Category Archives: Weddings

Wedding Images

What’s in my bag: 135mm f2.0L

This is my last lens! The Canon 135mm f2.0L. This is my newest lens but my absolute favorite for ceremony time! I rented the 70-200 one time with the knowledge that it is most wedding photographers’ go-to ceremony lens….and I hated it. So I looked into options, rented this, and fell in LOVE. Immediately. I love love this lens. And one of my goals for the year is to start using it more with my engagement & beloved sessions too! I love this lens because it is tack sharp and soooo “buttery” :-D

I had a little fun with this lens with Betsy too :-) She complained about being posed too “femininely” so I’ll leave you with this ;-)

Just because we’re done with lenses doesn’t mean we’re done! I’ll also be talking about flashes, camera bodies, and bags in the coming weeks :-)

Happy Thursday! XXOO

 

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Categories: All things Emilia Jane, For Photographers, Weddings

Bond Chapel Wedding Photography

Ten days ago Liz and James were married at the University of Chicago. They had a gorgeous, emotional celebration :-) Please listen to their first dance song “There’s Something In the Way She Moves” by James Taylor while you scroll through the pictures!

I’m so happy you two are home safe from your honeymoon! A million happy wishes to you both :-) XXOO

Liz and James were married at the University of Chicago in Bond Chapel with reception in Ida Noyes Hall with Day of Coordinator Cindy Savage of Crafty Broads with assistant Kinzie Cornell. Photographed by Emilia Jane and assistant Aysha Gerald. Liz’s dress is from JCrew, James’ suit is from Nordstrom. Liz’s beautiful veil is from Maura at PishPoshes. Gorgeous flowers from Lynn Fosbender of Pollen Floral Design. Amazing, local catering from City Provisions. Delicious cupcakes from Misericordia Hearts and Flower Bakery.

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Categories: Weddings

University of Chicago Wedding Photography Preview

This Saturday I was so honored to be included in Liz & James’ marriage celebration! They were wed at Bond Chapel at the University of Chicago, where they met during their undergraduate studies. These are just a few that I couldn’t wait to share :-)  

 I hope you two are enjoying your beautiful honeymoon in Zion :-) Full post next week!

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Categories: Weddings

Ashley & Jeremy’s Las Vegas Elopement!

I’ve tried to start this post no less than five ways. There isn’t an easy beginning to this story. I think it starts with my HUGE respect for Justin & Mary. I attended their Spread the Love and style assisted for their Walk through a Wedding last summer and learned SO much. Pages and pages of notes can’t begin to describe what I took away from this experience. Back in November I saw that Justin & Mary were auctioning off a mentoring session for Thirst Relief International.  I jumped all over it and couldn’t have been more thrilled to “win them”! We set up our mentoring session for Wednesday of WPPI, and ended up rescheduling because Ashley & Jeremy decided to ELOPE IN VEGAS!!!! Yes, you read that correctly. Because Justin & Mary and the stellar Still Motion crew agreed to document it, Jeremy & Ashley tied the knot at the GORGEOUS Cosmopolitan pop up wedding chapel. Mary emailed me that morning asking if I would like to second shoot with them and could we move the mentoring session to Thursday morning. OF COURSE!!!! And I proceeded to shop for a wedding appropriate dress (yes of course THAT’s what I worried about first). I have to thank the ever fabulous Lauren Wakefield for lending me her 50mm lens and Joe Gannon for the shootsac. I should have known better and packed appropriately…

Ashley & Jeremy made it clear that Justin & Mary and Patrick with the whole Still Motion crew were a part of the wedding and to include each other’s in pictures. I, of course, love this. I think it is so fun to second shoot and work with second shooters so you can take pictures of each other too! Here is a link to Justin & Mary’s post of the wedding…warning…it’s GORGEOUS. And I cannot wait to see the Still Motion film. I’ll be sure to let you all know when it’s up too!

Without further ado… Ashley & Jeremy’s BEAUTIFUL Las Vegas Cosmopolitan Pop Up Chapel wedding from my perspective….

 

Please note reflection on the following series of pictures is because I was outside. Isn’t that so cool? You can see into the chapel from the street!!

We had quite the crows of observers outside!

 A million happy wishes to you two!! XXOO

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Categories: Weddings

Pinterest Collaboration Wedding Boards

 

Eek! So many new fun exciting things going on around here I have a hard time waiting sometimes and spreading them out :-) Last week we talked about the customizable client sites…..and drumroll please……dum de dum dum dum…. today I am announcing shared Pinterest collaboration boards with my couples for weddings!

I was already completely Pinterest obsessed when I started seeing some of my brides pinning beautiful things and then it hit me. This is something we could work on together.  I’m thinking it would be a fun way to see and share more details and ideas before the wedding! A beautiful September bride just responded “I like the idea of sharing a pinterest board for inspiration, I think it would help get a sense of what the feel of the day might be/ what kind of mood people are going after.” I cannot wait to show you where this goes!!

Find me over here at https://pinterest.com/emiliajane/ I can’t wait to see what beautiful boards we pin together! Gah that sounds SO cheesy. I’m just really excited :-)

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Categories: All things Emilia Jane, Weddings

Flushmount Album Goodness (And the Importance of your Memories)

I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to share this goodness with you! Today I am thrilled to show off my very first sample album. I have more now, but since I ordered this once first I’m sharing it with you all first!  This is a 20 page 10″x10″ black leather album from KISS. And I adore it. This is my entry level flushmount album, and I’ve already sold more of this album than any others :-) It’s the perfect size I think if you don’t want a huge album, it has amazing thick pages that still magically lay flat, AND you get an adorable fabric slip cover with it!

I custom design the whole album, email it to you for approval (you can swap out a few pictures and have the option to add more pages) and then I send it off to print! It’s easy to include albums with booking, or decide after your wedding. And you get a discount when you order multiple copies! (Moms LOVE these.)

I’m definitely not a photographer who will push you into printing tons of things. But if you’re going to print one thing from your wedding, it should be an album. It is so much better to hold and feel the weight of these memories in your hands than clicking through a series of images on a computer screen. When you leave everything online it’s like leaving the negatives unprinted. Essentially without printing, you’re paying me for a really expensive facebook album. I kind of want to backspace that because I know it’s kind of harsh….but it’s true. I know printing isn’t cheap, but this has to be seen as an investment into your memories and family heirlooms. For you, your family, and future hypothetical children. Rant over, I love you guys. And like I said at the top, I don’t ever want to be salesy with this, I don’t want to push you. But I do believe your memories are more important than an online gallery could ever display.

Until tomorrow, XXOO

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Categories: Business, Weddings

Dinner Parties Make My Heart Happy

Because you see…I love dinner and cooking and food and all things associated with parties…this combination brings me joy! My love of hosting people for dinner goes all the way back to childhood. We had family dinner every night but most nights weren’t just family. Whether it was friends of mine or my sister, or students of my parents, we added a chair or three to the table almost every night. I love the community my family created around our dinner table. And I definitely have that dream for Wil and myself (and our future family) as well. Just this week I was so lucky to both host and attend little dinner parties! Cindy & Julia  hosted Elizabeth Clayton, Christy Tyler, and myself for a FABULOUS dinner on Saturday (pictures on Instagram). And we hosted Tim & Bethany for dinner (you know it was good because we had lots of cheese!) and cocktails (Wil’s Instagram pic) Monday night.

What is so cool now is that I get to host friends (and clients sometimes) for dinner but some totally rad couples are opting for food centric wedding venues too! Intimate, restaurant/foodie weddings seem to me like the best imaginable dinner party celebration with all of the most important people in your life! And for those of you reading who are planning larger weddings, a LOT of this feeling can happen at your rehearsal dinner too (if you want it to, that is). [I will photograph your rehearsal dinner if you want me to ;-) ]

Because photography is my business, and really I just love this subject….of course I have to share a few favorites from family/rehearsal dinners and restaurant/foodie wedding celebrations! :-)

 Happy Thursday!

 [If you missed the past 5 Thursdays you can click on any of these links to read: I think dressing up is fun(with a vintage Vegas styleboard)! I could not survive without coffee (I am a Grande non-fat latte). I believe in nightcaps (with a DELICIOUS cocktail recipe). I am a list maker. And I love to read books for fun :-) ]

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Categories: All things Emilia Jane, Kitchen & Cocktail Fun, Weddings

NoMI Wedding Photography

Last weekend I was so honored to be included in Nancy and Steve’s intimate marriage celebration at the NoMI Kitchen. Their space was perfectly styled by Beth LaMotte of Winnetka. And a charming retired judge, Patrick Morse, conducted the ceremony. Part of why I love restaurant weddings so much is because they feel like an extended family dinner party! I hope you can feel included in that too, just for today while you look at the pictures :-)

The cocktail hour view!

 A million happy wishes to the new family!! XXOO

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Categories: Kitchen & Cocktail Fun, Weddings

NoMI Wedding Photography | Sneak Peek

Saturday night I was honored to photography Nancy & Steve’s beautiful wedding celebration at NoMI. Their gorgeous intimate celebration was full of laughter. I can’t wait to share a full post with you next week…but just this little sneak peek for now :-)

Full post next week!! XXOO

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Categories: Kitchen & Cocktail Fun, Weddings

Morton Arboretum Wedding Photography

I am so excited to share Urmi and Art’s beautiful celebration with you all! They were wed Saturday, January 14, at the Thornhill Education Center inside the Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Urmi got her wish just before the wedding for snow! We had to take advantage of course :-) If you missed the mehndi party from yesterday, it’s up right here. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy these images as much as I did taking them! Much gratitude to the ever lovely Lauren Wakefield for second shooting with me. Some of the images below are hers.

 A million happy wishes to you both!!

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Categories: Weddings