Weddings
We’ve been looking forward to Heidi & Colin’s wedding ever since their engagement session. They are such a fun couple and have great personal style, so we just knew this day would be memorable. Set at Newberry Library, which Heidi describes as “a special part of the city…free from busy traffic and noise,” this day was filled with personal touches that created a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. It was exactly the kind of intimate and unique occasion they wanted.
Heidi had told us that this would be a “Do-It-Yourself” kind of wedding, but we had no idea how much care she and her family were putting into every detail. Heidi is a graphic designer and created all of the programs, place cards, and menus for the day. Her mother made her wedding dress, including a heart a patch reminiscent of the similar patch sewn on one of Heidi’s favorite childhood dresses. Her veil and hairpiece were a handmade gift from her grandmother.
It really was a family affair, Colin and Charles (his brother-in-law) wore ties that had belonged to his late-grandfather. All of the tie-clips were gifts from Colin embodying the personality of the wearer. If you look closely, you might see a Dr. Seuss tie or a Batman tie clip! These little accents were perfect ways to include their family and friends, making sure everyone’s personality had a chance to shine. It was an absolute blast to be a part of this wedding day, and to see all the little things that tell Heidi & Colin’s story.
Venue: Newberry Library
Weddings
The wedding day is a series of moments. It flies by so quickly that couples often describe it as a blur. Showcasing the natural beauty of that blur is what we do best. The love, the emotion, the family and friends–these are the things we love to capture. We aim to delight and surprise you, showing you the moments that you might have missed on the wedding day.
Your flower girls and ring bearers are always an adorable source of inspiration. They are with you for much of your day, watching the adults around them with wonder and awe. They have absolutely no filter and show you exactly what they are feeling. And they tend to have the same effect on the adults around them. They remind us to laugh, give us moments of pure joy, and sometimes steal the show. Even if you did not get to see them in the moment, you would never want to miss some of the cutest, most precious parts of your day.
Weddings
The Chicago Botanic Gardens always offers a great location outside of the city. We love the “architecture” of the gardens. The secret nooks and grand structures of the trees makes it feel like you could be in the fields of an Italian villa or the French countryside. With its structured gardens, it’s a great option no matter the weather. For all of these reasons and many more, this proved to be the perfect location for a session to celebrate Amy and Jon’s engagement.
This stylish and stunning couple made the session easier than most. We love how they didn’t shy away from bright colors in their outfits, while still adding that extra little bit of effort to celebrate the specialness of being engaged. The textures between the lace of her dress and his linen shirt added a great dimension to the photos. Jon’s style was comfortable being a little more casual, and Amy felt that extra bit of fancy every girl enjoys from time to time. Yet still the couple was coordinated, without looking matchy-matchy.
Of course, we will let the photos speak for themselves…
Weddings
One of the best things about getting married in Chicago is the amazingly unique venues at your disposal. Long gone are the drab ballrooms with no character. You can welcome family & friends into a space that speaks to your and your fiancé’s personalities along with the city that you adore so much. We all know Chicago is known for it’s unique architecture, and no other venue in the city emphasizes this amazing history like The Rookery.
Combining the stunning venue with the absolute love Brittany & Ryan have for each other – not to mention their wonderfully sweet & funny personalities – and you have the perfect wedding day.
We love Brittany & Ryan because while they have amazing taste, they also don’t take themselves too seriously. You can get drop dead gorgeous and romantic moments with them in one second, and the next you realize Ryan’s selected a classic Nintendo song for their cake cutting. True love is all about finding someone you can be yourself around – and we believe that Brittany and Ryan are definitely that.
Vendor Team // Dress: Alvina Valenta from Bella Bianca // Veil: James Ciccotti // Shoes: Angela Nuran // Hair & Makeup: Makeup by Jaycie // Groom’s Attire: Brooks Brothers // Florist: Gratitude Heart Garden // Caterer: George Jewell Events // DJ: Toast and Jam
Weddings
We all know Chicago has an amazing skyline, but for us locals, we don’t need to see the whole shot – from 311 S Wacker to the Hancock building – to know it’s our fine city. While a full skyline shot is great, what we really enjoy doing here at Gold Grid Studios is finding the best way to show off the city in subtle ways only those that live here recognize.
But of course, there are some iconic locations, which will just never go out of style…
Don’t forget about our amazing city at night! While Chicago looks great any time of day, our personal bias is that the skyline was built to glow. Night time photos are something that is great to take advantage of for your engagement session since, more often than not, on your wedding day you’ll be busy bustin’ a move on the dance floor during the night time.
Weddings
Welcome to our work home! If you’re ever in the neighborhood, we would love to have you stop by and take a load off. With coffee, free wifi & any choice of music, we think it’s a bit more cozy than Starbucks!
