How to have your dream wedding!

Ok so real talk- getting ready at some generic hotel with 10 of your "best friends", having your ceremony at some dark chapel and having your reception at a generic hall and running around like a crazy person all day is not how your wedding day should look. I know crazy right?! Your day doesn't have to be stress filled and full of unnecessary to do items. Shocking concept I know ;)

Don't buy into all the things that wedding magazines say you should do. You should make your day uniquely you. Perhaps that means eloping under a waterfall (all the heart emojis) or cliffside in Ireland, or in your backyard all decked out in twinkle lights- whatever it may be- remember the day is about you marrying your best friend and nothing else- not the table settings, or number of guests, or seating charts, or matching bridesmaids dresses, or getting married in a church bc your parents will kill you if you don't. So get rid of all the unnecessary stuff and focus on what really matters- your love for each other.  

Here is some elopement inspiration to get those creative juices flowing!

Oh and don't forget the second most important thing about your wedding day! The photographer (hey that's me!) who will be there to  capture all of your special moments to immortalize them for all time. And extra bonus points I'll help you plan your elopement to make sure your day is epic and stress free!

 

Elopement47.jpg

Starved Rock Elopement

I have been plotting this styled elopement session for a while now and since it is finally nice outside (thank you sweet baby Jesus) I finally made it happen. Chicago weather is so crazy, the night before it rained a ton but the day of the shoot was all sunshine!

I must admit that dress shopping for this shoot was super fun! I wanted something boho chic and thankfully that is what is popular right now :) Win win for gorgeous dresses and affordable price tags! The dress we ended up using is from Forever21! Score!

The day of the shoot we hopped in my tiny car and headed out on the open road to Starved Rock  A five mile hike and 40 flights of stairs later we were at the perfect location! And that long trek was well worth it! A bit of exercise+ epic location + gorgeous  people = a great day!

I really enjoyed planning and styling this shoot,  I should get into wedding planning at some point :)

Here are a few images from the session there are so many great ones it was hard to narrow them down!! Perhaps I'll post a bunch more in a separate blog post!

Elopement26.jpg

Top 5 Tips for Eloping!

Wedding planning can be extremely stressful! There are so many things to think about, what color theme are you going with, how many bridesmaids are you going to have, what color table linens are you going to have, how many hundreds of people that you don't talk to on a regular basis are you going to invite? The list goes on and on.. a never ending sea of "must have's" because that's what you are "supposed" to do. I say FORGET ALL THAT! Do you what you want, make your wedding uniquely "you". Your wedding should be about the love between you and your significant other and not any of that other nonsense.  So if that sounds fitting for you, please continue reading, I have some great elopement tips for you!

Tip # 1 - First and foremost (and I might be partially biased on this one ;) ) Hire a Photographer! This is the first most important thing (apart from your actual marriage)- hiring a photographer to capture one of the biggest days of your life to preserve those memories for years and generations to come is crucial.  Hire someone whose work you admire and that you get along with. Getting along with your photographer is also very important- you are going to be spending a lot of time with them and having someone that you mesh well with is very important, if you don't like who they are as a person, you won't like the end results in your images even if they are wonderful. Don't worry about finding a photographer in the area you want to get married- you can find a photographer in your home town who is wiling to travel with you to capture your memories!

P.S. I LOVE to travel :) 

Tip #2 - Relax! Planning an elopement can be done in just a few short weeks! Making it easy breezy! Want to get married at your favorite bar, coffee shop, mountain top, an Irish cliffside, a treehouse in the forest? Great! Do it! Pick your favorite spot or plan an epic adventure- the world is your oyster! The great thing about eloping is that you aren't restricted to some dingy banquet hall- you can literally get married anywhere your heart desires! In front of a waterfall in a state park? Do it! If you need help picking the perfect spot consult your photographer! They are great at picking locations! 

Tip #3 -  It's all about the Love- I cannot stress this enough! This day is all about your love for each other. Focus on making your day unique to you, pick small details and style that are fitting to you. Want to wear a black dress? Go for it! Want to wear a flowing floral gown? Go for it! This is your day, be you! Keep it simple because the day is about your love! 

Tip #4 - Save Money! No one wants to spend a small fortune on one day. Typical city weddings cost upwards of $30,000 ::gasp:: Save that money for your honeymoon, a down payment on a house etc...

Tip #5 - You get to Travel! Who doesn't love to travel? Follow your heart and elope somewhere you have always wanted to go. Turn your wedding day into an epic adventure! 

 

Cliffs of Moher- Ireland

Cliffs of Moher- Ireland