Nadia and Michael’s outdoor wedding at The Dawson was my third wedding of the Labor Day weekend and my second to feature a tropical bird!
I started with Nadia at the couple’s home where she was getting ready. Jay spent the morning with Michael and the guys. Nadia was in great spirits despite the weather and the threat of rain. It was really cool to see the look come together as she put on the traditional Palestinian wedding dress with the help of of her mother and sister – it also made for some really fun moments!
We got a break in the rain for a first look at a really cool firehouse around the corner from their place. Then we headed with the wedding party to the West Loop for a stop at Green Street Smoked Meats. It was pretty quiet thanks to the weather so we had the place almost all to ourselves!
We then stopped at the park near Gibson’s Italia that overlooks the river. Thankfully we were able to get in all the wedding party groups and some portraits with Nadia and Michael. The rain started again just as we were walking back to the bus.
Once we got to The Dawson we had some time for the family groups and then it was time for the ceremony. I haven’t shot at The Dawson before, but the outdoor courtyard is a beautiful little secret. I loved the brick fireplace and all the green trees!
Before the reception kicked off I knew I wanted to make a “blue hour” photo on the epic three-story staircase. Thankfully the timing worked out perfectly. The outdoor courtyard space was a challenging technical hurdle with so many trees surrounding the area – but there were so many great toasts and nice moments.
After dinner, Nadia headed upstairs for a quick dress and jewelry change before the couple’s first dance. It was my first time working with Brandon of Spark Entertainment but he was great! Hope to cross paths in the future for sure.
Special thanks to Jimmy at The Dawson for pushing to make the outdoor ceremony happen when the weather looked questionable – I’m very thankful and I think it made the ceremony images! It was great working with you and their Paneer Curry is a top 5 wedding meal of all time for me.
And, of course, thank you to Nadia and Michael. You trusted us and brought a great attitude that made working together a dream. Hope we see each other down the road again!
