready, it was time for their first look. We actually went to a spot really close to the hotel where they were getting ready so it worked out perfectly! First looks can be such a sweet and intimate moment between you and your partner, so these are some of my favorite moments to capture throughout the whole day. As soon as Todd saw Dominique, you could see his pure and genuine reaction of utter bliss. It was such a cute moment of them both and they are both just so cute together!

Once the first look was done, we headed over to Kinzie Bridge where we met up with the wedding party! We did some photos with the wedding party and really got to be creative, which I love! Of course we also had to get some photos with just Dominique & Todd and we even got the crazy epic veil photo which is always my fave.

Summer Wedding at Fairlie Chicago

We then made our way over to the Fairlie Chicago for the ceremony and reception. Of course we had to take a few more photos of the wedding party in their reception space because I mean… look at those stairs! It was then after much anticipation that the moment for the wedding ceremony arrived. Fairlie Chicago is one of those wedding venues that give you a grand walk down. This essentially is the “it” moment for the bride to really have her moment. Naturally there were many emotions throughout the entire ceremony and I may or may not have seen some Kleenex being passed around (totally kidding). This ceremony was definitely one for the books and completely beautiful and unforgettable.

Bride & Groom First Dance

As the ceremony ends, Dominique and Todd emerge as newlyweds! After a quick cocktail hour, we move right into the reception. As many of you may know, it is common to see a first dance from the newlyweds. It can be a very special and intimate moment and your time to shine. While many people have one first dance, Dominique and Todd did not come to play. They in fact had TWO first dances, the first one being a whole choreographed dance which I thought was so cool! Dominique and Todd share a love for dance so it was only fitting for them to incorporate this shared passion on their wedding day. After their choreographed first dance, they changed back into their formal wedding attire for their formal first dance. Talk about dedication!

Summer Wedding Reception

Dominique and Todd then went around and took photos with every single table, which I thought was just so cute. After some speeches and some more formal dances, the dance floor opened up and that’s where everything got even more fun! Just like Dominique and Todd, these wedding guests did not shy away from the dance floor. They even did a hora dance, where the newlyweds are lifted into the air with chairs! I love when my couples are able to incorporate fun traditions into their wedding day. It really makes their wedding unique and entirely theirs!

To wrap up the night, we took a few more shots of everyone on the dance floor having a good time before packing up my camera and heading out. This day was such a blast and truly an unforgettable one (I feel like I say that about all my weddings though). Thanks so much Dominique and Todd for letting me capture your special day, it truly means the world to me. Congratulations and cheers!!

If you loved this Summer Wedding at Fairlie Chicago w/ Dominiuqe + Todd, then you’re going to love this Summer Chicago Wedding at Glessner House.