Claire + Scott || Salvage One Chicago, IL Engagement Session

I have been wanting to have a session at Salvage One for what feels like forever! So when Claire and Scott suggested the idea when we were planning for their engagement session, I was so stinkin' excited about it. This place gave us such a unique space to work with and capture their fun, sweet love for one another. Claire and Scott were so easy-going and it was such a joy to work with them. These two will be tieing the knot next winter and you bet your bottom dollar,  I am so stinkin' excited about it. 

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Lacey + Tyler || Bemis Woods South Western Springs, IL Winter Engagement Session

After taking about a three month break from photography for maternity leave, I could not think of a better session to come back to. Lacey and Tyler are one of those couples that is absolutely up for anything - even go out in the freezing cold to get some gorgeous winter wonderland-esque engagement photos at Bemis Woods South. These two just so naturally fell into laughter with one another and their love seems so effortless.

Lacey + Tyler - Thank you reminding me so much of why I love what I do. So thankful to have been able to capture a glimpse of this season of life for you, and cannot wait until your wedding day this Fall. 

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Gina + Greg || Cafe Brauer Chicago, IL Wedding

Back in December of 2016, I met Gina and Greg for coffee and they shared their story of how they met in undergrad and how Greg proposed at Glacier National Park (how AHH-mazing is that?!). Fast forward 10 months later and I had the honor of capturing their wedding day at Cafe Brauer. 

Gina and Greg had so many gorgeous elements to their day and I have to give a shoutout to Samantha Helmig of Shannon Gail Weddings and Events for coordinating it all; she did such an incredible job! One of Gina and Greg's loves is all things tiki. So we decided to do photos at the gorgeous Lincoln Park Conservatory and, to tie this look into Cafe Brauer, Kloeckner's Events provided stunning arrangements of banana and palm leaves throughout the venue. 

While all their wedding day details were so beautifully done, Gina and Greg's day was also overflowing with so much love and happiness. Some of my favorites moments included: Gina's dad seeing her for the first time; Gina and Greg's first look on the rooftop of Hotel Lincoln; their bridal party was so hilarious and such a blast to work with; the look from Greg's mom as her son said "I do" to the love of his life; and, the dance party - I'm such a sucker for a good dance party  and there are many photos to prove how good this one was. All these moments and more can be viewed below! Hope you enjoy looking back on this day as I did!!  

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Vendors: 

Photography - Erika Mattingly Photography 

Venue - Cafe Brauer

Wedding Planner - Shannon Gail Weddings and Events

Florist & Tablescape Rentals - Kloeckner's Events

DJ - Okyne Media Labs

Hair - Jimmy Narducci

Makeup - Deco Adamo

Invitations - Minted

Bridal Dress - Simone Carvalli

Officiant - Jarrod Gaither

Caterer - Tiger Lily

Cake - Chicago Pastry

Kristin + Pavel || Milton Lee Olive Park Chicago, IL Engagement Session

Kristin and Pavel's winter engagement session was the last engagement session of 2017 and I haven't had a chance to blog these until now since I've been on maternity leave the past couple months.... so without further ado, here are some of my favorites from this chilly day back in November. Cannot wait to capture their big day this August! 

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Cantigny Park Family Session || Wheaton, IL Family Session

Gosh, I love the Fall! Not only are the colors of the trees gorgeous, but it also such a great time for family photos! I had such a sweet time with Chris, Ellen and their sweet baby girl, Brooklyn. The morning of the session, Brooklyn starting doing this thing where she'd stick her tongue out. So throughout the session, she stuck her tongue out and it was the cutest thing! 

One thing about family sessions that I've come to learn is that you truly don't know what to expect when children are around. You may have a baby that is happy the whole time, or you may have a baby that isn't really feeling it that day... towards the end of this session Brooklyn really wasn't feeling it. BUT there are some hilariously cute teary photos of her that her parents will equally cherish because sometimes that's real life. Babies aren't going to be smiley all the time and that's okay! My thought is this - Those teary moments are great to capture too because they will certainly be apart of your journey as a parent and having moments like these to look back on when your kids are older will give you all a good laugh or two!

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Mary + Sean || Thalia Hall Chicago Wedding

This wedding is definitely one of those days I will never forget. On Mary and Sean's wedding day it rained. Not just a light drizzle; I mean downpour all. day. long. But despite the crazy weather, we were able to find some pockets of natural light inside Thalia Hall Chicago and the results are stunning! They are easily some of my favorite portraits to date. You know that saying that having rain on your wedding day is good luck? I think that saying surely rang true for Mary and Sean's day. This wedding was so unique and so sweet to have been a part of. 

Mary and Sean live in California so I hadn't officially met with them until their wedding day. From the moment I met them, they treated me with such grace and kindness. After seeing them together at their first look, I could so easily see the love they had for one another. It was so sweet to witness. Not only did they so clearly love one another, but their family and friends had such a clear love for them as well. Just so you know what I mean... when Mary and Sean walked on stage for their ceremony they received a standing ovation from all those in the audience! That was a first for me. From there, love and joy were just radiating throughout the whole day. 

This day could not have been complete without the help of an outstanding vendor team. Elizabeth of Anticipation Events did an incredible job organizing this event. Just wait until you see the floral arrangement for the huppah; La Rue Floral work was insanely gorgeous. The Chicago Players seriously know how to put on a show and get people on the dance floor - SO many hilarious dancing moments in this post. Full vendor list below! 

Enjoy!!

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Vendors: 

Photography - Erika Mattingly Photography 

Venue - Thalia Hall Chicago

Wedding Planner - Anticipation Events

Florist & Tablescape Rentals - La Rue Floral

Band - The Chicago Players

Hair + Makeup - Charles Ifergan

Photo Booth - Magic Moment Photo Booth

Caterer - Dusek's

Sarah + Mike || Fullerton Beach Chicago, IL Engagement Session

Sarah and Mike’s engagement session was truly so sweet. We went to Fullerton Beach and the sun was setting just perfectly throughout their session, and the Fall colors were popping through the trees. Sarah and Mike made each laugh with such ease, and they were down to try all my weird ideas - so appreciate couples that are willing to just roll with things and see how they turn out! Looking forward to capturing their love and laughter again on their wedding day next year. <3   

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Megan + Joe || Glen Flora Country Club Wedding, Waukegan, IL

Megan and Joe tied the knot in late September. Their day was filled with so many sweet and meaningful moments — I had such a hard time narrowing down the photos I would share for this blog post! 

Some of my favorite moments from their wedding day included: their bridal party photo session was hilarious - they seriously have such a fun group of friends; Megan and Joe’s portrait session was gorgeous and sun-filled; the entrances of the bridal party were too funny - they each walked into a unique theme song from a TV show (love this idea!); and, let me tell ya, Megan and Joe’s friends and family sure know how to throw a dance party. See all this and more below! 

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Vendors: 

Photography - Erika Mattingly Photography 

Reception Venue - Glen Flora Country Club

Coordinator - Charlotte Winters

Officiant - Henry Hurt

Florist - Larsen Florist

Bride's Attire - Mackenzie Michaels

Hair - Dapper Classic Barbershop

Make-Up - Sierra's Makeup Artistry

Robin + Taylor || Lake Ellyn Park Boathouse Wedding || Glen Ellyn, IL

Mid-September Robin and Taylor tied the knot on what turned out to be a beautiful summery day that also had some gorgeous Fall colors - the weather these days has been so unpredictable but I wasn't complaining! Love those Fall colored trees! 

On their wedding day they met each other under a shady tree in Cantigny Park for their first look. Robin and Taylor decided to keep things more intimate and only invited their closest friends and family to their ceremony and reception at the Lake Ellyn Park Boathouse in Glen Ellyn, IL. The details seen throughout the day were simply gorgeous. Fun fact - Robin made ALL the wedding florals and they were stunning! Also, those cupcakes from The Sugar Path were incredible... I definitely went back for a second. 

Now, I'll stop my rambling about this amazing day... See more of their sweet details and watch their wedding day unfold below! 

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Vendors: 

Photography - Erika Mattingly Photography 

Coordinator - Sofie and Olive Event Planning Services

Officinet - Janet Volk

Invitation Designer - Minted 

Caterer - Chef By Request

Bakery - The Sugar Path

Bridal Attire - BHLDN 

Groom's Attire Designer - JOE Joseph Abboud

Ashton + Dan || Valparaiso, IN Backyard Wedding

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Vendors: 

Photography - Erika Mattingly Photography 

Caterer - Grindhouse food truck 

Bridal Attire - Cathy Telle

Kaila + Jay || Petit Jean State Park Couples Session

Daphne + Chris || Chicago, IL Engagement Session

Daphne and Chris met in homeroom during high school... yup, these two adorable humans are high school sweethearts and its the best. After all these years of knowing each other, they instantly become comfortable with each other during their engagement session in the gardens of The Art Institute of Chicago. Their laughter was so sweet! Cannot wait to capture these two tying the knot next May!! 

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Geneva + Tyler || Houston, TX Backyard Wedding

Earlier this year I had the privilege of capturing Tyler and Geneva's sweet proposal on a small beach in Rosewood Park. And now, just a few months later, they are married!!

These two decided to tie the knot in their friend's backyard in their hometown of Houston, TX. This small and intimate wedding was filled with such sweet and meaningful moments. Some of my personal favorite moments from their day include: their emotional first look... and well their whole bride & groom session (I went kind of overboard in sharing these photos! Too many good ones to choose from.); when Geneva was walking down the aisle and seeing the looks on Tyler and Geneva's faces; the pure joy they had after their first kiss; the happy tears during speeches; dancing galore; and so much more... now go see for yourself!

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Vendors: 

• Photographer - Erika Mattingly Photography
• Coordinator - Patrice McKenna
• Officiant - Joel Bratcher
• Florist - The Farmer & I Flower Co.
• Caterer - George's Pastaria
• DJ - Bruce Simmons

Celi + Mark || Chicago, IL Engagement Session

This may be one of my favorite engagement sessions to date. What's funny though is that this session didn't really go as planned.

We had planned to shoot photos in this public garden near Millennium Park; however, there was a huge event going on in the park so the owners of said garden decided to close down the gardens for the night for fear of many people running through/ruining the gardens... eek, right?! Not for these two. 

When Celi and Mark showed up I told them the news and we decided to still have the session anyway and just walk around the area. We hit the bridge and gardens by the Art Institute of Chicago. We then walked down Michigan - J walked our way through the streets and had an amazing time. Nothing could have phased them; they were having such an amazing time laughing their way through the session. Our time together seriously included SO much "makes my stomach hurt" laughter and it was the best. 

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Megan + Joe || Art Institute Chicago, IL - Engagement Session

I had such a great time exploring the Art Institute of Chicago with Megan and Joe! Here are a few of my favorites things about their session: the way Joe made Megan laugh at any given moment; their ability to dance freely without a care to who may be watching them; and, those hilarious moments when Megan got lipstick on Joe (he was such a trooper about it all).

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Maureen + Scott || Chicago, IL Wedding

Maureen and Scott's wedding was simple, modern and timeless. Their love of Chicago came through with every detail of their wedding day... I mean they had Lou Malnati's for dinner - doesn't get more Chicago than that! 

One of my favorite aspects of their day is their clear love for not only each other but also all those they've surrounded themselves with. Throughout the day there was so much joy and constant laughter. There were also some pretty epic toasts that had the whole room cracking up. At one point, Maureen's brother was also DJ'ing the wedding! It was quite the show. Much more sweet and memorable moments from their wedding - see for yourself! 

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Vendors: 

Photography - Erika Mattingly Photography 

Coordinator - That Special Event

Videographer - With Love Productions 

Invitations - Paper Culture

Florist - Whole Foods

DJ - Style Matters

Caterer - Lou Malnati's

Cookies - Insomnia Cookies

Wedding Dress Designer - White Tree Designs 

Groom's Attire - Men's Warehouse 

Hair/Make-Up - XO Studio

Wolken Family Session || Chicago, IL Family Photographer

If you've been following my work for a bit you may have noticed that I mostly photograph couples. Recently, I have also grown to love family sessions. There is something so special and sweet about coming into a family's space and capturing their life and love for each other. Capturing a family's unique antics and personalities has been such a joy for me. You never really know what you're walking into with each session. 

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of capturing the Wolken family. About one week earlier they had welcomed their adorable new son into their family, and it was so fun to see the happiness everyone shared for this little ball of joy - especially their older son. His reactions are truly priceless.

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Laura + Chad || Chicago, IL Wedding at Garfield Park Conservatory & Trigger

Laura and Chad grew up in the same neighborhood. When they were 15 years old they met each other in a park... they were interested in each other for many years but waited to start dating until the timing was just right. Fast forward to present day and these two have been married for exactly one month!

From their gorgeous details to their love rainbow ice cream cones, this wedding day was truly unique. Their first look at Garfield Park Conservatory was so sweet to witness. The Big Star taco bar at Trigger Chicago was certainly a hit. And, even though their sweet pup could not come to their actual wedding, they found fun and unique ways to incorporate his presence throughout the reception (you'll see what I mean). 

This intimate affair is one I will surely not forget. 

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Vendors: 

• Photographer - Erika Mattingly Photography
• Photo Session Location - Garfield Park Conservatory
• Ceremony & Reception Venue - Trigger Chicago
• Stationary - Laura Rupp
• Florist - HMR Designs - Hello Darling
• Caterer - Big Star
• Bakery - Desert - Rainbow Cone
• Bride's Attire - Mignonette Bridal
• Groom's Attire - Bonobos
• Hair - Sparrow
• Make-Up - Barbra Anne Butchk

Wedding Inspiration || Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve - Lemont, IL

Each time I do a styled shoot I am always amazed by the beauty that creatives can create. Anna Deblecourt reached out to me a few weeks ago looking to do a styled shoot at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Lemont, IL. With the help of some crazy talented vendors, we were able to create something truly amazing. 

 Sarah Viktoria and Amelia C & Co did Anna's hair and makeup - Anna lip color even matched Gromeza Designs gorgeous florals! Mignonette Bridal contributed a stunning gown that flowed wildly throughout the shoot, and CharmCat  provided an invitation suite that brought the whole shoot together. And then of course, Anna Deblecourt made this rather hot day look like a total breeze - let me tell ya, she makes a stunning bride. Enjoy!

UPDATE: This shoot has been featured on Planning for Paradise! 

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Vendors: 

Photo - Erika Mattingly Photography 

Model - Anna Deblecourt  

Makeup - Amelia C & Co  

Hair - Sarah Viktoria 

Gown - Mignonette Bridal 

Calligraphy - CharmCat

Florist - Gromeza Designs 

Andrew + Claire || Bethel Presbyterian Church Wheaton, IL Wedding

Andrew and Claire met at Bethel Presbyterian Church. Claire grew an interest in Andrew, but it wasn't until their first waltz class together that Andrew shared the interest. They both had signed up for the same waltz class, and Claire asked Andrew if he'd like to be her dance partner... that is when "the spark was lit" for Andrew.

Fast forward a year and a half later, these two exchanged marriage vows in the same church that they met and waltzed together for their first dance.

Stories like this remind me of how special it is to be a part of a couple's wedding day. So much thought and planning went into each wedding, and each one is so unique. So thankful to have had the honor of capturing Andrew and Claire's wedding day - here are some favorites from their beautiful day!

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