Molly and Nick were ready to tie the knot, and invited me along to photograph it. They had an amazing day planned, and I was thrilled to be along for the ride. I arrived at Molly’s hotel room after Laura Shepherd finished her hair and Carol from Nika Vaughan had completed her make-up. It was almost time to put on the dress, but first things first: make those pearly whites shine!
Molly’s mom and sister lit up when they saw Molly for the first time.
And her dad was on hand to begin the celebration.
One of Molly’s sisters helped out with a few final adjustments to the dress.
Meanwhile, Nick was hanging out with Leah at the Chicago Botanic Garden waiting for his first look at Molly.
The first meeting was full of hugs and kisses.
Molly’s mom couldn’t help but cry lots of happy tears!
We took a few portraits of the happy couple…
…and then we met up with the wedding party for some pre-ceremony pictures around the gardens.
We could not of had a more beautiful day for a wedding at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
And I love shooting there, too. I could spend hours using all of the gorgeous backdrops available on the garden’s grounds.
And Molly and Nick couldn’t have been any happier with how their wedding day was turning out.
A duck even came out to wish them well. That’s a lucky sign, right?
I love how the lighting turned out for this picture.
And I was thrilled that Molly and Nick allotted so much time for photos, too. We got to hit all the best spots the garden has to offer, like this, the Japanese Garden.
Like I said, I could photograph around the Botanic Garden all day, but I had to wrap things up…
…it was almost time for the ceremony!
The wedding party took a few minutes to relax before taking their places, and I took this picture. It looks like a hundred green, tiny pac-men, don’t you think?
Nick took his place in the English Walled Garden, where the ceremony was held, and watched as Molly made her way to join him.
Molly’s father escorted and gave her away.
Molly’s parents then settled in as the ceremony began.
Molly’s brother-in-law participated in the ceremony by giving a reading in honor of the couple.
Molly’s sister watched with a smile on her face.
Nick’s groomsmen listened intently while Molly and Nick made their vows to each other.
The vows were made…
…the rings were exchanged…
…and they sealed the deal with a kiss.
Congratulations!
Time for the party!
All of the sisters gathered together for a group hug.
Nick’s mom and Molly’s dad shared a celebratory hug as well.
Molly’s nieces showed off the banners they used in their role as flower girls for the camera.
The guests then gathered for cocktails in the garden.
Molly’s best friend continued the theme of sisterly love by posing for a picture with her own sister.
Molly’s dad takes a quick minute to reflect on his daughter’s wedding day.
Molly’s grandma, meanwhile, was having a ball, catching up with family and friends.
The guests were having a great time, enjoying the cocktails and appetizers.
…so I ventured out to take photos of some of the day’s details.
Beth Bernstein, of SQN Events, gave Molly and Nick an organizational helping hand that day.
The pie toppers were in place, and the wedding pie, baked by Sweety Pies Bakery, was ready to be sliced up!
Each table was set and ready for the amazing meal planned and prepared by Kristina Perez-Thomas and her team at the Botanic Garden’s catering service, Culinary Landscape.
The head table was adorned with floral arrangements, beautifully designed by Kelly from Fleur.
This sweetie pie banner was draped across the top of an old-school library card catalog, which held the table assignment cards for the guests.
I rejoined everyone at the cocktail hour for a few moments before the group settled into the dinner area for the reception. Molly’s dad took the microphone after dinner to thank the guests for sharing the day with him and his family.
Then it was time for pie! Nick couldn’t get over how delicious it was, and Molly couldn’t help but give her enthusiastic approval.
Then Molly and Nick shared their first dance as husband and wife.
Nick even sang along for his bride!
Molly’s dad took his daughter’s hand for the traditional father/daughter dance.
They practiced for the big dance, and it paid off. High-fives all around!
Then Jennefa from Toast & Jam fired up the DJ booth and got everyone on the floor.
Molly’s sis had some cool moves to show off.
Nick’s mom and dad were no strangers to the dance floor, either.
Sometimes I feel that way around my camera, too!
Don’t worry… Molly didn’t have to wait too long between dancing partners.
The party was raging strong, and I had one last photo to take: the ring shot. Nick is quite the fisherman, and loves anything that has to do with fishing. Taking their ring shot on a fishing hook seemed like the natural choice! After the picture, Leah and I said good-bye to everyone and made our exit.
I had a blast sharing your wedding day with you, Molly and Nick! Congratulations on your marriage!