St. Mary's Space | Scotland Wedding Venue in the Highlands | Scotland Elopement Photographer
St. Mary's Space | Scotland Wedding Venue in the Highlands | Scotland Elopement Photographer
A few months ago I had the pleasure of documenting an elopement editorial at one of Scotland’s newest intimate wedding venues, St. Mary’s Space. It’s a beautifully quaint restored chapel located in the Highlands of Scotland. It used to be known as St. Mary's Church and Rectory and was built in the 1890's. The owner, Charlotte, and her family has lived here since 2011 and have created a unique venue for individuals to come in and use it in creative ways. St. Mary’s Space is surrounded by a beautiful wooded area has a majestic view of a river and mountains in the distance.
The lead wedding planner of Scarlett & Bell, Mercedes, together with the talented Little White Cow, leading wedding prop stylists, and Wildflower Workshop, one of the best wedding florists in all of Scotland, created beautiful scenes that will inspire you for your own intimate wedding or elopement in St. Mary’s Space. Mercedes has been planning weddings for years and is knowledgable of all the best wedding suppliers in Scotland. She knows how to make your wedding day run smoothly and look beautiful. Scarlett & Bell is based in Edinburgh, Scotland, but she also loves to travel wherever your wedding day make take her!
If you are looking for venue inspiration while planning your intimate elopement in Scotland, just view the various ceremony and reception scenes at St. Mary’s Space below. One of the best parts of St. Mary’s Space is that not only does it have a historic story, but it has an airbnb, so that you can stay the night there as well. And if you want photos in the surroundings areas, like Glencoe, you can end your evening with dinner and drink by the fire in the quaint warmth of St. Mary’s Space.
Scotland Wedding & Elopement Vendors / Suppliers
Wedding Planner - Scarlett & Bell | Wedding Venue - St. Mary’s Space | Florist - Wildflower Workshop | Wedding Props + Stylist - Little White Cow | Couple - Addison + Connor | Hair + MUA - Suzanne Christie | Scotland Elopement Photographer - Melody Joy Co.
Ovation Chicago Wedding Venue | Elizabeth + Alex | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Ovation Chicago Wedding Venue | Elizabeth + Alex | Moody Chicago Wedding Photographer
This beautiful wedding day started in one of my favorite cities, Chicago,
and ended at one of my favorite wedding venues, Ovation Chicago.
Elizabeth started her day by getting ready in a beautiful loft downtown with her mother, sister and best friends. After meeting Alex for a private first look on a the quaint street below, we headed to the West Loop to take their bridal portraits before the ceremony. I always love looking for interesting light whenever roaming around Chicago or really any destination that I travel to for weddings. The harsh shadows, the light from around a corner, the crisp of sunlight always get me really excited to capture the couple in a unique way! Light is always changing, so you have to be really flexible and knowledgeable on the times of the year and times of the day that you shooting. That’s why it’s always best to make sure your photographer knows about light, because then they can look for it anywhere.
For Photographers, training your eye takes some time, but is so worth it to be able to work with soft or harsh natural light at any time of the day, so that you can create the best portraits for your couple. And what is great is that you don’t have to wait for a wedding day to to practice shooting in harsh light, any sunny day, just wake up to shoot for sunrise, then shoot for mid day, and then shoot at sunset. Find the light in and around your home and city and you’ll be able to practice your exposure settings anytime! And if you want to chat more about this, feel free to reach out to me about a Mentor Session Here!
Now back to this lovely wedding day! After the portraits we headed straight over to Ovation Chicago. Elizabeth and Alex’s wedding day was filled with so many beautiful Jewish traditions. They signed the Ketubah first amongst the intimacy of just their families, which really solidifies their union as one and husband and wife in the Jewish culture. They also did the candle lighting ceremony during this time as well. The formal wedding ceremony was then held with all of the wedding guests in the grand open floor plan, naturally lit, ceremony space of Ovation Chicago. The florist, EcoWilde Flower Co, did such a beautiful job with the archway for the wedding ceremony, as well as Elizabeth’s wedding bouquet and the gorgeous sprinkling of greenery on the elegant family style tables for the reception. The food was catered by Big Delicious Planet, and wow, was it delicious! Their name choice is definitely an accurate one.
And to end the night, there was endless dancing! What I love most about Ovation, is that they always have the DJ’s from Style Matters, and man, are they GOOD! The guys themselves are just a joy to be around and truly just bring life to the event with their music selection. They really know how to read a room and always bring the whole party to the dance floor. Truly, this was such a great day of celebrating Elizabeth and Alex’s love as everyone welcomed them into the the start of their next season of life together!
Wedding Planning + Design - Naturally Yours Events, Lauren West @nyeventschicago / Florist - EcoWilde Flower Co. Emily Neumann / Make-up + Hair Artist - Lerin Johnson Bridal Beauty / Makeup - Lerin Johnson Artistry / Hair - Lerin Johnson Bridal Beauty / Wedding Dress Designer - Rivini from Bella Bianca / Shoes - Anny 70mm in nude by Stuart Weitzman / Bride + Groom Rings - Ruth Hendleman / Ceremony + Reception Venue - Ovation Chicago / Cocktail Hour, Reception Caterer + Desserts - Big Delicious Planet / Reception DJ - Style Matters / Wedding Filmmaker - Aaron Bean
If you’d like me to capture your wedding day or see if your wedding date is available for 2020 or 2021,
fill out the form at the link below and I would love to create something beautiful with you!
Hacienda Siesta Alegre | Puerto Rico Wedding Venue | Destination Wedding Photographer
Hacienda Siesta Alegre | Puerto Rico Wedding Venue | Boho Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Elena and Wesley had the most stunning
tropical destination wedding,
in the heart of Puerto Rico!
Their wedding took place this past December and it was my first time visiting Puerto Rico. I actually flew into Old San Juan on Christmas day. After spending the morning opening gifts and eating a delicious brunch with my family, I set off for a country I’ve been wanting to visit for many years. I took a few days to relax, explore and eat my way through the historic neighborhood of Old San Juan. I really love history, so one of the first places I explored was Castillo San Cristobal — one of the oldest Spanish forts in the New World.
The fact that Puerto Rico’s main airport is so close to Old San Juan makes the country a perfect destination for overseas weddings, offering your guests a chance to take in the city’s many sights, sounds and flavors before celebrating your special day with you.
For destination wedding days, I’m always with you from start to finish to tell your whole story. So, I started the day by capturing Elena getting ready with her girls. There was a gorgeous bridal suite surrounded by greenery at their boho wedding venue, Hacienda Siesta Alegre. The surroundings made you feel like you were on top of the world, with stunning views of the El Yunque rainforest mountain range in the distance. There were so many beautiful corners on the historic hacienda, including arched doorways and French window panes. It made choosing a corner spot for them to read their vows to each other before their ceremony incredibly easy and beautiful.
They had so many unique details, like a cigar bar where handmade cigars were made and given to the guests as favors. Of course, the hacienda had endless places for the bride and groom to take images together with their loved ones. The outdoor reception consisted of beautifully decorated farm tables that surrounded an incredible courtyard with a lovely fountain in the center. The courtyard was lit by string lights that really set the mood for both the reception, and later, an epic dance floor! Their chef, Enrique Piniero, is one of the best chefs in all of Puerto Rico! His food was phenomenal and I highly recommend him if you are going to do a destination wedding in Puerto Rico. I only wish you could taste his food in an image, but you’ll just have to visit and try it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!
The reception dancing was orchestrated by the top DJ in Puerto Rico, Big J Music, playing the best tunes! He is also another solid wedding vendor choice for your Puerto Rican destination wedding! It’s always great to see a DJ who can read the crowd and keep the guests excited for what song is coming next, and to see everyone’s faces light up and rush to the dance floor!
Elena and Wes also surprised the guests by having Plena music played by an amazing local group, Yuvi Plena! The music was perfect for the setting and every single guest absolutely loved it! They had the crowd doing a dance train around the entire venue and the dancers and instruments were all so entertaining — a perfect complement to the evening, tying in a bit of Puerto Rican tradition for the guests with an exciting twist!
They ended the night surrounded by sparklers and their loved ones! The smiles on their faces said it all. It was truly a beautiful wedding day!
If you’re looking for a venue for your tropical, boho destination wedding, Hacienda Siesta Alegre is one of the best wedding venues in all of Puerto Rico, seriously, just google “wedding venue in puerto rico”, I’m not making that up. Beautifully situated within a national forest, the historic villa and unique architecture of the property make for not only a stunning wedding day, but a truly memorable one.
Ceremony + Reception Venue - Hacienda Siesta Alegre / Wedding Planning - Rosalina Torres / Florist Company - Jat Lozano / Make-up + Hair Artist - Javier Moreno / Brides Dress - Gali Karten / Jewelry - Cassouto Jewels / Shoes - Bella Belle Shoes / Garter - La Gartier Wedding Garters / Bridesmaid Dresses - Show Me Your Mumu / Groom Suit - Suit Supply / Groomsman Suits - The Groomsman Suit / Engagement Ring - Majestic Jewelers / Wedding Band Instagram - Creative Design Jewelers / Caterer - Chef Enrique Piniero / Cake - Gabriel Diaz / DJ - Big J Music / Wedding Filmmaker - The Film Writer / Photo Booth - Flipeate / Pleneros - Yuvi Plena
If you’d like me to capture your wedding day or see if your wedding date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to create something beautiful with you!
Here is the amazing film by The Film Writer below!
Quarantine Style | Self-Isolation Feelings | Glasgow Beauty Fashion Editorial
Quarantine Style | Self-Isolation Feelings | Glasgow Beauty Fashion Editorial
This Fashion Editorial was Inspired by the current world situation of trying to flatten the curve of sickness by self isolating ourselves to our homes, we have created a shockingly dramatic imagery that draws together soft, feminine elements with a bit of edge of being bound by different elements and feeling suffocated. A mix of dark tones, neon pops of color for hope, textured paper and fabrics accented with an underlying relevancy. Exploring today's world isolation feelings within a visual experience.
The lady who brought us all together was none other than the Glashow based hair artist, Emma Diamond. She was the one with the Art direction for this beauty editorial shoot and did such a great job with the timing of this beauty editorial! I love how every frame in the shoot has some form of a barrier between the face and and the camera, and that’s such a solid representation of the season our country is in at the moment. This shoot was actually done back in early March before the “stay at home” order was implemented and I had no idea that this was the last editorial that I would be doing for the summer. I already am looking forward to the next one!
I hope everyone is staying safe during this season of isolation and finding ways to stay creative at home, whether through sessions from home or online, re-editing past sessions, brainstorming for future sessions or even creating art at home! There are so many ways to keep your creative muscles going during this time, and if you ever need any ideas for staying creative at home, just reach out! Cheers to this season of “self-isolation” creativity!
C O N T R I B U T O R S
Photographer //
Melody Joy Co.
@melodyjoyco
www.melodyjoy.co
Model //
Erin Young
@_sonder
Hair + Art Direction//
Emma Diamond
@emmadiamondhair
www.emmadiamondhair.co.uk/
Make-Up //
Madeleine Brown
MVB MUA
@mvbmua
Jewelry //
AKVILE SU
@suakvile
+
Eve Balashova
@eve_balashova
+
Emma Morris Design
@emmamorris_design
Aikwood Tower | Scottish Borders Wedding | Scotland Wedding Photographer
Aikwood Tower Wedding | Scotland Wedding Photographer
Bexx + Ben, I just love these two together. I’m so glad they asked me to shoot their wedding in the Scottish Borders! We first met when they came to Edinburgh for me to capture their engagement session. We spent most our time together after that session at a local pub drinking milkshakes and just truly having the best time chatting! I was already looking forward to their wedding day just because of how fun their personalities were, but I had no idea that all of their friends and family were going to be so lovely as well. And I was not expecting, from what I had seen online, to see the beauty that was Aikwood Tower. Their venue was located in the remote countryside of the Scottish Borders and is a newly restored 16th century tower house. The day was just so full of so many Scottish traditions, her ‘mum’ was the officiant, there were loads of family styled food dishes (all Christmas Dinner themed) catered by The Pantry, and nonstop dancing into the night with a full-on group karaoke of Disco music. I couldn’t have thought of pairing all of these favorite things of mine in one wedding if I tried. The fact that Bexx and I are just so similar just made me adore this day that much more! In the end, this wedding, full of the beauty of Scotland as well as their unique and quirky taste, made this a gem of a wedding, and I’m just so glad I was able to celebrate with these two into the ‘wee’ small hours of the morning!
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to help you create something beautiful together!
Venue - Aikwood Tower | Planner + Florist - Get Knotted | Dress - Rory Andrew | Hair + Makeup - City Brides Edinburgh | Jewelry - Katie Lee’s Fine Jewelry | Cocktail Hour, Reception, Late Night Snacks, Desserts, Tuk Tuk Truck - The Pantry Edinburgh | Cake - Big Bear Bakery | Humanist Celebrant - Sandra Mclaren | DJ - Oliver Melling | Wedding Filmmaker - Shoot It Yourself |
Aikwood Tower is such a beautiful wedding venue in Scotland. Aikwood Tower is a scottish owned and operated historical wedding venue tucked away in the Scottish Borders. The great thing about a Scottish borders wedding venue, is that they will be close enough for your guests to stay the night in larger cities, such as Edinburgh or Glasgow. There are also so many beautiful, quaint little towns nearby Aikwood Tower, such as Selkirk, Melrose and St. Boswells. Aikwood Tower has a rich history as well. With this wedding venue starting out as part of the Scott family clan dating back to 1517. On their website they have a more detailed history, but one of my favorite stories was one that is a tale that Aikwood Tower was used during the Jacobite rebellion as an escape from the government after the Battle of Culloden. And the main reason I’m intrigued by this, is because I just recently started watching Outlander, and the Jacobite Rebellion and the Battle of Culloden are both very essential players in the storyline of this intriguing historical drama series. Either way, this venue has since been restored and has won many architecture awards for how lovely they have restored this historical farm and tower. When you rent this Scottish wedding venue, you are not only renting Aikwood tower for the day, but you will have the entire weekend for lodging of five bedrooms to spend time with your family visiting from out of town. Aikwood Tower is perfect for intimate weddings in Scotland. Not only is Aikwood tower a beautiful wedding venue, but it’s also very historic. A historical wedding venue is one that most couples traveling to Scotland to elope will be looking for. You have lodging on site, you have scottish history all around you, and you have the lovely team at Aikwood Tower to assist you with anything you may possibly need. I absolutely loved working with the Aikwood Tower wedding team. Aikwood tower has not only the beautiful garden surround the wedding venue, but also the scottish charm that you want in a wedding venue when you’re in Scotland. There is something to be said about new and modern wedding venues, but when you are searching for a historic Scotland wedding venue, Aikwood Tower is one of the best wedding venues in Scotland. I already can’t wait to capture another Aikwood Tower wedding! If you are still searching for a romantic and intimate wedding venue in Scoltland, Aikwood Tower is your place. I can’t say enough nice things about Aikwood Tower and the magic of Scotland that you feel when you’re on the grounds.
Downtown Chicago Wedding | The Herbarium at Bad Hunter | Chicago Wedding Photographer
The Herbarium at Bad Hunter | Downtown Chicago Wedding Photographer
Whatever our souls
are made of,
His and mine
are the same.
-Emily Brontë
Ceremony Holy Name Cathedral // Reception The Herbarium at Bad Hunter // Florist Revel Decor // MUA Ryan Ternes // Hair Artist Claire Danstrom //
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to help you create something beautiful together!
I absolutely love downtown Chicago wedding venues. This particular Chicago wedding venue, The Herbarium, is located in a Chicago neighborhood called The West Loop, one of the most popular spots for some of the trendiest and edgist food scene in all of Chicago. The Herbarium wedding venue is located on the entire floor directly upstairs above the restaurant Bad Hunter, another wonderful spot to check out if you are visiting Chicago. The Herbarium has wooden floors, tall ceilings and is filled with Herbs and plants all over the walls weaving in and out through the bottles on the shelves behind it’s elegant bar. This wedding venue is not far from downtown at all, as their ceremony was actually based less than a mile away in downtown Chicago. After their downtown Chicago wedding ceremony we took wedding portraits on Michigan Avenue and we then headed to take wedding portraits in the West Loop. Since the West Loop is so close to downtown Chicago, it’s the perfect spot for visitors flying in to explore the beautiful downtown areas and also be very near your wedding venue within a mild walk or short taxi ride. All in all, I would highly recommend The Herbarium, not just for its close proximity to downtown Chicago, but the staff and food courses were top notch! Seriously, try the dumplings if you ever eat a dinner there! And If anyone is searching for any wedding venue ideas for the West Loop or downtown Chicago, I could not rave enough about The Herbarium! It has really stood out to me amongst all of the other wedding venues for intimate Chicago weddings. Truly a beautiful downtown Chicago wedding venue. On a side note, thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings about this lovely Chicago wedding venue, The Herbarium.
Brake & Clutch Warehouse | An Urban Dallas Wedding Venue | Dallas Wedding Photographer
Brake & Clutch Warehouse Wedding Venue | Dallas Wedding Photographer
Courtney and Brandon, the epitome of sweetness. Together with their daughter and sweet family, they just touched my heart. The words their favorite humans spoke over them during their speeches really touched me. I love a good speech that makes me tear up, and their friends and families just embraced me which always makes for the best images. Photography is never a one way street. As a bride and groom, you will always get more emotive and beautiful images when you give your photographer the freedom to be creative and use their eye to capture all of the moments of your wedding day.
This day was just so beautiful, relaxed, heartfelt and touching. I love when I leave a wedding day and not only have great images but the best of memories from dancing and laughing with the bridal party all day long! So thank you, Courtney and Brandon, for being such lovely humans and giving me the honor of being welcomed in your lives during this beautiful season of life for you both! Melody x
I always love to show appreciation to the many behind the scenes bosses that make wedding days happen. Above is Adante Mayo, he works with LeForce DJ’s in Dallas, and was honestly just the happiest camper all day, always smiling and as you’ll see later, he brings everyone on the dance floor to party nonstop late into the night! And below is the lovely Betsy Baldwin, of Events and Experiences. Not only have I worked with her on all of my Dallas weddings thus far for the last few years, but she is also a florist as well as a planner! Her team are so professional, sweet and very detailed orientated. Her wittiness is also fun to be around on a wedding day! Overall, she has been one of the best planners I’ve worked with and I would highly recommend her to any bride in the Dallas area!
Wedding Venue - Brake and Clutch Warehouse | Wedding Planner + Floral Design - Betsy Baldwin | Hair and Makeup Artist - Kayla Rae from The Makeup Story | Wedding Dress - Vagabond Bridal | Catering - CN Catering | DJ - LeForce Entertainment | Wedding Filmmaker - The Neskes
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to help you create something beautiful together!
Are you still looking for the best wedding venue? Looking for a blank space that you can create your perfect wedding style? Do you love the Dallas area of Deep Ellum? If you are in Dallas, Texas, or love the quirky neighborhood of Deep Ellum, Brake and Clutch Warehouse is by far one of my favorite Dallas Wedding Venues. Brake and Clutch is an urban Warehouse located in the heart of Deep Ellum in Dallas, Texas. Brake and Clutch has an open floor plan that gives you the freedom to create a rustic wedding dream! I hear the bridal trends for 2020 include MOHO, Brake and Clutch is the perfect venue to create a MOHO wedding. If you don’t know what MOHO is, it means Modern BOHO. It may sound a bit silly, but if you google it, or just look above, this was the epitome of modern boho, aka MOHO, and fits perfectly in the setting of Deep Ellum. Brake and Clutch offers a beautiful space for ceremonies and a separate space for a cocktail hour and reception. Brake and Clutch even has the perfect bridal suite for the bride and a mens parlor for the groom and his groomsmen. Brake and Clutch is perfect for when you have guests that want to stay in or around Dallas. Also, with Brake and Clutch being in the center of Deep Ellum in Dallas, Texas, your guests can venture out to more places in Deep Ellum very easily by walking or via uber or lyft to an after party to a hotel. It was a dream to shoot at Brake and Clutch, and in the coolest neighborhood of Deep Ellum and I can’t wait for my next Dallas wedding! After three years of shooting weddings in Dallas, the couples only make me fall in love with the city more and more. I’m really grateful to have been able to work with such lovely couples and at such wonderful Dallas wedding venues, like Brake and Clutch in Deep Ellum. Reach out to me if you want anymore information on Brake and Clutch or any food recs in Deep Ellum! And happy wedding venue hunting! :)
Room 1520 | West Loop Wedding Venue | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Room 1520 Wedding Venue | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Keep your eyes open.
Keep your heart open too.
You never who you’re going to
meet and what they will mean to you.
- mhn
Clair and Michael. These two adventurous souls met in the most exciting meet-cute ever, standing in line at a club in Italy. They are both such beautiful humans, inside and out, with the style and sass to match! More than any couple I have ever met, they dance like no one else is watching. I absolutely loved this day and all of the uniquely modern details that made their wedding truly one to remember.
Venue - Room 1520 | Dress - Alyssa Kristin Dress | Tux - The Black Tux | Hair + MUA - Nika Vaughan Bridal Artists | Event Planner - Urban Allure Events | Florist - Bouk Bridal | Caterer - Zullo’s Catering | DJ - Toast & Jam |
For anyone reading this that is in your engaged season of life, Room 1520 is one of the loveliest wedding venues in Chicago that I have ever captured a wedding in. As anyone can see from my photographs I share on my website and social media, I tend to be drawn to the more neutral or black and white palette. Room 1520 is one of my favorite venues in Chicago because it is a blank space. It is completely painted in white. The floors are white and the old tile windows give it a modern and clean edge. If you are looking for an industrial venue in the heart of the West Loop, just a mile from downtown, you will love Room 1520. The location, the staff, the elegant transitions from foyer, to bar area, to the wide open ceremony and reception space, It’s definitely a space for anyone looking for a blank slate to visit to see if this the wedding venue for you. I just love raving about wedding venues in Chicago that I love and Room 1520 has definitely become a favorite of mine. I have shot multiple weddings in the West Loop, and as lovely as they all are, Room 1520 has the upper hand when it comes to space, since it’s on the outskirts of the West Loop and has a slightly larger square footage then most of the West Loop wedding venues. So you can invite more of your friends and family to celebrate with you! So all in all, Room 1520 is in my opinion one of the best wedding venues in Chicago. So cheers to hopefully helping your Chicago wedding venue search just a little bit and I truly hope you can enjoy your season of planning, and most importantly, enjoy this time with the love of your life!
Revel Fulton Market Wedding | Urban Chic Downtown Wedding | Modern Chicago Wedding Photographer
Revel Fulton Market Wedding | Urban Chic Downtown Wedding | Revel Space Luxury Venue | Modern Chicago Wedding Photographer
If you’re interested in an urban-chic and modern wedding day, this is the wedding day to be inspired by. Jeannie and Tom chose to get ready in the center of the Chicago skyscrapers and had their wedding day end with a late night reception at Revel Fulton Market in the West Loop. They had their first look on a rooftop balcony of a skyscraper with the whole city skyline in the background. Then we strolled around the streets in the west loop for portraits with their bridal party and just the two of them before heading to their church for a romantic and heartfelt ceremony. Everything from Jeannie’s minimal Sarah Seven wedding dress to her Christian Louboutin Heels, to the simple and modern details of her wedding reception at Revel Fulton Market, it all blended perfectly to create the idyllic urban-chic wedding day.
If you are looking for a wedding space to transform with minimal details and has upscale, modern amenities, Revel Fulton Market is your venue! I have shot at so many industrial warehouse wedding venues in Chicago, but Revel Fulton Market, of the Revel Space group, really blew me away. I love how the exposed brick was painted white and the floors were cemented. The lighting was minimal and created a beautiful and romantic ambiance for the evening. I really love when couples find a space that fits with the city and their attire. And this wedding venue really shows off how the industrial era of Chicago really was the foundation of the city. I just love seeing old warehouses in Chicago becoming wedding venues after being restored and architects and designers coming in to create amazing spaces for events. Truly, visit Revel Fulton Market if you’re still searching for an urban, minimal wedding venue in Chicago.
Chicago Wedding Venue - Revel Fulton Market - Revel Space | Wedding Dress - Sarah Seven | Bride Wedding Shoes - Christian Louboutin Heels | Bridal Hair and Makeup, Luxury Beauty Boutique- Arch Chicago | Wedding Ceremony - Holy Family Catholic Church | Wedding Reception DJ - Ten Twelve Entertainment | Wedding Filmmaker - Shutter and Sound | Second Shooter - Alisha Tova | Wedding Photo Booth - Photique Booth | Chicago Wedding Florist - Revel Decor
If you’d like me to capture your wedding day or just want to chat with me to see how I can help you create something beautiful on your wedding day, reach out on my contact page below!
Bordeaux, France | 35mm Film
Bordeaux, France | 35mm Film | Travel Photographer
This was on a holiday to Bordeaux with mon amour, Ross.
Endless walks, canelés and smiles. x
The little café above is called Black List. A little back story… Ross used to teach in Bordeaux for a few years and the owner of this shop walked up to us and said to Ross “I think you used to be my teacher.” It was so cool because he had no idea that this shop that we wanted to visit would be owned by one of his students that he helped teach English to. Such a small and beautiful world. And this ended up being one of our favorite cafés in this city for filter coffee and brunch.
Rangefinder Magazine | 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography
Rangefinder Magazine | 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography | Award Winning Photographer
I’m feeling so incredibly honored today.
I can finally announce that I’ve been named one of Rangefinder Magazine’s 30 Top Rising Stars of Wedding Photography for 2019!
This is my very first award as a wedding photographer and I am truly so humbled by it! It’s such an honor to be named amongst so many beautiful wedding photographers in this industry! The last few years have been filled with so much growth, change and even more growth... not only in my personal life, but all throughout my business life. I am very selective now with who I capture, what I capture and how I capture it. And thankfully my amazing clients, now friends, trust me enough to honestly capture their most intimate days! All of the thank you’s to all of my daily inspirations, fellow entrepreneur encouragers and all of my friends and family who are present in my every day. Thank you all for bringing me so much joy on this journey of life and for continuing to follow along! Cheers to new seasons of life and a lovely Friday!
Below are the images that I submitted to win this award!
Again, so, so humbling.
Scotland Elopement | The Path Less Traveled | Scarlett & Bell Wedding Planner
Scotland Wedding Photographer | Scotland Elopement Inspiration | Scarlett & Bell Wedding Planner
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
- Robert Frost
This Scotland elopement shoot was inspired by the chilling richness of Scottish spring in the setting of an ancient ruin. We focused on the harmonious coupling of the ancient and modern, combining textures and materials found from the natural setting. The flower pieces incorporated foraged lichen branches, dried bracken and budding witch-hazel, and rich tones from skimmia berries and antique roses. The historic setting and the rich floral pieces were held in juxtaposition with the modern fabrics in the eclectic clothing and jewellery, sourced internationally from independent designers. The tablescape was also inspired by this juxtaposition between the old and new, with the raw wood and moss, and the tangled gold netting and gilded branch candelabras.
If you are searching for a wedding planner based in Scotland but who loves to travel, Mercedes of Scarlett & Bell is a gem of a human! Between her and the lovely Adelaide of Adelaide’s Flowers, who I’ve had the pleasure of capturing her stunning florals for an intimate scottish wedding of mine last summer, are a dream team and provided the setting and vision for this gorgeous shoot and I’m honestly just the blessed lady who was asked to document their romantical vision into memorable stills. I’m so incredibly grateful for the ladies in my life who continue to inspire me, encourage me and collaborate creatively with me. I hope you enjoy this wedding inspiration taken place somewhere deep in the heart of Scotland. And scroll below to see all of the lovely ladies (and my pals, the guys over at Cinemate) who made this session come to life so beautifully!
Photographer @melodyjoyco // Videographer @cinematefilms // Florist @adelaidesflowers // Stylist @scarlettandbell // Hair @pamperpolishbeautybridal // MUA @heathersnowiemua // Stationary @edinburghletters // Nicola's nails @sarahmurrayskinclinic // Jewellery @patiencejewellery // Models Nicola & Anna // Location is a private home in Scotland
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to create something beautiful with you!
Chicago City Hall Elopement | The Rookery | Elopement Photographer
The Rookery Wedding Venue | City Hall Courthouse Elopement | Chicago Elopement Photographer
Two of the most beautiful souls.
I was so honored that Dylan and Juan reached out to me to capture their Courthouse Elopement in downtown Chicago. They are truly wonderful human beings and their love for each other radiants to anyone who is around them. I honestly did not want to leave after spending the afternoon with them because I was having so much fun! They brought along both of their parents and only their closest friends, it was so intimate and emotional in the best way possible. Everyone was packed into a little room in the Chicago City Hall with big smiles, and then tears and then hugs and endless joy! After the ceremony everyone hopped into a Party Bus and we drove all around downtown Chicago to take couples portraits and family photos in their favorite locations! We ended the afternoon taking photos at The Rookery, one of the most historic and beautiful buildings in all of Chicago. It was a day filled with overflowing amounts of joy and love and you can’t ask for a better elopement than that.
If you’d like to Inquire about me capturing your wedding day or see if your date is available for 2020 or 2021?
Fill out the form below and I would love to help you create something beautiful together!
Chicago City Hall is the best way to elope in downtown Chicago. Eloping in Chicago is a great way to spend your wedding day with the one you love! Chicago City Hall is beautiful building with plenty of great portrait opportunities. If you are looking for a place to elope in Chicago, Chicago City Hall would be a perfect wedding venue for you! I love capturing weddings downtown at City Hall. City Hall is perfect for walking around and taking photos on the lakefront, at Navy Pier, in Millennium Park, on Michigan Avenue, by the Chicago River and in front of so many historic sky scrapers downtown. City Hall is also a perfect spot for parents who are visiting from out of town, because they can walk straight to City Hall very conveniently from any hotel downtown. Chicago is full of endless beauty, architecture and art, and if you are looking for a beautiful place to elope in an urban jungle, then City Hall is where you should have your intimate wedding.
Dunnottar Castle at Dusk | Raw Love
Dunnottar Castle Wedding | Scotland Wedding Photographer
These two are precious humans, whom I adore.
Their love is raw and their sweet joy can be felt by anyone who is in their presence.
The first time I met these newlyweds was literally in the Highlands of Scotland for a shoot when my friends were visiting from LA, Sheri and Nicole, and invited me to join them for a day trip! My main contribution was to suggest that we go to Dunnottar at dusk because of the cliffside views and the skies tones are some of my favorites in the country. It couldn’t have been a better setting to end a day in Scotland with friends visiting and to witness all of them seeing Dunnottar for the first time, under such beautiful dusk light. I honestly couldn’t have even told you their names before I captured these images of them on this day (I’m also just bad with names, it takes me a while, ha). Matt and Tamar are also a talented husband & wife photo/video duo I came to find out later! But there is something so lovely about simply meeting someone in person first before seeing their online presence or scrolling through their life before meeting them. I really love meeting with people in person, in passing. Face to face will always be the truest form of connection and authenticity, and these two’s love for each other was just that, deep and genuine. It was so apparent from the first day I met their bubbly selves cuddling on the mountainside. I just love their perseverance, their joy, their hope and their sweet and kind spirits. I’m so grateful to have met them in the Highlands on this day and for all of our hangouts since! So cheers to meeting people in person, developing genuine friendships and to couples endlessly in love and pursuing their dreams together!
Are you looking for an epic place to elope in Scotland? The outdoors in the Highlands of Scotland is the best Wedding Venue. Dunnottar Castle is the perfect backdrop for a wedding of elopement in Scotland. Dunnottar Castle is perfectly placed on the coast of Scotland and is perfect for couples traveling into Scotland to have an elopement in the Highlands of Scotland. If you are searching for a beautiful outdoor location for your elopement or wedding day in Scotland, Dunnottar Castle is lovely! I remember the first time I went to Dunnottar Castle. It was just to explore the beautiful Scottish coastline and was on a personal road trip to photograph this beautiful country. Dunnottar Castle stood beautifully in the distance as we pulled into the parking lot and I instantly fell in love with its majestic and stoic stance perfectly settled into the cliffside of the Scottish coast. I always love exploring new places in Scotland and those end up being the backdrop for many sessions in the future. Dunnottar Castle, I instantly knew would be a beautiful and romantic setting in Scotland for an engagement session or couples portrait session. I’ve seen many weddings and elopements captured at Dunnottar Castle and they are all so whimsical and lovely. If you are ever wanting any opinions on places to elope or have a wedding in Scotland, just let me know! I have so many outdoor wedding venue ideas in the highlands of Scotland that I stumbled upon, if you want a unique and remote Scottish wedding day or elopement. All in all, Dunnottar Castle will continue to be a beautiful location for an elopement or engagement, and if you need a photographer for your special day, please feel free to reach out. I would be honored to make something beautiful with you and your loved one in Scotland!
Engagement Photos | Joseph + Paiton
I’m so grateful to be able to shoot engagement photography! They are truly some of favorite sessions as there are two people about to get married exploring one of my favorite cities on this planet! This specific shoot took place on my rooftop in Wicker Park. Wicker Park is one of the best cities in Chicago for roaming around to find grungy walls, eclectic storefronts, amazing coffee shops and dirty alleys that make the most Vogue editorial backdrops for an engagement session. So if you ever need help knowing where to shoot your Engagement session in places that have loads of style, feel free to reach out to me on my contact page! I would love to help find the perfect place for you all and will happily scout with you and grab coffee, or can just email you some of my favorite locations! Also, If you are ever in need of someone to help you plan your wedding day, I will happily refer my favorite wedding planners in the city! Between Chicago, Scotland and London, I have such a good range of wedding venues to recommend in different countries and cities, so it’s always a good idea to look around, but I’m definitely biased towards a few Wedding venues and engagement session locations! You won’t be disappointed! Chicago and Edinburgh both have so many unique venues for anyone who has shopped around and haven’t quite found what you’re are looking for yet! There are so many warehouse venues, castles or historic pieces of land where you can create your own look and style for the perfect wedding that is uniquely you! And if you need any other wedding vendor referrals, from wedding florists to wedding venues to wedding videographers to hair and makeup artists, I am more than happy to send over my referral list! Cheers to wedding planning and the start of a beautiful new beginning with the one you love!
Head over to my contact page below if you want to reach out to chat with me more about your engagement session and wedding day!
Scotland Fashion Photographer | Glasgow Style Editorial Lookbook
Scotland Style Lookbook | Glasgow Fashion Photographer
I always find beauty in things that
are odd and imperfect, they are
much more interesting.
— Marc Jacobs
I love shooting fashion in Scotland. Being a fashion photographer is another love of mine, it’s nice to not only limit myself to capture weddings, but something I am also passionate about is fashion! Glasgow has some of my favorite street styles in this country! I photographed these six looks for a Glasgow street style lookbook that was inspired by an incredibly talented and artistic team of ladies in Glasgow! The Art Direction and Outfit Styling was by a local designer named Amanda Blackwood, who kicks butt in the pairing and layering of outfits and fun color palettes. The lovely model was Lauren Scott, who has the moves like Jagger as well as the looks to kill. Lauren’s hair styles were all done by the queen of hair, Emma Diamond, and the facial looks were all designed by the master of make-up, Claire Nisbet! Scroll down to view the creative collaboration of these ladies all throughout downtown Glasgow! This was my first of now multiple shoots with these ladies that I have done in Glasgow. The fashion scene in Glasgow, Scotland is honestly so inspiring. There is something about the individuals there that I really resonate with. It’s that sassy street attitude that comes out in their clothing, (not their personalities), that I love! I tend to only wear muted tones, but I love capturing any fashion that is inspirational, and even though a few of these street style looks include bold pops of color, I can appreciate them and be inspired by them. You never know what can inspire you, so never stop creating and finding people and places that you resonate with.
L O O K O N E
L O O K T W O
L O O K T H R E E
Featuring Glasgow Designer - Re-Jean Denim
L O O K F O U R
Featuring - Burberry Coat
L O O K F I V E
L O O K S I X
Art Direction + Stylist Amanda Blackwood // Model Lauren Scott // Hair Emma Diamond // Make-Up Claire Nisbet
If you’re looking for a photographer to capture your fashion line or lookbook, I would love to create something beautiful for you! Reach out on my contact page below!
VARCA | A Bridal Atelier
Chicago Wedding Dress Designer | Varca Bridal | Chicago Wedding Photographer
Sarah Varca is the boss lady behind the Bridal Atelier, Varca Bridal! She designs all of her gowns in her Chicago studio, in Logan Square, providing dresses for “the woman on her own level'“ all over this lovely planet. Sarah Varca’s bubbly yet sassy spirit really comes out in all of her gorgeous gowns. If you want to have fun and be seen feeling your best, go set up a consultation for an original gown by Varca or visit one of her stockists around the world! If you are ever in Chicago trying on wedding dresses, you can try on her beautiful wedding gowns over at Honey Bridal!
The two Varca wedding dresses below are called “The Nikki”, where the lace neck and puffy sleeved cape is removable, and the “Arabella Gown”, the one with all of the fluffy layers and white leather! These are part of Varca’s latest collection and I’m just amazed at the detail that went into them!
I’m just so grateful to photograph entrepreneurs, like Varca Bridal, who are doing amazing things, and creating beautiful masterpieces by hand and businesses from the ground up. So enjoy these beautiful bridal looks below and be on the lookout for future features on creative entrepreneurs that I am inspired by, coming to my website soon!
If you are ever in need of someone to help you plan your Chicago wedding day, I will happily refer my favorite Chicago wedding planners in the city! Chicago has such a good range of wedding dress boutiques, but Varca Bridal is one of my favorite designers in Chicago, and you must look at her gowns at Honey Bridal while you are dress shopping! You won’t be disappointed! Varca Bridal also designs custom wedding gowns for anyone who has shopped around and hasn’t quite found what they are looking for! You can find the store stockists on Varca Bridal’s website to see where you can try on her fabulous wedding dresses! And if you need any other Chicago vendor referrals, from Chicago wedding florists to Chicago wedding venues to Chicago wedding videographers, I’m more than happy to send over my referral list! Cheers to wedding planning and the start of a beautiful new beginning with the one you love! And make sure to go visit Varca Bridal’s website above to browse her gorgeous wedding dresses!
Jono Smart & Emily Stephen | Glasgow Pottery & Woodturner
Jono Smart | Scotland Pottery | Scotland Photographer
I am just in awe of these two,
individually and as a couple.
Lately, I have really enjoyed highlighting creatives that inspire me with their work. Needless to say, Jono Smart and Emily Stephen are true inspirations. Between their color palette, chemistry, passion for unique handmade pottery and wood sculpting skills along with their love for each other … I could easily spend time with these two refreshing souls daily.
Here are a few words from them below, in their own words, to truly understand the essence of what they do as a pair and individually (and also because I am not a writer, ha). //
“We are Jono Smart and Emily Stephen, a Scottish based couple who live and work together. Jono is trained as a garden designer and works as a potter. Emily is trained as an architect and works as a woodturner and in the pottery studio. We also combine efforts to make sculptural works and installations. Our studio is a showcase of the things we make and design, our home, our neighbourhood and the landscape we live in.
We decided to combine our two practices, everything you see coming out of the studio is the result of our collaboration. We are constantly talking about and designing new work together and we believe our work is improved through our collaboration. There is a natural harmony between clay and wood, between the tree and the ground it grew from.
Both of us have worked closely with nature. Emily, while working as an architect, designed simple timber buildings, that sat quietly in their landscape. Jono worked with trees, hedges, water, stone and flowers when designing gardens. In our current work as a potter and a woodturner we rely on nature for our material. We try to impose as little as possible upon our pieces. Allowing the natural surfaces of wood and clay to be at the forefront of all we do.” - Jono + Emily
I hope everyone enjoys these lovely moments of Emily Stephen, Jono Smart and their handmade pieces below. I’m so grateful to have been able to document this stage of their journey, as they have already grown into a larger studio space a few weeks after this session was captured. I’m so honored to have been able to capture all of the growth and forward motion that has taken place this last year in this beautiful space in Glasgow.
You can also keep up with their latest work on their website and Jono + Emily’s Instagram pages.
Isle of Skye Road Trip | Scotland
Isle of Skye Road Trip | Scotland Wedding Photographer
When I’m with you, I’m home.
My fiancé, Ross (who has the kindest heart and is the loveliest human I have ever had the privilege of knowing and loving) and I travel back and forth between our two cities regularly every few months. He is Scottish and lives in the beautiful historic city of Edinburgh and I am an American who lives in the stunningly modern city of Chicago.
With that said, when I visit Scotland, we road trip, multiple times a month when I’m in the country. Sometimes our travels consist of weekend flights to nearby countries (well relatively, to me) to France or to Ireland, sometimes we do long weekends away in the Highlands (the most consistent and always regular, to explore Scotland’s beautiful countryside), other times it’s day trips that we can take around the coast in the middle of Scotland.
However, of all of our trips we’ve taken together, we don’t go for the purpose of shooting but to just spend time together in new places, which is why this is the first post I’ve taken enough on my camera to share. I love capturing the land, but more so just seeing it with my eyes, in general, since I never grew up or experienced much of the outdoors as a child, and Ross…well he grew up in Scotland and was practically raised outdoors and would hike and be in nature with his family constantly. This blog post is a simple look into one of our many road trips taken together over the last few years. I also wanted to show some lovely scenes from a country that I currently spend half of my time living in and that I’ve fallen in love with over the last few years. I just love it. Although, I definitely don’t need to sell the majestic beauty of this place with my words, which I couldn’t do if I tried, so enjoy the images below. And if you haven’t yet, I highly suggest visiting Scotland. Just driving anywhere north in the country is beautiful, no location tag needed. It’s truly a beautiful land.
Ross is featured in this edition of Rucksack Magazine.
We never go on a trip without an Aeropress and a bag of local whole bean coffee.
We like crosswords + breakfast bagels.
The two above images were taken 2 minutes in between each other. This is Scottish weather at it’s finest.
We’re not super into the “tripod and formal pictures” being taken of us, but when it started pouring rain we ran to the overhang of this house for a bit and I saw our reflection when I was looking too hard inside the windows, ha. Thankfully, no one was home.
We stop at many small inns for soup + hot drinks on our road trips.
If you are searching for the perfect place to elope? Scotland is your country! Scotland elopements are becoming more and more popular. I have been visiting Scotland for many years before I moved here (part-time at the moment) and I have to say, I only love this country with every passing year. When I first started coming here I wasn’t capturing couples in the highlands or the mountains. But over the years, I have shot weddings, elopements, engagement sessions and portrait shoots from the Isle of Skye, to Glencoe, to remote villages, to Edinburgh and of all the way down to the Scottish Borders. If you need any consultation on where a good place in Scotland would be to elope, feel free to reach out to me! I would love to help you plan your elopement in Scotland. Choosing a mountain or location in Scotland to elope can be overwhelming with all of the options, but I have traveled all over the country for years, and just for my own personal photography ventures. I don’t wait until I get an elopement or wedding to explore this beautiful country. I love to explore new areas of Scotland just for fun. I always note beautiful ares that I think would be a perfect spot for an elopement or intimate wedding. All in all, if you are planning your elopement to Scotland and are looking for someone who loves the land as well as love, then I would be honored to help you capture your wedding day with your best friend. Feel free to send me an inquiry on my contact page and we can chat soon about how epic your Scotland elopement can be!
Tatiana Cabral Smith Jewelry | Fashion Lookbook
Tatiana Cabral Smith Jewelry | The Paris Market | Savannah, GA Jewelry Designer
Where to begin with Tatiana Cabral Smith? Well, for starters, her jewelry is just like she is; fun and one of a kind! Tatiana designs, sources the metal, cuts, welds and makes all of her custom pieces by hand in her studio in Savannah, GA. I’ve been lucky enough to know her ever since she married her husband, Isaac Smith, who is a long-time family friend and an incredibly talented musician! I still remember the first time she told me about a jewelry class she had started taking. It’s been so lovely to witness her journey progress from The Paris Market picking up her pieces, to her being involved in New York and LA Fashion Week, to now having many boutique stockists and a strong online client base. I’m just so proud to know this lady and I know she is still only in the early stages of her career. I’m continually inspired by friends who are not only wonderfully kind humans, but use their talents to give back. She is someone I truly look up to, and she feels like an older sister to me!
Below are some of the shots I took for her Spring 2019 editions. So check them out and then go purchase a few custom pieces from her online store!
Pictured above is Tatiana, the founder and maker of all things Tatiana Cabral Smith Handmade Jewelry.
Photographer Melody Joy Co. | Jewelry Tatiana Cabral Smith | Fabric Measure Fabrics | Models The lovely Amelia and Alfonsette