Downtown Chicago Fall Wedding

Living in Chicago has seriously been such a major blessing. I have gotten to meet so many different people throughout my time here and photograph some AMAZING couples along the way. Without a doubt, Chicago has been one of the most beautiful places that I have ever had the chance the experience. With the gorgeous skyline views, the art and history that you are surrounded by, it seriously is a place unlike any other. It holds it’s own and I am constantly amazed at all of the amazing places I have yet to discover.

Bride Getting Ready

For Alex and Pedro’s special day, they really wanted to pull those gorgeous Fall tones and keep things very minimalistic with a little bit of a bohemian flair. We started off the day with me arriving at the hotel where Alex and her bridesmaids finished up getting ready. While they were putting their finishing touches on hair & makeup, it was my job to pull together some items for detail shots. Detail shots can be SO important on your wedding day, and I talk more about what you can include in them here! After everyone had finished getting their hair and makeup done, I sat Alex and her bridesmaids to get some pre-wedding photos. I loved how all of the bridesmaids had matching PJ’s and is a small element that I love when my couples incorporate on their wedding day. Don’t worry though, if matching PJ’s aren’t your thing you can always opt for matching robes instead!

Alex then slipped into her gorgeous slim fitting dress and looked absolutely PHENOMENAL. A slight gasp may have come out my mouth but to be honest… do you blame me? While her dress was rather simple it still had a lot of character ESPECIALLY with that low back moment, am I right???

First Looks

First looks on wedding day’s have not always been a common tradition. You most commonly see the bride and groom seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day as you both meet eye to eye at the ceremony. However, nowadays first looks have become more and more common and often preferred.

A first look is just as it sounds. The first look on your wedding day! This can include your partner, guardian, parents and bridal party.

While first looks are often seen done with the couple getting married, that isn’t always the case. First looks can be with just about anyone you want to which I love! For Alex and Pedro’s wedding, they decided to do two first looks. The first being with Alex’s bridesmaids which of course is always amazing to see. Jaws drop, tears flow and a whole lot of “omg yassss” moments happen and it’s completely justified! We then went outside of the hotel where Alex was getting ready to meet up with her husband-to-be, Pedro. As soon as Pedro saw Alex you could instantly see his eyes light up. It is always such a special moment to capture and if you have any questions about whether or not you should do a first look, always ask your wedding photographer!

Portraits

Now here comes the really fun part - portraits! Me, the lovely couple and the bridal party all hustled onto a trolley to take us throughout the city for their wedding portraits. This going without saying, but if you’re planning on going multiple places throughout your wedding day I highly would recommend a mode of transpiration. Especially if it takes a great distance to walk, the last thing we want is for you to end up in pain or sweating before the ceremony has even started!

We went to some open field areas to get some photos with their wedding party before heading closer to the water to get those gorgeous Chicago city views. On this day, the weather was just beautiful and the sun was beaming so beautifully so we really were able to get some amazing light.

Downtown Chicago Fall Wedding

Before we knew it, we checked the clock and we had to hurry to the ceremony! This Chicago wedding venue was absolutely STUNNING and had this gorgeous skylight on the roof of the space. Even though the rest of the decor made the space dimly lit, we were saved by the big gorgeous natural light peeking in through the top. It was a beautiful ceremony surrounded by Alex and Pedro’s closest family & friends and was so touching and amazing. There seriously wasn’t a dry eye in sight.

Sunset Portraits + Reception

Before heading into the reception, I made sure to sneak away with Alex and Pedro to the rooftop of their Chicago wedding venue. Can we also take a moment to appreciate how BEAUTIFUL the sky was? It looked like cotton candy and I honestly couldn’t stop shooting at this point. The way the sun peeked in through the clouds and grazed against Alex and Pedro were unmatched. These easily were some of my favorite photos that I shot throughout the entire day.

After some sunset portraits, we snuck back inside to join everyone for the reception! The reception was filled with a ton of dancing, crying from speeches and a few drinks… or a lot of drinks - LOL. I seriously had the most amazing time capturing Alex & Pedro’s special day and truly feel so honored to capture memories that they can cherish for a lifetime.

If you loved this Downtown Chicago Fall Wedding, then you’re going to love these Fall Wedding Photos in Wisconsin!

Associate shot for Nikki Kate Photography