Weddings
Katie & Ryan are getting married at a golf club this fall, so a crisp spring day in downtown Chicago made a perfect contrast for their engagement photos! The Chicago Riverwalk is one of our favorite locations, with its array of historic buildings and waterside views. And since Katie studied architecture in college, this area seemed like the perfect backdrop to capture all of the beautiful angles of Katie, Ryan, and their engagement story!
While planning for their Chicago Riverwalk session, we talked to Katie & Ryan about everything from how they first fell in love to the big holiday proposal!
When you think about your fiance, what is your favorite trait?
Katie: Ryan is a very easy-going and sincere person. He can strike up a conversation with anyone he meets. His smile & laugh is contagious and always puts me in a great mood.
Ryan: Katie has a great laugh and smile, serious yet lighthearted, thorough and to the point, but full of joy and so much fun to be around. She keeps me on my toes which makes her the best, and makes me a better person.
What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Both: Relaxing on the couch after a long day of work and watching our favorite shows. We always have the best time doing simple things.
What is your happiest memory together?
Katie: When we got engaged. He proposed while we were with my entire family on Thanksgiving. We were at my aunt & uncle’s house in Pittsburgh. Everyone was taking family photos out on their balcony, and he asked for everyone’s attention and popped the question. It was such a great moment that we were able to share with my entire family.
We’ll be sharing more of Katie & Ryan’s story after their November wedding at Mistwood Golf Club. You can see more Gold Grid couples here!
For more information about Gold Grid Studios’ collections & availability, contact us! We’d love to hear from you!
Weddings
We are always happy when couples say that they are “detail oriented”. We look forward to hearing about all of the choices they have already made, and are happy to offer our own recommendations during the planning phase. We know that every wedding day decision is part of the bigger picture, and helps you realize your vision for the wedding day. We love the little touches that help tell your story!
Our job is to help you document these decisions, and remember why you made all of these small (very important) choices. From choosing the perfect backdrop that showcases your ring, to taking a step back so that the full room is in view, we’re here to capture your full story. And we know that all of the love that went into these choices is an important part of that story!
We’re excited to share a few of our recent favorite shots! These are photos that tell you something unique about each couple, decisions that are worthy of having their own Gold Grid moment! Take a closer look and enjoy. This is dedicated to the little things that make a big impact!
Click here to find out more tips from the Gold Grid Studios team!
Weddings
From unexpected proposals to gifts on the wedding day, we love seeing couples surprise each other! Our very own Alissa has been engaged to her partner Bethany for over a year. The two are in the planning stages for their destination wedding in Greece! That European affair will be in spring 2017, and we can’t wait to be a part of it!
So what sort of surprise can be planned when you’ve been engaged for a year, and your wedding is almost a year away? Well, celebrate the anniversary of your engagement, of course! We talked to Alissa, who orchestrated this surprise adventure at Chicago’s Field Museum, and she gave us all the details!
Where did you get this idea?
Bethany proposed to me a year ago in Los Angeles, on a mountaintop overlooking the city. This year, on our anniversary weekend, I wanted to return the gesture with a surprise ring for Bethany, and incorporate close friends and family. The day before, we were actually in the David Yurman store, looking at the exact ring! Little did Bethany know, I had already purchased it! It was hard to not giggle as she looked at the very same ring in the store.
Why the Field Museum?
Bethany is a history buff, and I love cool artifacts. Plus – who doesn’t love a big T Rex?
What sort of planning goes into a surprise like this?
This was admittedly a last minute plan. I had to collect phone numbers from Bethany for close friends in the area, and try to get everyone in the loop with the plan. Everyone was to arrive at the museum a bit before the surprise, and hide themselves around the proposal point until I got down on one knee. The morning of, I had to make sure she was wearing something nicer without giving it away, so I told her we’d be taking a lot of selfies and I wanted her to look dapper!
What was your favorite part of the experience?
Surprising Bethany is my favorite thing ever. Seeing her excitement as her besties emerged from their hiding spots and I gave her the ring was priceless! Then we all went to a family & friends dinner to celebrate together. It was a perfect day!
I was so glad to have Gold Grid there to capture this moment. My friends’ cell phone photos, while great to have, can’t compare to these perfect candids of Bethany’s surprised face!
Weddings
One of the advantages of working with Gold Grid Studios is the team experience. What does that mean? Well, in addition to your fabulous photographer, you have an in-house team at Gold Grid Studios who are always available to provide assistance and answer your questions. Throughout the process, we provide guidance and make suggestions that ensure you are set up for success on your wedding day.
Here is a brief, general outline of exactly what you can expect from Gold Grid Studios from the moment we first meet. And we do mean “brief” and “general”…every new couple brings their unique needs, and we are always excited to work with you! After all, that’s what being a team is all about!
YOUR GOLD GRID TIMELINE
Day 1: The consult with Derek, the Gold Grid studio manager
The next week: Meet your perfect fit photographer
4 weeks later: Derek will help you plan your engagement session with your photographer
8 weeks later: The engagement session with your photographer
10 weeks later: Showing off those stellar engagement photos (including an ordering party at our studio)
Every wedding is different, and each couple’s planning is unique. From here on, we’ll look at a typical timeline and how far in advance of the wedding day these milestones usually happen.
12 weeks before: Wedding day schedule & questionnaires. Our studio manager Derek will email these to you, so that we can look at the details of your day.
6 weeks before: Finalizing wedding day schedule and portrait list with Derek.
1 week before: Talking to your photographer, and getting excited about…
YOUR WEDDING DAY
6 weeks after: Relive the big day at the Gold Grid Studios office! You’ll view your photos for the first time and we will help you design the perfect wedding album.
7 weeks after: Your images appear on our blog (feel free to share!)
12 weeks after: Your album arrives, and you get to share with family & friends!
52 weeks after: Happy anniversary! We are always only a phone call or email away. Christmas presents, parent albums, maybe maternity & newborn photos? You name it, we’re there. Even if it’s not photo related!
Weddings
One of the most exciting aspects of being in the wedding industry is the incredible people we meet. Each wedding day is successful, in part, because of the creative teams that are assembled to support that couple. We’re all about the team experience at Gold Grid Studios, and that extends to industry professionals in other fields. These are the vendors we admire, respect, and always recommend!
The first in our series of Gold Grid Recommends is Anita Vaughan, officiant and life celebrant.
What’s one thing that makes you different than other professionals in your field? Effectively, why should I work with you?
I think that the one thing that makes me different is my approach to ceremonies. As a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, my ceremonies are custom made for each couple. So, it’s not about me or what I believe or what I like. It’s all about YOU.
I invest a great deal of time and energy into each ceremony. My couples complete very detailed questionnaires, and share personal details about themselves and their relationships. When I’m reading the responses, I often think, “Of course you love each other! You are amazing!!” I guess I fall a little bit in love with each of my couples when I’m working on their ceremonies.
When couples respond to my questions with such honesty and openness, I feel a sense of obligation to create the perfect ceremony for them. I want them to read the 1st draft and say, “Yes! This is us!”
After officiating a ceremony, I often have guests ask me if I’m a friend of the family, or how long I’ve know the couple. That’s when I know I’ve done my job.
What’s your favorite part of a wedding day?
Of course, my favorite part of the wedding day is the ceremony! But, I have favorite parts of the ceremony. I think the one I like the most is the community vow, which most of my couples opt to include in their ceremonies.
After the couple exchanges their vows and rings, I have them turn and face their guests. I ask them to look at everyone and take a moment to “feel the love” of their family and friends. I then ask the guests whether they affirm the marriage and give the couple their blessing, to which they all exclaim, “We do!”
It allows the couple an opportunity to be truly present and “in the moment.” It also allows the guests to feel included, rather than just being spectators. It’s such a happy way to end the ceremony!
What’s one thing you wish you could tell every couple?
I wish I could tell every couple to take a step back and remember what the wedding day is all about. The day is about the love you share and celebrating an important life event. It’s also about all the people who surround you on your wedding day and who are celebrating with you because they love you. Everything else is just icing on the cake!
I would also like to remind them that there will most likely be a glitch on their wedding day. You can plan everything down to the tiniest detail, but something might still go wrong. And it’s okay. No one will care. The most important thing is that, when it’s all over – you’re married!
So, take time to soak it all in on your wedding day. Mingle with your guests. Eat the delicious food you picked out. Kick off your heels and dance! It’s time to celebrate.
What your best memory to date from a wedding/event you were a part of?
Without a doubt, the best memory I have is when I co-created the Under a New Moon wedding giveaway in 2011. The ceremony, which happened at 12:01 AM on June 2, 2011, was the first legal same-sex wedding ceremony in Chicago!
As a long-time supporter of same-sex marriage, I wanted to do something to celebrate when civil unions became legal in Illinois. So, I contacted the wonderful folks at Catalyst Ranch and worked closely with then-manager, Lauren Smith.
We brainstormed and came up with the idea for a wedding giveaway for six couples. Everything was donated by wonderful and generous local wedding professionals, some of whom contacted us to ask if they could help. It was amazing! Lauren and I poured so much time and energy (and a few tears) into running the contest and organizing the event… and it was worth every second!
The six couples we selected got to know each other through the process and became friends, and still keep in touch. Since then, I have officiated a larger wedding ceremony for one of the couples, and the others were there as guests. I also performed a baby blessing ceremony for one of the couples, who are the proud moms of an adorable little boy.
It’s been almost five years, and every time I see photos or watch a video of the event, I get choked up. I am so proud to have been a part of it and I’m still overwhelmed by the generosity of the wedding community. I still can’t believe that, from a tiny idea, something so amazing was able to happen. It shows what a little love and a lot of great people can do!
Anything you’d rather say?
I have the best job in the world!!
Learn more about Anita: www.anitaweds.com
Weddings
As soon as you get engaged, you’ll find that everyone has an opinion! There are unlimited resources about how to organize and prioritize your planning. With all of the blogs and tips out there, we want you to have a bit of insight from the Gold Grid Studios team.
Below are 5 questions you should ask every photographer. These are basic questions that will help you get a feel for the photographer’s experience and professionalism, as well as guide your expectations for before and after the wedding. Your wedding day is too important for you to have to say “Well, I wish I’d asked…” afterward. We encourage you to never stop asking questions!
1) HOW MANY WEDDINGS DO YOU SHOOT PER YEAR?
Why to ask it: Weddings take a lot out of you. It can be a long, physically tiring day for both the photographer and for the entire wedding party. You want a photographer who has the experience, stamina, and positivity to not only make it through the day, but to excel in the environment. On the flip-side, you don’t want someone who spreads themselves too thin. For example, if your wedding is on a Sunday, and your photographer already shot a Friday and a Saturday wedding, you may find yourself with a photographer running on fumes…or a Trente triple-shot coffee!
Our answer: 20-25. It means we are active throughout the year, constantly shooting at new venues and meeting amazing new couples. It also means that we are not shooting 3 weddings per weekend. This ensures we have time to give each couple the focus and energy they deserve.
2) DO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE AND INSURANCE?
Why to ask it: There is currently no barrier to entry into the field of photography, which makes it hard to figure out who is an official business. You want to make sure you are protected & the photography company is legitimate.
Our answer: Yes.
3) WHEN WILL WE SEE OUR PHOTOS?
Why to ask it: There are so many horror stories about couples having to wait months (or even years) for their photos, or concerns about not being able contact the photographer after the wedding. It is important to have an idea of when you will receive your photos, so that you can plan accordingly. And the more specific the photographer can be, the better! There are too many variables in hearing “within a few months.”
Our answer: We set the exact date before the wedding even happens (usually 4 weeks after the wedding). We host an ordering party for you, where you come into our studio to view your photos for the first time. We celebrate your day with a grand unveiling, and help you figure out how to best utilize your photos.
4) HOW DO YOU BACK-UP THE PHOTOS AND/OR KEEP THEM SAFE?
Why to ask it: Any tech person would agree that when it comes to technology, something always happens. It’s not a matter of IF it will crash or break, it’s a matter of WHEN. There’s no need to take a risk with something as priceless as your wedding photos.
Our answer: From the moment a memory is being captured, we are taking precautions. We always write to 2 memory cards in camera. Then, once downloaded to the studio, images are stored on 2 different external hard drives (along with 1 off site hard drive and 2 cloud based services). Once editing is complete and you have all of the photos, they are permanently stored on a separate hard drive dedicated to the year you got married only. We’ll keep them there for you forever. The JPEGS are also backed up in a cloud-based system forever.
Bonus tip: This is why tangible artwork is the best!!! It’s never going to “crash” or be unusable because you updated your operating system.
5) WE DON’T KNOW ALL THE SPECIFICS OF OUR DAY. CAN WE CHANGE OUR COLLECTION AFTER BOOKING?
Why to ask it: How overwhelming is trying to make decisions on things you’ve never done before? You’ve decided what photographer you want to work with but then they have all of these different packages with number of hours on the wedding day and different size albums and canvases and… We haven’t even taken any pictures yet! Your wedding is 9 months away, how are you supposed to already know the entire timeline?! You just want to know you have your favorite photographer for your date. Can’t we just figure out everything later?!
Our answer: Of course! You should only make informed decisions. We set up our collections in such a way that we can continue to customize for you after booking. You can always add hours or even upgrade to a full day of coverage. We allow you to make that change in a few months when you actually know your timeline (and we can help you build that timeline too!). We also offer album credits. This way, you know you have money set aside for an album, but the details of it – how many pages, what size, what kind of cover, etc etc – can actually be decided once you have your photos.
