Lake Geneva Wedding Photographers | Lincoln Park - Trevor & Tara
Lincoln Park - Chicago, IL
Lake Geneva Wedding Photographers | Chicago Wedding - Chris & Erin
April, 2017
Chicago, IL
Venue - Pazzo's 311
Florals - JH Events
Bakery - Sweet Mandy B's
Entertainment - DJ Chicago
Hair & Makeup - Ann LaCorte Hair and Makeup Design
Gown - Pronovias
Shoes - Jimmy Choos
Tux - Formally Modern Tuxedo
Harpist - Julie Spring
Photo Booth - Shutterbooth Chicago
Happy Mothers Day | Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
May, 2017
Happy Mother's Day, Mommas! You are truly what makes the world go round.
Lake Geneva Wedding Photographers | Chicago Wedding - Christian & Rochelle
March, 2017
Chicago, IL
Hotel - The James Chicago
Venue - Galleria Marchetti
Entertainment - Cage + Aquarium Productions
Photography - Jordan Imhoff Photography
Jonathan & Sarah | Married - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
March, 2017
Virginia Beach, VA
Church: Community United Methodist Church - Virginia Beach, VA
Florals: Sarah Rieke
Hair & Makeup: Katelyn Lightsey and Rachel Hall
Salon: Salon en Vogue
Gown: Lana Addison by Essence of Australia
Musicians: Jessica Bryan Myers and Rachel Ritchie
Mike & Stephanie | Married - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
December, 2016
The Sheraton - Lisle, IL
Wilder Mansion - Elmhurst, IL
Second Photographer - Natalie Viard
Videographer - I Do Video by Leo
Florals - RedBerry Floral
Bakery - The Baking Institute
Entertainment - Sounds Abound
Hair & Makeup - Tamara Makeup + Hair Artistry
Gown - Allure Bridal
Bridesmaid Gowns - Judy Steury
Drapery - Satin Chair
Paul & Demitra | Engaged - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
February, 2017
Warrenville, IL
James & Jane | Married - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
December, 2017
Chicago, IL
Special thanks to our Second Shooter, Natalie Viard!
Hotel Accommodations - Hard Rock Hotel Chicago
Venue - The Ovation
Wedding Planning & Coordination - Midwestern Bride
Florals - Revel Decor
Makeup - Dorothy & Delora
Hair - Erin Graham
Catering - Catering by Michaels & Superdawg
Entertainment - The Ovation
April Showers Bring May Flowers - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
Future Brides, this one is just for you!
I don't know about you, but ever since I was a little girl, my mood, thoughts, and even outlook on life has been deeply affected by the weather. Now that I think back on it, I think I struggled with a small amount of seasonal depression ever since we moved to the Midwest when I was a kid. It's a very real thing and you can't quite understand it until you've spent more than a few winters in the Midwest. Let's just say that I feel like a completely different person in February / Early March than I am in July! I have a seriously hard time thinking optimistically by Mid-March. Honestly, every little obstacle seems to carry a cloud and it's really hard for me to see big picture at that time. ...but then, April always comes. Filled with hope and new life and even as I sit here in Starbucks without my full length down parka by my side, I can feel my heart coming alive again. Thank God taxes were scheduled for THIS month and not in February or March. We've still got a little ways to go, but as I walk out my front door and see little bits of green popping up through the dirt, I'm reminded that the hardest part is over and I feel like we can conquer anything!
Come rain or come shine, I thank God for April.
For us, April is the catalyst of our work season.
At this point, we have had the honor of capturing two Downtown Chicago weddings for the month of April and both of them couldn't have been any more different. This week's wedding was idyllically sunny. Not a cloud in the sky and a gorgeous 72 degrees from beginning to end. Last week's wedding was 35 degrees, crazy winds, thick clouds, and on-again off-again rain. Do you want to know what I LOVED about last week's wedding? Despite the weather, our born and raised native Phoenix couple smiled from beginning till end. They never once let the weather get them down. They laughed, smiled, and held each other close to stay warm. Nothing could get them down. Their day was perfect because it was THEIR day.
As we enter Spring Wedding Season, we receive countless emails from Brides regarding the forecast of their wedding day. We have a couple of tips and tricks to help our couples to prepare for a rainy day, but ultimately, as much as we like to have all of our ducks in a row ahead of time, Mother Nature ultimately gets to decide how she feels on the day. We completely empathize with the anxiety of a Bride dreading rain on her wedding day, but we always remind her that even if it is cloudy or rainy or windy, it’s their day and that’s what makes it beautiful.
Can we let you in on a little secret of ours?
We ADORE rainy wedding days.
It's true. At this point, we've had the honor of documenting a couple hundred weddings and we can honestly say that some of our all time favorite days to capture rained from begging till end. We want to encourage every Bride to abandon their fear of rain on their wedding day and here's why:
1. Rain can help every couple abandon any expectation or comparisons they may be carrying over their Wedding Day.
I can honestly say that I feel bad for Brides who are planning their weddings amidst a Pinterest saturated wedding industry. Don't get me wrong. I have had my fair share of being sucked into the black hole of Pinterest far too late into the night. I find the most incredible recipes, home decorating ideas, and even parenting tips from this awesome resource, but just like a majority of social media that plays a part of our daily lives, it is SO hard not to compare our lives to the carefully curated perfect moments of other's lives. Pinterest, in particular, is an incredible resource for Wedding Inspo or DIY how to's. However, after spending time pouring through hundred's of carefully selected photos, it's hard not to carry perfectionist standards over every part of our own wedding days. That's why the rain can be a blessing. It can help couples abandon their preconceived ideas of how the wedding day "should" be and help them let their hair down to embrace what their day is really all about.
2. As photographers, we think an umbrella can be a best friend.
Umbrellas are an adorable way to make our couples get close to each other for pictures. Enough said!
3. You can't help but let loose and let go when you play in the rain.
If you are up for playing in the rain, then we are too! Genuine, real, and playful moments are what we are aiming for, so in some ways it could be great fun. Again, this all goes back to letting go of our preconceived ideas of what our wedding day "should" be and just focusing on what it is really about. The two of you, having fun, embracing the moment, and letting life be what it is.
4. The lighting is perfection.
From a photographer's perspective, cloud coverage is our best friend. From the moment the day starts till the moment it ends, we are constantly assessing the light. The clouds give us the ability to place you absolutely anywhere while avoiding the challenge of finding even light.
5. The colors are perfection.
On a cloudy day, the colors POP! Personally, we love color! Portraits on a cloudy day are some of our favorite because they allow color to truly stand out and avoid being washed out by luminous light. For instance, a Bride's green eyes will be particularly green on a cloudy day. Those red lips will stand out for a pretty pop. The colors in her bouquet will be vibrant and any color in a Groom's suit will be more saturated. We love that!
6. Cloudy days are awesome for skin tone!
Plain and simple, your skin will be gorgeous on a cloudy day. 100 points for that! Can I get an Amen?
7. And now that we've mentioned our most favorite reasons to shoot in the rain, here are some helpful little reminders and tricks to prepare for rain on your wedding day:
- Invest in two umbrellas for the two of you! We really suggest investing in two clear umbrellas (they become their own light box to illuminate your pretty faces) or in a color that you really like that goes with your day. Be very careful about choosing an umbrella with a pattern on it. We want the two of you to be the stars of your wedding portraits. Not your umbrellas.
- Encourage your entire bridal party to do the same. A suggestion to take one more thing off your plate would be to assign someone to buy umbrellas of your color choice. Again, clear umbrellas would ROCK a group shot for the bridal party. If you have a large bridal party, then you only really need one umbrella for every two people.
- Invest in an adorable pair of rain boots that you wouldn't mind getting muddy! That way you can protect your gorgeous wedding day shoes and not worry about having fun for photos.
- Encourage your bridesmaids to also bring along cute rain boots! If they already have a pair, then let them come as they are. Or, if you have a specific color you want to go for, send a little note ahead of time so they have enough time to come prepared.
- Ask your makeup artist to give you a pop of color that morning if it's going to be a cloudy day. Maybe a bright red lip? Or some color for your eyes? Choose one or the other and you wont regret having that pop for your photos.
- Investigate your indoor photo location options ahead of time. That way, if it is straight up monsoon down pouring, you have a backup plan and you don't feel stressed the day before or on your wedding. We strongly suggest finding a location that is not too far away from where the action is taking place. Lots of windows and natural light are your best friend when choosing an indoor location. Also, be sure to inquire with each location about permits. Some may require a permit ahead of time, so do your homework and ask about what may be needed in advance before your dates gets close. If you are at an absolute loss as to where to go for indoor photos, then venture out to a nearby garden center greenhouse. The lighting will be lovely and it will most likely be warm and cozy.
Doug & Alexis | Engaged - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
February, 2017
Lincoln Park - Chicago, IL
John & Jamie | Married - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
July, 2016
The Starline Gallery - Harvard, IL
Venue: The Starline Gallery - Harvard, IL
Florals: Petals n'Bloom
Bakery: The Sugar Circle
Decor & Styling: Forever Birdy
Entertainment: Music in Motion
Hair & Makeup: Jasmine Salon and Spa
Gown: Divine Atelier
Bridesmaid Gowns: Joanna August
Suit: Calvin Klein
Invitations, Programs, and Menus: Dani Brandon Design Co.
Matt & Kristina | Engaged - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
January, 2017
Crystal Lake, IL
Matt & Stephanie | Married - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
October 8th, 2016
Horton Farms - IL
Wedding Coordinatory - La Di Events
Videography - Ransom Wedding Films
Florals - The Petal Boutique
Bakery - Smallcakes a Cupcakery
Gown - Sophia Tolli
Bridemaid Dresses - Elite Bridal
Tent, lighting, tables, chairs - Blue Peak Tents
Officiant - Nate Meyer
If we could turn back time - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
It wasn't until right after we were married that we knew we were passionate about helping couples make their wedding day the greatest day of their lives. We knew that we didn't want to simply photograph weddings beautifully. We wanted our couples to know that we have their backs! That we are their allies from the entire planning process and beyond. That we were here to offer advice, suggestions, and most importantly help make their day flow in a way that avoided as much stress or foreseen hiccups as possible. We're the vendors who spend the most one-on-one time with our couples on their wedding day and we wanted them to know that we were on their team and we truly cared about how every detail of the day unfolded. As wedding photographers, we cannot also be wedding planners, but we can be key team players in every couple's wedding day experience. We couldn't have known how imperative that was if we didn't know what it felt like to not have the professional support or advice from a wedding planner or photographer. Six years, two babies, and more weddings than we can count, here is a list of the
top 10 things we wish we could have done differently on our wedding day:
1. We'd hire a wedding planner -
Oh the beauty of having a wedding planner or day-of coordinator! They are PRICELESS. They're worth every single solitary penny. When we were planning our wedding, we were doing everything from out of state. Meg's mom became the wedding planner because she lived where the wedding was taking place. (And she's the greatest supporter/encourager/helper on the face of the planet. We love you Lovsie!) Since everything was being planned out of state, we actually should have hired a wedding planner who walked us through every step of the planning process. We were just college kids. We had NEVER planned a wedding before. We were googly eyed and not even thinking or caring about the little details because all we cared about was the fact that we were going to be married. Not a bad mindset at all, but that left all of the little details and the entire bulk of the planning on Meg's parents. They didn't get to enjoy or take in the wedding day because their hands were so full. I so wish this could have been different. I wish that they could have enjoyed the day just like our guests did. If anything, we wish we could have had a Day-Of Coordinator to hold down the fort and the details just on the wedding day itself. A wedding day planner or day-of coordinator can ask every single question in regards to what a wedding day entails and what decisions need to be made. They can also strategize unforeseen hiccups and have backup plans in place that wouldn't otherwise be seen. All we can say, after working with some of the most talented wedding planners out there, is that we wish one of them had our backs and our family's backs on our wedding day.
2. We'd book our favorite photographer. End of story. -
I know this sounds insane, but we didn't book our absolute favorite and most trusted photographer for our wedding day. We had a photographer crush that we had followed for a few years and they were tried and true. They had done about four of our close friend's weddings and their work was gorgeous. When we contacted them, they were available for our date! (We're still palm smacking our foreheads just recalling the insanity of our decision.) Do you know what we did instead? We saved $500 and booked someone else. We saved a whole $500 and our disappointment and frustration can never be taken back. I won't go into any further detail about this experience, but I will say, that our wedding day experience is the exact catalyst for why wedding days are our profession. We never ever EVER want another couple to feel the way we did on our wedding day. I guess, in some ways, it was truly a blessing in disguise. Maybe we'd never be where we are today if this didn't happen. However, if we could save you from our greatest regret, HIRE YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHER. PERIOD. END OF STORY. This day is over so quickly and you never get to capture those memories over again.
3. We'd do a first look -
At the time of planning, there was no such thing as pinterest (it came out 6 months later. Shoot dang.) Also, since we didn't have a wedding planner or a photographer who could offer any kind of suggestions or advice, we had no clue there even was such a thing as a first look. If we could turn back time, we'd both say that we'd have given anything and everything to have done a first look. We wish we could have seen each other and spent more time together on our wedding day. We're both introverts at heart, so it would have taken care of all the nerves that were all jumbled up inside of us. It would have allowed us to communicate before the ceremony and taken SO much pressure off of us before hand. Plain and simple, we wish we could have had time together before the festivities began.
4. We'd wear what we felt most most confident in -
This one is for Jordan. I so wish he could have worn the exact suit that he wanted to wear for the entire day. The comfy and stylish JCrew suit that fit him perfectly and made him feel like a million bucks. We had ordered tuxes from Jos A Banks and long story short, when they arrived, every tux was about 3 sizes too large for every poor soul who had to wear them. It's a long day and especially when you're getting married in the thick of summer and having an outdoor wedding, make sure you're feeling your best. ...Jordan changed into that amazing JCrew suit almost instantly after the ceremony, but I'm sorry to our fathers and the groomsmen who had to muscle through the day as they swam in their attire.
5. We'd hire a professional team for hair & makeup -
Oh my goodness! Every bride deserves to enjoy the morning with her girls and get a little TLC before the big day. I'm so beyond thankful to the friends and family members who volunteered and so lovingly helped me and others on the afternoon of my wedding day. My dear friend from school did my hair, my cousin did my makeup, and it turned out just lovely. Here's why I wish I had a team arranged for me and my girls: It forces everyone to simply relax, have a wonderful time together, turn on some music, and enjoy a mimosa or two. (Brides, I strongly urge you to drink the mimosa : ) Not only does it force you to relax, but wedding day makeup and hair artists are specifically trained to do everything so that your hair and makeup lasts till the very end of the day.
6. We'd plan the morning of the day more thoroughly -
Do you want to know what makes or breaks the stress level of the bride for a majority of the wedding day? It's all inhow her morning and the hours leading up to that first look or ceremony go. When we are working with our brides in the planning process before the big day, we strongly encourage our couples to give themselves plenty of time for everything. (Often far more buffer time than you can imagine.) The more planning you can do, the more you can simply relax and let everything play out the day of. When your vendors know every bit of information and piece of the timeline, then they become the keepers of the clock and you don't have to constantly make sure everything is moving the way it should be. Also, a good vendor knows exactly how much time they need you in the chair for makeup, hair, or how long it takes to pin on 20 boutineers. A good photographer can offer suggestions for how much time the bride should give herself to get into her dress so that the moment can be enjoyed, not rushed over, and still allow for buffer time in case something goes wrong. We've seen liquid foundation accidentally dropped on the dress, a zipper that detached, and grooms attempting to tie a bow tie for the very first time on their wedding day. Anything can happen, but anything is fixable if you give yourself enough time for error. No one wants to start their day stressed and set that tone until cocktail hour.
7. We'd hire a fabulous DJ or band -
Before we entered the wedding industry, we had no clue that there is truly an art form to hosting and entertaining your wedding guests. When the ceremony ends and the guests head for refreshments, give yourself the luxury of having a DJ or a band take over for you. From then on, it's their responsibility to communicate the flow of the night to your guests. Give yourself the night off and allow a professional to host the party. This sounds like basic knowledge, but you'd be surprised what a difference it makes in ensuring your celebration is put in the right hands.
8. Organized Family Photos -
Oh my stars. Since we didn't have a photographer who sat down with us to offer advice on this portion of the day, we literally winged when, how, and where these would take place. It was truly the most stressful part of our day. If we knew what we knew now, things would have gone so much differently. We would have had our beautifully organized family photo shot list, a set meeting time and place for them to happen at, and someone else to help organize each person in each photo. No one wants to offend ANYBODY on their wedding day. Especially your closest family members.
9. We should have left an hour or two hours earlier -
When you've peaked for the night, then do yourselves a favor and get out of there! Leave before you are absolutely exhausted. The entire week before the wedding day can be exhausting and the actual day is the cherry on top. We were truly running on adrenaline and we wish we would have left earlier so that we could end the celebration feeling our best.
10. We wish we didn't necessarily go 100% DIY -
Plain and simple: There are some things that can easily be done yourself, but don't put the pressure on yourself to make every last detail DIY. Also, DIY doesn't necessarily mean more cost effective. Sometimes it just means way more time, sweat, and tears. Choose what is important to do yourself and if there is anything else that you can take off your plate, then either nix it or get lost in the wonderful black hole of Etsy and let someone else DIY it for you.
Okay, now enough of us rattling on and on about our should have, could have, would haves! Here's our most favorite moments from our wedding day:
- The worship at our ceremony! We had a stage full of our closest childhood friends and siblings from our separate stomping grounds (Chicago & New Orleans). They lead us all with their musical talents in a solid worship session before the ceremony began. We still get goosebumps when we think back on these people coming together for the day and worshiping together.
- We loved that a majority of our day was spent outdoors. Despite the rain that fell for half of it, it didn't stop us from taking our shoes off and enjoying our outdoor tented reception.
- Our videographers for the day were fabulous! We may not have too many stellar photos from our wedding day, but what we lack in photographs was made up for in footage. Our videographers were truly a God-Send and our daughter loves watching the footage over and over.
- Our coffee bar! We had our favorite local coffee shop set up a barista bar where our guests could custom order their own drinks for the night. We're obsessed with good coffee, so this was a way we could share that personal love with our guests.
- Every single one of our guests were a gift to us. We had family and friends come all the way from Australia, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Virginia, and countless other states to join us and love on us for the day. In the end, they were all we needed and we felt loved beyond measure. When all was said and done, we were married, and these people made us feel spoiled with love and support. ...If you're reading this, we love you and we thank you!
Eric & Diane | Married - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
October, 2016
The River Roast - Chicago, IL
Venue: River Roast - Chicago, IL
Florals: Bella Flora
Bakery: West Town Bakery
Entertainment: Bluewater Kings Band
Makeup: Epoch Salon
Hair: Hair Party
Gown: Reddington Bridal
Tux: Calvin Klein
Growing families, businesses, and tummies | Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
"Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails."
Proverbs 19:21
"We've got a three month open window to try for baby Imhoff #2! Ready and GO!"
I know it's silly and even borderline embarrassing to even admit that this was our thought process this year, but those were our plans as we got ready for our upcoming wedding season. We were back tracking nine months so that we could ensure that if we had a baby, they would be born in our winter off season. As wedding photographers in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, we are crazy busy between the months of April - October. We're pretty much the reverse schedule of school teachers.
When those three months came and went... no baby. In all sincerity, we were disappointed. We really felt like our hearts were being made ready for another child. So, we quietly laid those plans down and moved forward knowing we could try again in a year.
Surprise, surprise, surprise. Five months later, we received the most unexpected and incredible news. Baby Imhoff #2 would be making an appearance this summer! The timing was so far from what we had planned, but our hearts were more than ready.
It's so funny how we are constantly being stretched in this area of giving God the plans for our life. As self employed business owners, we are intense and serious planners! You just have to be when you are in charge of your own business and livelihood. It's engraved into us. ...there are definitely moments when it would be so nice to just call in to our boss sick and let someone else handle the tough work for the day because we're tired or we just could use a break. However, it's our couples and these incredible milestone days that far outweigh the luxury of getting to depend on a hierarchy of leadership. (There's also great freedom in our down season too : ) We were both brought up in homes where all four of our parents were always self employed entrepreneurs. The four of them paved the way for us. We both grew up in "can do , never give up, the skie's the limit" environments. So, I guess you could say, it's always been in our blood and we've never imagined life any differently.
With the perks of having that entrepreneurial mindset, also comes the internal struggle of total and complete self-reliance. It can be a really major and lonely struggle. In the very beginning when we started our business right out of college, we could go for months and months without seeing a single paycheck. Eventually, time, perseverance, and just flat out working our butts off paid off and God's grace blessed our business. We're so thankful to be in this current season of life as a family and a business, but you still cannot escape that constant little thought in the very back of your head from popping up once in a blue moon: "What if no one ever wants us to take a single picture of their wedding ever again?" These are the secret thoughts of every self employed entrepreneur. Am I right? So, with this incredible opportunity comes great responsibility.
It's clear what our struggle is: letting go and letting God take over. ...Even when it comes to planning our child's birth according to our work schedule. The amazing Lovsie (Meg's Mom) has always reminded us when we'd tell her what our business and family plans were. She'd say: "Only God can choose Birthdays." #truth
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."
Proverbs 16:3
Despite the fact that our baby boo will be arriving during a season that we so did not plan, we've been blown away to watch how God has taken care of every single detail. A few years back, we made a relationship with our amazing friend Natalie. Natalie is an incredibly talented photographer (insanely gifted with fine art film) and she has joined us over these past few years to fill in for Meg when she was under the weather or if our daughter needed some very much deserved TLC during the thick of wedding season. Natalie is a gift. She knows how we work, she anticipates those golden moments, and we NEVER have to worry about how a wedding day is going to go when she's there in Meg's place. She's calm, cool, collected, and she works so hard. She's truly our go-to girl. We just about jumped out of our seats when she confirmed that she could take over full time this summer as our 2nd shooter. We were thrilled and we couldn't be more confident in our team this year. We feel spoiled that plans just truly worked out so beautifully. Because, when God plans birthdays, he's also making a way.
Sam & Brittany | Married - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
October, 2016
Prairie Street Brewhouse - Rockford, IL
Wedding Coordinator - Alexandra Nor
Videography - Chris Nor
Hair & Makeup - Shear Renewal
Venue - Prairie Street Brewhouse
Florals - Event Floral
Rentals - Forever Birdy
Cake & Cupcakes - Sugar Jones Cupcakes
Entertainment - Music in Motion
Guitarist - Neil Dixon Smith
Chris & Erin | Engaged - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
November, 2016
Lincoln Park - Chicago, IL
Chris & Kelsey | Married - Chicago Fine Art Wedding Photography
September, 2016
Lake Geneva, WI
Event Coordinator and Wedding Planner - Creatively Yours Wedding & Event Planning
Florals - Kimberose
Entertainment - Just Press Play Productions Inc.
Hair & Makeup - Salon Mackk
Hotel Accomodations - Bella Vista Suites