I was so happy to photograph the wedding of my sister’s best friend, Amber. I can remember back to the days when she and Katie (my sister) were those super cool older high schoolers that I looked up to in awe. Not much has changed actually–Amber’s still super cool and I feel so honored to have been a part of her wedding day. I couldn’t be more thrilled to see such a kind, generous, and fun woman married to a guy like Shawn. He’s easy going, happens to be handy with tools, and a friend to everyone. Congratulations Amber and Shawn! I wish you many many years of happiness and lots of babies
Stefanie and Andrew were married at Holy Family Parish in the warm glow of summer’s light coming through gorgeous stain glass windows. At their reception, the white linen tables were covered with center pieces garnished with mint and rosemary and adorned with pictures of the couple from countries across the World. At first glance, guests might have thought these were photoshopped postcards where the couple pasted smiling poses in picturesque scenes from Italy, France, Morocco, South Africa. These images were real though.
The couple met while working at American Airlines, where they spent weekends getting to know each other as they got to know new cultures. In fact, their first date was in PuertaVallarta. Stefanie said, “we spontaneously decided to travel there one weekend with anothercouple. After only four months of dating, we took a week-long trip together toBolivia and Peru, and traveled through the Andes, Lake Titicaca, and Macchu Picchu. It was one of our most amazing experiences together.”
They’ve spent the last four years traveling to over 50 countries! It’s not surprising to hear that Andrew proposed to Stefanie on Ecuador’s foreign soil. The self-described “silly” couple has recently settled into a more stationary routine, though no less remarkable. They each just completed their masters degree from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Now they’re both done, I suspect they’ll be back in the air soon enough.
Kate and Tj’s wedding was a day filled with tears, laughter, and sky high views. They were married at St. Alphonsus Church, a stone’s throw from the bride and groom’s home. Kate and her ladies got ready at the J.W. Marriott downtown with catered Portillo’s Italian Beef sandwich’s (the brides favorite). Once the groom and groomsmen were button and tied, they walked the short distance to the church where the couple said their i-do’s. From there they continued the celebration from the 63rd floor of the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower). The view was to-die-for, and the party was kickin’. Thank you so so much Kate and Tj for having me be part of your wedding. It was a huge honor!
Shout Outs!
My awesome second, Tom Root! Check out his stuff at HERE.
Xiyun and Ben have a remarkable story that spans continents and years. I feel like I’m more exotic and interesting just by photographing their wedding. Xiyun and I first started a correspondence back in March, when she e-mail me about her wedding from China. They were living in Beijing at the time, so meeting in person was impossible. I still hoped to get to know them a little more, so I asked Xiyun if she’d share more about their relationship with me. She wrote:
“Okay, and now the story of how we met. This is kind of a crazy story, which I’m sure you’ll hear many times over at the wedding. My fiance’s name is Ben Foster. He’s english (tiny little town near manchester), we met in beijing (where I was born and where I grew up until the age of seven) in the summer of 2004 while I was taking a year off from college. Within a week of meeting him, I had these crazy plans to move to Tunisia (another totally long story, which can be boiled down to: I more or less threw a dart at a map). After knowing each other for about two weeks, (I pushed back my original flight a week) he bought a flight to Tunisia to visit me. We had this insane on again off again transpacific relationship between Beijing and Tunis and then Beijing and Rhode Island while I was still in school at Brown. We split up a for two years because the thought of keeping up a relationship while I still had two years left at school was too daunting. But then i graduated, did some traveling around more random parts of the world and moved back to beijing about 3 years ago, and we’ve never looked back. And that’s the short version.” 🙂
So we now live in Beijing, where Ben runs a motion graphics studio (http://www.39degreesnorth.tv/) and I’m a translator/researcher/occasional writer for the New York Times. After the wedding, we’re moving to new york together, where I’ll be starting law school in the fall.
We generally spend our time arguing over books and movies and tv shows (he claims that I refuse to like anything great that he discovered first). I cook a lot and sometimes write about it, so he eats a lot, and we high five each other even more often for being lucky enough to eat so much. We have both traveled a lot separately in the past, but we’ve not been to enough places together, something we’re hoping to remedy in the future. He plays in a band, so I sometimes go to his gigs in an attempt to compensate for my super asian nerdy teenage years.”
That’s the short version. From the stories guests shared at their wedding and speeches from family and friends, the long version includes travel, adventure, and more chemistry than a high school science class. I feel so lucky to have photographed such an expressive, interesting, and inspiring couple. Here’s to both of you! I hope you have many many years of fun adventure together!
Lindsay and Matt’s wedding was full of International flair and cultural tradition. Their love for travel and learning was expressed through their details. Guests arriving to the wedding, picked up small blue programs that looked just like a passports. They were charmed during the ceremony by a guitarist playing one of Lindsay’s favorite acoustic melodies. Family and friends were introduced to a Afrocentric marriage tradition during the Yoruba tasting ritual, representing four elements of marriage. The ceremony shows that despite hardships within a marriage, represented as sour, bitter, and spicy, there is sweetness overall.
At the reception, a collection of Brazilian musicians created drum heavy beats for guests to dance too. Above the sambaing crowd, hung rows of white Mexican paper decorations, and behind the dance floor, a dessert table was covered with an assortment of Italian cookies. Chiwara figurines, a tradition of the Bambara people of Mali were the cake toppers. Lindsay’s father hand carved the pair of antelope that represent renewal, abundance, and teamwork.
Lindsay and Matt brought their love for culture and travel to their wedding. It was truly a distinct, unforgettable experience. Congratulations to you both!
Also, quick shout out to my second Tom Root. Thanks for all your help!
The first time Kathlyn and I talked on the phone back in the winter it felt like we were old friends. She is a fellow Missouri Journalism school graduate, so we immediately commiserated over shared stories of the J-slums (dilapidated apartments filled with over caffeinated aspiring reporters and broadcast students) and tail gating. We also shared a love for travel, which lead to the story of her and David. The two met on the streets of Italy one evening. David was actually on a date with a local, when Kathlyn came on the scene. While the Italian woman was native to the country, Kaitlyn had something that stole David’s attention away-she too was from Illinois originally.
Now the two live in California, but not for long. but maybe not for long. After David completes a three-year intensive graduate program in Middle Eastern studies, they may be on the road again. Who knows where they’ll head next!
Wow! Did I mention how nice they are too? Their family and friends were extremely welcoming me, making me feel right at home through the entire day. Thanks so much Kat and David.
One of my favorite things about photographing weddings are the stories I over hear during the day. Whether it’s the father’s speech, which more often than not leaves me choked up, or a passing comment in the buffet line. There were many of these moments during Lisa and Chris’ wedding. I loved hearing about the letters Chris wrote to Lisa while he was traveling that made her friends swoon, or about Chris’ hunger for learning and Lisa’s mini-urban farm complete with six chickens and her own fresh produce.
One other thing that struck me about Lisa and Chris is their complete comfort with each other. Granted they’ve been together for 10 years, but when they danced, they seemed to completely let go; when they hugged, Lisa would look at Chris with such longing, and when they cut the cake, well, you’ll just have to see what happened…
Big thanks to Leigh Loftus for her wonderful help photographing this wedding with me.
Becky and Darnell were married 30 minutes outside of Chicago in Arlington Heights, IL. I was able to spend sometime with the couple a little before their wedding during their engagement session. They’re fun, funny, and kind people. I love Becky’s easy going laugh and Darnell’s quiet sense of humor.
Their day was full of family-including three lovely flower girls who wooed myself and second shooter Tom Root. They were Becky’s little helpers dressed like mini-me’s in layered white fabric. One of my favorite moments was when Becky captured their attention, and like magic, had them all sitting patiently as she spun them a fairytale-patiently for two minutes, but hey, that’s a lot for a day full of hustle and bustle!
Big thanks to Tom Root who seconded with me on this one!
I’ve known Amber since the days of TLC, Step-by-Step, and my baggy jeans phase. She is my sister’s best friend and like family to us. I’m so happy
for her and Sean! Their wedding is this August; it will be the second time I return to “The Good Life” (State slogan, but who can argue?) for wedding photography this summer. What a bonus-I get to return to my roots for a job I love to do! It’s going to be so special to see Amber marrying her love-who happens to be a GREAT GUY!
Love you both!
A few side notes:
1. I was nearly arrested during this session. Ok, ok, I wasn’t nearly arrested, just nearly ticketed for photographing on the tracks-an old school habit that didn’t use to be a big deal. Luckily Amber charmed the police officer and even got him to pose for a picture!
2. At the end of the session I gave Shawn a big squeeze. “Ah, you’re a hugger just like your sister,” he said with a wide grin. “Yep! It’s a Rife sister thing.” Sean, expect a hug come August!
Alexis and Pat’s wedding was infused with a sense of humor-from mustaches on a stick, to a photo booth with props like eye-patches, those sunglasses Kayne West made famous, and signs reading “kiss me, I’m Irish” and “We’re next!”
I had a great time photographing with Steve Koo again at Wilder Mansion. The dance floor during the reception was rocking, there was even some hype from Steve about “the worm,” but that move postponed…I’ll make sure to catch it on camera if it ever does occur 🙂
