Lindsey and Jon are married!

Lindsey and Jon’s wedding brought their closest family and friend’s together in celebration of their love. It was Jon’s grandfather, a retired pastor, who married the two. He spoke to the couple of the joy, beauty, and commitment of love. Friends and classmates at Garrett Evangelical Theology Seminary ushered guests to their seats, and one performed a song of worship that brought tears in the chapel.

From here, Lindsey and Jon will say goodbye to the Evanston campus and continue their journey in Michigan, where Lindsey will start her new pastoral position. Good luck to you both and warmest wishes to your lives together!

Lots of gratitude goes to my second, Michael Boyd. Thanks Michael!



Big Thanks to these vendors:

Florist: Flowers Flowers (Evanston, IL)

Cake: Rose’s Bakery and Oak Mill Bakery

Caterer: Hilton Garden Inn

Wedding Service: Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Chapel of
the Unnamed Faithful

DJ: Enchanted Evening

Dress: Tara Keeley

Tux: Men’s Wearhouse

Patti and Alfred’s Winter Wedding at Old St. Mary’s

“We have been a couple since before either of us was of a legal drinking age.  We met at the recreation center of our college.”

Eleven years later, the couple, who scored higher than anyone EVER for knowing the other best in their marriage preparation class, sealed the deal.  This self-described quiet, introverted couple, said their vows in an intimate winter ceremony  in front of their immediate family and very close friends.

In an e-mail to me before their wedding, Patti wrote, “we really just enjoy each other’s company.” I could see this from our first meeting.  They laugh easy, and seem utterly comfortable with each other. It was a joy to see them marry and celebrate at their reception afterwards.

I have to give the couple props (especially Patti-you’ll see why in the pictures) for bearing the cold during their portrait session.  They were troopers!  Thankfully, their reception was quite cozy at the Keith House also known as the Prairie Avenue Gallery.  In this beautiful building in one of Chicago’s historical districts, they shared in laughs, cheers, dancing, and even a little karaoke!  Congrats Patti and Alfred.  All the best to you both!

I’d like to give a big shout out to the following vendors:
Cake: Amy Beck’s Cake Designs.  cakes@amybeckcakedesign.com

Caterer: Maison dbarranco22@yahoo.com

Florist: Flowers-Flowers. www.flowers-flowers.com joanne@flowers-flowers.com

Venue: Prairie Avenue Gallery – Keith House events@prairieavenuegallery.com

Black Hearts Hair House- 773.525.4344

Makeup Artist: Esther Soto-esther.soto@yahoo.com

Bride’s Dresses:

Ceremony Dress – Allure Bridal

Reception Dress – David’s Bridal

Bride’s Maids Dresses-David’s Bridal

Tuxes: Formally Modern Tuxedo

Leslie + Doug’s Fall Wedding

Leslie and Doug were married earlier this month in a beautiful ceremony and reception at The Germania Place. Leslie, Doug, and their families planned a gorgeous event with thoughtful details and a touching ceremony officiated by a very eloquent speaker.When Leslie and her sister were children, her Dad read them the story of the Velveteen Rabbit. Leslie’s own Velveteen Rabbit was there for the wedding day, tattered, and worn, but still near her bedside.  Her Dad read  a portion of the story once more, sharing the idea of the rabbit becoming “real” because of his owner’s love no matter how long he had him, despite his aging figure or worn down appearance. Just as the rocking horse told the rabbit, the same message is meant for Leslie and Doug, “once you are real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.”

Here’s to Leslie and Doug!  I wish you both many years of happiness.


Xiyun and Ben’s Botanical Garden’s Wedding

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!

Cake: ROLFS PATISSERIE

Venue: Chicago Botanic Garden

Dress: custom made in Beijing

Hair stylist: Styles down the aisle

Flowers: FlowersFlowers



Kathlyn and David’s Morton Arboretum Wedding

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.

Kaitlyn and David's Morteum Arboretum weedding photography by Maggie Rife.

Becky + Darnell’s Arlington Heights Wedding

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!


Caterer: Heba-Hilton Rosemont

Florist: CR Flowers

DJ- Something 2 Dance 2

Hilary Schwartz of Estera Events Portrait Session

“I love your hair!” I called over to Hilary at an event earlier this summer. “You could totally rock this cut” she said in response, or something along those lines.  At the time I didn’t know “Hilary” was her name, or anything else about her, other than she had great style.  After a quick introduction, I discovered she is also an alumni of the University of Missouri and involved in the wedding industry. We exchanged cards and planned to meet again soon.

The next time we did, it was one of those amazing late summer nights where everyone in the city is vying for a patio spot.  I was able to snag a table at Rockit on Clark where we both ordered salads the size of our heads. So much for healthy eating with portions that size! We spent two hours talking like old friends, sharing how we each started our business’ and how we approached our work. With a background in interior and graphic design, a side talent for flower arranging, and a fine-tuned sense of what looks good, Hilary’s a natural candidate for wedding and event planning. With a generous smile, down-to-earth nature, and love of health food products and wine, she’s an instant friend.

http://www.esteraevents.com/ and http://www.esteraevents.blogspot.com/

Portrait of Chicago Wedding planner Hilary Schwartz

Portrait of Chicago Wedding Planner Hilary SchwartzPortrait of Chicago Wedding Planner Hilary SchwartzPortrait of Chicago Wedding planner Hilary Schwartz

Portrait of Chicago Wedding Planner Hilary Schwartz

Portrait of Chicago Wedding planner Hilary Schwartz

Hilary Schwartz, owner of Estera Event Company, poses for a portrait.

The Marriage of Linda + Steve

Linda and Steve are a radiant couple.  They’re a pair everyone wants for best friends.  With their easy smiles and joyful, generous spirits, it’s no wonder person after person sang their praises.

Thanks to Laurie Peacock for bringing me on as her second.  As always, we had a blast while shooting.  It was the first of the season for us together, but many more to come!