Tracy and Franklin | Jeremy Lawson Photography

It was a beautiful day for a wedding, and I was happy to be with Tracy and Franklin as they said their ‘I do’s. The day began at the Hotel Indigo, where Ramsay Marston was finishing up Tracy’s hair design. Jaclyn Mednicov had also wrapped up the bride’s makeup, so all that was left to do was slip in to the dress from Meringue Vintage.

Tracy couldn’t keep the smile off of her face as her bridesmaids helped her fasten up the dress. This was one happy bride! After making a big entrance to premiere her bridal look, the gang headed out for the first meeting with Franklin.

Franklin was more than excited to get his first look at Tracy and start the wedding day.

Tracy snuck up behind her groom, letting him know she was there with a playful tap. They spent several happy minutes admiring each other, then we took some time taking portraits with the wedding party in front of the nearby murals.

You can’t have a Chicago wedding without including the El! Around the corner from the first look location was a great spot for doing just that.

Tracy and Franklin got in one last practice of their first dance…

…and then we were off to the Adler Planetarium for some pictures with the skyline. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for taking pictures in this spot!

Taking photos is hard work, and we had worked up an appetite! We headed over to Eleven City Diner for some milkshakes and a snack.

The wedding party was very happy and grateful to be able to grab some sandwiches for the road!

The gang chowed down and enjoyed themselves while we made our way to the next stop.

Tracy and Franklin could barely contain their excitement as we pulled up to our last stop before the wedding. Everyone filed out of the trolley and posed in front of one of my favorite murals.

Next stop: the ceremony!

When we arrived at Lacuna Artist’s Lofts, where the ceremony and reception were held, we grabbed family members and headed upstairs for portraits. Meanwhile, guests were beginning to arrive and find their seats. Tracy and Franklin had a jazz band on hand to entertain while guests mingled. Fantastic idea!

Soon enough, Franklin made his way to the ceremony site, escorting his parents down the aisle. After the bridal party entered, Tracy walked with her father. Jarrod of Rev It Up welcomed guests and began the ceremony with a story about the couple… and what a beautiful ceremony is was, too. The highlight was hearing the meaningful and heart-felt vows the couple wrote to each other. Enjoy this collection of images from Tracy and Franklin’s ceremony:

With rings and vows exchanged, Tracy and Franklin were officially married! Congratulations!

Guests went upstairs to enjoy cocktail hour and I set out to take photos of the details of the day. There were some many colorful touches Tracy and Franklin added to the reception area, like these streamers and sunflowers hung from a Lacuna art installation. Elizabeth from Anticipation Events helped with the planning and execution of this festive scene!

Franklin and Tracy are film buffs, and the artwork on this huge poster represents movies that are important to the couple.

A close-up of the bride’s colorful bouquet, which was designed by Siddhanta at Gratitude Heart Garden.

As a special surprise to Franklin, Tracy had two arcade games set up for guests (and Franklin!) to enjoy. I took this ring shot on one of the control buttons.

When cocktails were finished, guests moved back downstairs and found their seats for dinner. The festivities kicked off with the newlyweds’ first dance as a married couple. And as you can see in the background, I wasn’t the only capturing details that day… there was a crew from Leap Weddings on hand to video the day’s events.

After a delicious dinner prepared by Wishbone Catering,Tracy’s dad kicked off speeches, which featured toasts from Franklin’s parents, the Best Man and the Maid of Honor.