Every so often I get the chance to capture the wedding memories of someone I know on a more personal level.  Diana is the sister of one of my best friends, Mike.  She and Nick approached me shortly after they got engaged and I had the honor of capturing their Chicago wedding images.  We actually began their photographic journey with a destination engagement session in Mexico but ended up back in Chicago for their wedding.

The day began and ended as hot, which is a warm welcome as I write this in a nice cold December.  After having the first look at the hotel we set off for Busse Woods, a forest preserve just outside of Chicago.  There were a few storms in the days leading up to the wedding so we were extra cautious as we walked on the semi-wet grass to avoid any extra wet areas.  As I walked ahead, I would both plan out the images and be the feeler of any surprise sink holes in the grass!

After a wee bit’o time out in the nice summer air, it was off to Victoria In The Park, one of my favorite venues, for the ceremony.  Why one of my favorite?  Big beautiful windows, a large space (formerly a bank), and it’s all yours!  The entire building hosts just one wedding per day.  In a non-traditional setup, Diana and Nick took advantage of all the space by setting up their dance floor out in the open area where the dinner tables normally are.  This allowed their DJ to set up a larger stage and highers lights without being limited by a low ceiling in the “dedicated” dance floor area.  As with most European weddings, the party went on and on, long into the night.

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