Janet & Jimmy’s Wildfire Restaurant Chicago wedding was a welcome change from some of the larger weddings I’ve been shooting lately. It’s always great to work with a smaller group in a more intimate setting.
My morning started off Jimmy and his brother getting ready at home. After they were in their suits & ties, I met Janet at Chicago Ave. Salon where she was doing hair & makeup. The front of the salon windows reflected the buildings across the street perfectly and I got some help from one of Janet’s friends to hold a light and we made one of my favorite getting ready photos of the year.
I rode with Janet to Wildfire Restaurant where my assistant Amanda, was getting the PhotoBooth set up. We had just enough time to get Janet into the dress and ready before first look. Earlier in the week, I scouted the perfect spot that an alley conveniently located across the street. After first look we shot a few quick portraits in the alley then headed back to the restaurant for the ceremony.
The restaurant was arranged in a standard table setup (instead of aisles) which was a cool vibe that made the ceremony feel like a dinner theatre show. I loved Janet’s reaction as Jimmy worked to get the ring on her finger.
After the ceremony, Janet’s father introduced many family members and then it was time to eat. People were entertained by some fun games including the “shoe game” which is always hilarious. As the afternoon reception wound down, we still had daylight left so we decided to make the most of it and head to a few spots for some more portraits.
Our first stop, LaSalle Street Bridge is a classic iconic location. It was definitely getting cold and windy at that point, but Janet & Jimmy had one more stop in them so we finished at the new park behind Gibson’s Italia. It overlooks Wolf Point where the three branches of the Chicago River come together. We managed to keep from blowing away just long enough to get a couple of different shots then come back down the stairs. We wrapped up on the staircase as the sun decided to peek back out again.
I had a great time with Janet and Jimmy and their families. Thank you both for letting me document your day.
