California Clipper Chicago | Segnatore RestAurant Chicago Wedding Reception | Chicago Wedding Photographer
A chicago wedding day that ended at the California Clipper with A Segnatore Restaurant family-style Dinner Reception | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Anna and erik ended their wedding day at the iconic California clipper in chicago. Butlet’s rewind to the morning of their wedding day. These two decided to get ready together and alone at one of the lovely suites at The Chicago athletic Association hotel in downtown chicago. their suite overlooked Millennium park and michigan avenue and this hotel is centrally located in the heart of chicago.
They both enjoyed their drink of choice, Miller High life, while lounging in their room before we headed over to the art institute for wedding portraits. the art institute of chicago is one of my favorite place for portraits and it’s so large with so many wings of artwork and the lighting changes so much throughout the day that no two sessions there ever feel the same. After roaming around the art institute we hopped in a car and drove over to Segnatore Restaurant to meet up with all of the guests.
Anna and Erik had a really unique wedding day because they told their guests that this wasn’t a wedding day and that they were just inviting everyone to a nice dinner. but out of nowhere (although, of course I knew in advance), they did a surPrise ceremony by standing at the bar once all of their loved ones were seated for dinner. They exachanged vows to each other with whispers, exchanged rings and then had a first kiss in front of everyone and the cheering and tears commenced! it was truly so special for everyone, as they all knew that the couple didn’t like to be the center of attention and thought they wouldn’t get the chance to witness their wedding ceremony, but they were able to, and in the couple’s own unique way.
The wedding dinner at Segnatore restaurant was served family style. I love how intimate the wedding dinner was and the style made it really feel like a traditional italian family dinner. The chef was amazing. I wish I was better at words to describe how amazing each dish was from the starters, to the pasta, to the meat, to the dessert, but you just need to go book a table at segnatore the next time you’re looking for a dinner spot in Chicago. They also have solid mocktails as well as cocktails.
segnatore restaurant is direclty across the street from The california clipper, one of the oldest neighborhood cocktail bar in humboldt park that does a wide range of live music to DJ nights. It really is a chicago staple and the drinks and moody interior vibes are solid. So after the italian dinner all of the wedding guests walked across the street to the california clipper to listen to music and hang out late into the night. I took a few Wedding portraits of Anna and Erik under the iconic California clipper neon sign just outside of the bar before I headed out, and left these two lovebirds to go live it up with their loved ones. x
“California clipper and segnatore restaurant are directly across the street from each
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an intimate chicago wedding day!”
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A West Loop Wedding at Nobu Hotel and Swift & Sons | Yuliya and Matt | Chicago Wedding Photographer
A West Loop Wedding at Nobu Hotel and Swift & Sons | Yuliya and Matt | Chicago Wedding Photographer | Destination Wedding Photographer
Yuliya and Matt spent the morning of their wedding day getting ready at Nobu Hotel with all of their closest loved ones. They both had matching corner room suites that overlooking the Chicago city skyline. Yuliya wore a dress that was customized by Ellen Veli Atelier and a pair of stunning Manolo Blahnik heels. They both had a cheers with their families separately and then Yuliya had a moment alone with her father for a first look. After the embracing and a sweet quiet moment with her dad, Yuliya waited for Matt to come down to her suite for their first look together. When he came around the corner, his face was in awe of the beauty that is Yuliya in her stunning bridal look. After everyone gathered their things we all headed down to the lobby of the Nobu Hotel where a stretch hummer limo was waiting for all of the family members to ride together to the ceremony.
The ceremony took place in the center of downtown Chicago on the Chicago River. There is a Chicago river walk that runs all along the river and the has so many lovely view points with the skyscrapers, trains and bridges in the backdrop. Yuliya and Matt chose a beautiful location that incorporated all of those things behind them while they said their vows to each other and said “I Do” to spending the rest of their life together as husband and wife. It really was such a picturesque backdrop of the city that they met and fell in love in all around them. Everyone then took family photos on the river and then in front of The Wrigley Building with the river behind them.
After the ceremony and family photos, the limo dropped us off over to Chicago-Kent College of Law, to take photos where Yuliya and Matt met and went to Law School together, while it took the rest of the guests over to Swift and Sons for their intimate dinner wedding reception in Fulton Market. Yuliya and Matt went all over Chicago-Kent College of Law to take couples portraits in all of the areas where they spent time together. They even took photos in the exact elevator where they literally saw each other for the first time, which I thought was the sweetest thing. There is also a library area where they picked up books related to their law studies, and they even switched books based on the topics. Honestly, I couldn’t get enough of these two and their movie romance love story from their time in University. It was so endearing seeing them light up about memories within the campus.
After we finished with couples portraits we headed over to Nobu Hotel, where their family and friends were waiting for them and we all rode over to Swift and Sons in Fulton Market together. They had a private room and bar area rented out in Swift and Sons and their guests were able to enjoy canapés, drinks and a beautiful slideshow of film photos of them growing up as children until now. It was really sweet to watch their parents faces light up with joy at seeing how these two have grown into such the beautiful and loving pair that they are now. It was a truly beautiful and intimate wedding day in downtown Chicago and I’m so honored that they asked me document these sweet memories for them to remember forever. x
Wedding Hotel - Nobu Hotel Chicago | Wedding Reception - Swift and Sons Fulton Market | Wedding Shoes - Manolo Blahnik | Wedding Dress - Ellen Veli Atelier | Groom Tux - Ted Baker | Wedding Ceremony - Chicago River Walk | Chicago Wedding Portraits - Chicago-Kent College of Law | Destination Wedding Photographer - Melody Joy Co.