I met Marisa + Ryan last year from a referral from my girl, Brittany Bekas. I sat and chatted with them at a local Starbucks, and as I sipped on my latte I could tell how in love they were. Their proposal story alone shows how much time and effort Ryan put into proposing to Marisa – the woman of his dreams. Ryan went all Bachelor Style… putting Marisa in a limo while playing a video of himself talking about how much he loves her. This limo brought Marisa to Ryan, where he was waiting to give her the final rose. To bring it full circle… on the wedding day, Ryan incorporated this video into his gift to Marisa. While opening Ryan’s wedding gift – Marisa watched a video from secret cameras that were hidden in the limo ride with her – capturing every tear, every emotion and every moment of anticipation leading up to his surprise proposal. SO thoughtful. SO romantic. SO perfect.

Their wedding day was just as perfect. And I’m obsessed with the portraits at Busse Woods in Schaumburg. The juxtaposition of the bright coral with the not-so-living grass and trees was absolutely perfect. And while we may have trashed the dress a little bit, Marisa + Ryan were the PERFECT clients – willing to do anything and everything to get great photos. I’m so blessed to work with clients who love and trust what I do, and I am even more thankful to be able to document one of the most important days of their lives. Marisa + Ryan, from the bottom of my heart – THANK YOU for having me. It truly was a pleasure working with both of you (and your family/friends), and I hope you love the photos as much as I do!

A few of Ryan’s friends work for Pro Mix Media Group, a multimedia AV and branding company – and they were kind enough to bring an entirely different experience to Ryan + Marisa’s wedding reception…  this lighting isn’t what I typically work with at weddings, but it was so fun to experiment with something different and out of my comfort zone. Spotlights, laser shows, disco balls… it definitely had a very different feel than my typical wedding reception, but it was so much fun!

VENDOR CREDIT: Wedding Dress Designer: Demetrios Bride // Bridesmaid Dress Designer: VIP Occasions // Make-up Artist: Kristy Oliverio (iluvmac@sbcglobal.net) // Hair Stylist: Jenni Caruos-Noia of Eddie Caruso’s Salon // Videographer: Shiavone Cuts //  Florist: Aga Wedding Flowers // DJ: Simone Ragusa // Paper Goods Designer: ToLu Inc. // Ceremony Venue: St. Philip the Apostle // Reception Venue: The Stonegate // Multimedia AV: Pro Mix Media Group