Minimalist Wedding | Chicago , IL
Minimalist Wedding Inspiration | Warehouse Wedding Venue | Chicago Wedding Photographer
I started this minimalist wedding day shooting David getting ready at their Wicker Park flat (which is the best neighborhood, and I'm not just biased because it's my neighborhood too! Well, maybe I am.) Their vibrant personalities were scattered all over their two-story loft. And of course, Fleetwood Mac had to be played on their record player. Couldn’t have been a better start to a wedding day! Then I captured their first look alongside my friend and lead photographer Kat, from Deepend Imagery.
We wandered around some industrial areas of Chicago before heading to the venue, which is a renovated warehouse itself. It was the perfect blank and minimal slate wedding venue for these two lovely individuals! It's now a stunning, naturally lit space that just makes you want to shoot there over and over again. It's probably one of my favorite warehouse wedding venues in Chicago. If you’re looking for a minimalist wedding venue in your city, you should always go to the more industrial areas, because many warehouses have become very minimal wedding venues. Their open floor plans and bare bones tend to make the perfect blank slate to create your dream minimalist wedding day. I love seeing walls, floors and piping all turned to white, so couples have a fresh slate to turn the wedding venue into something that is unique to them in the most minimal of ways. I truly love warehouse and minimal wedding venues.
Needless to say, Amanda and David's night ended with the most lively dancing and tons of joy! That is always one of my favorite ways to end a wedding day. Celebrating love with those that you love! Cheers to another beautiful, minimalist wedding day in my lovely city of Chicago!
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Karla + Gabe | Chicago, IL
Karla and Gabe are one adventurous gem of a couple. I consider them Mrs. + Mr. Chicago. I enjoy hanging out with them weekly, but had such a fun time on my rooftop with the Chicago skyline in the background and capturing their personalities! They are mix a quirky and silly, total babes and are some of the most genuine and kind hearted individuals I've ever met. And I also have the pleasure of calling them family! Gabe...forever and ever, and Karla, just this past summer when they got married!
Also, can we talk about how cool Gabe's tattoos are, incorporating a mix of Chicago pride, meaningful moments and hand drawn illustrations by his son.
Go check out more about what they are up to on Instagram. Both are the epitome of a Chicago creative and how to be musicians + entrepreneurs in a big city! Enjoy!
KARLA // @itsme_karla GABE // @g_a_b_e__
To inquire about a portrait, engagement or family session contact me below to chat!
Schwinn Bike Love.
I've never had the pleasure of living in a city where I never need a car for anything, besides when I'm overseas, and I have to say...I love it! Living back in Chicago has not only been life-giving and refreshing, but so incredibly fun as well! Riding the "L" train, hopping on my bike, or even walking most of the time (because I chose to live in a location where all of my favorite coffee shops are) has been so lovely. My block alone also includes a Jeni's Ice cream, Stan's Donuts and a La Colombe Coffee, talk about dangerous. A lot of my family lives closer to the Logan Square area and since I live directly in the middle of Logan and downtown, my bike is perfect for those quick commutes to see the family or go see a concert downtown, like the talented and soulful Gregory Porter or Ben Harper that I've been able to see this summer.
This Schwinn Bike is also wonderful because of it perfectly fitting into my life's color palette. Neutrals are everything in my life, from my clothing, to my bedroom, to coffee shop interiors that I can work from and don't drive me crazy from too many vibrant colors.
The details on this bike are amazing. I recently rode some fixie bikes in Denver while visiting friends, and they were cool but I am definitely more interested in comfort and cruising, and this Schwinn Gateway 700c Hybrid bike is perfect for that. The seat is super cushioned so you don't have to buy a cover or another seat, the handles are also soft and never make my hands cramp, and the brakes and wheels are wide and smooth enough that I never fear of falling over (even when I have a squirrel moment). And one of the most valuable parts is the large utility rack on the back that holds my camera bag super securely with its clamp alone. Basically, this bike is perfect for cities and my aesthetic and I wouldn't trade it for any other bike in the world.
Cheers to loving your ride!
My Favorite Office Space | Chicago, IL
I like to start my days working out of my bedroom. It's my favorite office space. Not only do I get to stay in my pj's for a bit longer, but it gives me to time to enjoy my favorite home brewed coffees in one of my favorite spaces. My bedroom is completely me. It's minimal in items and in color palette. I've also learned week by week as I get older that I am more like Monica from "Friends" than I realized. Coasters are key, always, and everything has it's particular spot at all times.
In order to make my room more cozy I wanted to fill it with brands and companies that I love!
First, there is the Color Cord Company. Their simple brass cord and new "T-hook" that is coming out soon with some other new products, hangs so elegantly and beautifully from my high ceilings. It's simple design was inspired from the scandinavian culture and now are hand built here in America. I was so ecstatic when I learned that their offices were in Denver, Colorado. I was visiting one of my childhood best friends last week and knew I had to visit their warehouse as soon as I put two and two together. The owner is so passionate about his work and detail of design is everything with this company. If you're a small business(or large business) or just looking for an adorable light to complete your space, seriously, check out their website. They have so many colors and metals of every kind! It's an interior designer's dream, because they even do custom work.
Next, there is this beautiful modern end table from Overstock. When I was searching for modern end tables I kept seeing ones that were super chunky or too thin or just overly designed. I like that this one was still simple enough, but had two drawers for storage for the important things(like notebooks, The Bible, my latest Archie Comic, Sudoku book, and Crossword book) but not big enough to cram a lot of junk in them and have things get lost in them (like my last nightstand). I also love this nightstand because it seems like all of my furniture from all of the different companies all had the same wood shade and that can be difficult to do. And it all matches my original hardwood floors as well. I like in a historic building and I have to say, I really do appreciate the details of this home...but more about the other rooms for a different post.
Lastly, There is my "Bind my Wandering Heart to Thee" flag above my bed. It's always a beautiful and blunt reminder daily. I always find myself humming this hymn now more often than not while in my bedroom. Everyone needs one, and you can them at Charlotte's beautiful Etsy Shop, Wild Flower Eyes Co!
Some other little details of my room are this simple designed Modernica planter that I believe really "makes" the whole room with it's ceramic cylinder shape and perfectly matching wooden stand. I am also very impressed with myself for not killing this banana plant thus far, as I so easily do. Working on my nurturing side, in all aspects of life.
And the rug that is the center of my room is from Rugs USA. It's fuzzy, white and feels amazing when I am barefooted in my room. So yes, I would say it's perfect and everyone needs one. The real inspiration was my niece Ella, who also has a similar white rug, and playing with her quite often I knew I needed one for myself. Inspiration can come from the most adorable places.
I'm also going to be incorporating more of my lifestyle collaborations for interior design, coffee and fashion onto my blog as well as my usual wedding posts! So you all can see a little bit more about my editing process and life in between shooting the most beautiful weddings of the sweetest couples!
So cheers to more blogging! x
P.S. I've never owned a window AC unit before, but I have to say...this Frigidaire unit from Amazon is absolutely amazing! It's made working in my room an ice box dream. I love being cold!
Heritage Bikes + Coffee | Chicago, IL
Coffee shops are my daily workspace, my second home, my place of rest and my 'living room' to dream and talk about life with friends. Thankfully, in my new home base of Chicago, there are so many beautiful work spaces (aka coffee shops). I like to mix up my surroundings from time to time to get fresh perspectives, but overall I have a few personal favorite shops that I frequent regularly. Heritage Bicycles is one of them. This is Heritage. They not only serve excellent coffee, but they sell and fix custom bikes. The interior design is right up my alley as well. The muted color palette, the original, fading wood floors with the stark contrast of the bold white walls with high ceilings just makes me so happy.
Since I am always commuting to different coffee shops around the cities I travel to, and now live in, I love to have a comfortable backpack to carry my laptop and camera gear in. I finally found a beautiful one for the city. The Kamrette Lyra Backpack. It has a separate zip sleeve in the back that is big enough for my 15 inch macbook pro, and I don't have to unzip the whole front camera gear section to get to it. It's a win-win kind of bag because it is not only beautifully designed but a 'pocket-lovers dream'.
Enjoy this little peak into my day to day life. The only part I didn't include is my lunch breaks to Mcdonalds, my endless emails and my rough hair that is probably hidden under a hat.
Coffee Shop Heritage Bicycles // Location Lincoln Park, Chicago // Camera Bag Kamrette Lyra Backpack // Eye Glasses TIJN Eyewear
Coffee + Love | Chicago Wedding
I love when a bride feels good about herself and you can see the excitement and joy overflowing in all of her motions. Twirling in her dress, making sweet eye contact with her love and nonstop smiling from ear to ear. Sometimes my cheeks even hurt after a wedding day from smiling so much. I also love that her tattoo says "Where there's a will, there's a way!"
This wedding shoot at Chicago Workshop is a perfect way to show you that you can have an intimate wedding (which I LOVE) and still have all of your favorite wedding vendors, minus the huge gathering.
And what could be better than a couple getting married in a creative studio enjoying their favorite coffee and donut filled dessert bar?
Cheers to couples in love!
check out the wedding vendors listed below the images.
photo: @melodyjoyco / planning: @graceniudesign & @alldeievents / styling: @alldeievents / venue: @workshopchicago / paper goods & calligraphy: @graceniudesign / desserts: @lovesugarandgrace / florals: @splendor_of_eden / rings: @ladyfayejewelry / hair & makeup: @trannguyen19 / coffee: @goodmanner_