It was Belle and Tom’s wedding day! Belle was getting ready in a suite at Chicago’s Hotel Monaco, and I joined her there to begin documenting the wedding.
Jennifer from Nika Vaughan had finished her makeup and Justyna Taunt completed Belle’s hair styling. Next step: the dress.
Belle’s bridesmaids helped to make sure that every detail was perfect…
…and there were a lot of perfect details!
The final touch: Belle’s veil was securely fastened into place.
Time to head out for the first meeting with Tom!
Tom was with Leah at the home he shares with Belle, calming wedding day jitters by enjoying a smoke.
The time was here! Tom bounced down the front steps…
…and joined his groomsmen, who were hailing a cab for him.
Tom and Belle had their first meeting in the gardens at the Art Institute downtown.
A view from the side as Tom moves in to hug his bride.
Tom took a long, loving look.
And then the wedding party joined us for some group shots.
We left the gardens and headed toward Michigan Avenue.
This bridesmaid could barely contain her excitement as we moved into downtown Chicago to take more photos.
And our first downtown location was one of the bridges over the Chicago river.
I made sure to feature Belle’s bouquet, which was designed by her bridesmaid, Kristen. You can check out more of Kristen’s work on the webpage for Lily Greenthumb’s.
Belle braved climbing the LaSalle Street bridge.
A close up of Belle’s shoes, which were amazing.
The groomsmen shared some laughs and buddied around as Belle and Tom had their pictures taken.
This bridge boasts, in my opinion, one of the best views of some of Chicago’s downtown buildings.
My brides who get up on this ledge work hard for their wedding pictures! Getting up and down from that thing is very difficult when you’re wearing a wedding dress!
The ceremony start time was getting close, so we headed over to Adler Planetarium where Belle and Tom were having their ceremony and reception. While the wedding party congregated to take group pictures, one groomsman demonstrated his modeling skills for the camera. Impressive!
The planetarium is another Chicago skyline hotspot. I was lining up the wedding party and told the ushers to step out of the group for a moment.
And I got flipped off! I love it!!
After that, I told the entire wedding party to get out of the picture, and focused in on Belle and Tom.
One last shot…
…and then on to the ceremony. Belle was escorted down the aisle by her father as the planetarium loomed impressively in the background.
Tom didn’t even notice the background, though, as his eyes were fixed on his gorgeous bride.
The officiant began the ceremony.
Belle’s dad took his seat and listed as the ceremony began.
Tom’s mom and dad were in the front row, too, beaming with pride.
Belle was gorgeous and graceful throughout the ceremony.
They exchanged rings and vows…
…and finished with a kiss.
Congratulations! The newlyweds were showered with bubbles as they made their way down the aisle.
Cocktails hour was held on the lawn of the planetarium. The weather was beautiful, and the guests enjoyed the drinks and appetizers provided by Food for Thought.
One guest enjoyed his pipe while he gazed out over Lake Michigan.
Tom’s parents enjoyed themselves as they made their rounds, greeting family and friends.
While the guests enjoyed the party outside…
…I moved inside to take some pictures of amazing reception area.
Mmmmm… cupcakes. This mouth-watering tower was made by Phoebe’s Cupcakes.
For table assignments, guest found their names attached to peacock feathers. Each table was named after a special date in Tom & Belle’s lives. In the picture below, August 7th is the date that Tom’s parents were married.
I about passed out when I saw this treat… bacon salt cotton candy.
I took one very important detail shot before dinner was served. The wedding rings, which I placed on one of the planetarium’s displays.
The sunset that evening was picture perfect…
…which made for wonderful ambiance inside.
Jeremy from I Do Films was serving as videographer that night, and noticed the beautiful outdoor light. He asked me to step outside with him to shoot. Thanks for the heads-up, Jeremy!
The guests all found their seats, and Tom and Belle made their big entrance.
As dinner wrapped up, Belle’s father took the mic to thank the guests for sharing the day with him and his family.
He even got a laugh out of his daughter!
Belle’s first Maid of Honor favored the guests with a toast to the newlyweds.
Tom’s dad couldn’t help but enjoy the bacon salt cotton candy during the speeches. I would have been doing the same, had I not been holding the camera!
Belle’s other Maid of Honor stood up to make a speech in honor of her friends.
Tom and Belle shared their first dance as husband and wife…
…and then everyone was ready to boogie!
Belle, Tom and their guests all partied hard while Natalie from Toast & Jam supplied the soundtrack.
Ack! I hate it when that happens!
Tom’s mom had complete control of that dance floor.
The party was raging as I began to pack up to leave. I couldn’t go without grabbing Belle and Tom for one last shot with Chicago’s nighttime skyline in the background.
I had a great time spending your wedding day with you, Belle and Tom. Congratulations on your marriage!