#chicagoweddingstyle

[rose-photoblog]

A Love Supreme

I had a dream a few months back to throw a huge party that celebrates love in it's various forms. I thought it was important to create imagery that showcased love as love and in a really unique way; a MASS wedding celebration for my friends and family in the LGBTQ community.  It was imperative that this party be hosted in a place that also honors diversity and would be supported by a crew that sees the importance of joining together to put our talking to walking; action to our Facebook rants and collective cooperation in what's been a very divisive year. Without sliding down the slippery political slope, I just wanted to do something that would help to unite instead of divide. So with a good deal of inspiration and enough post election nausea, I picked up my head and made a few calls.

The Chicago Athletic Association gladly obliged and offered their incredible venue for the celebration. This was a perfect fit as the CAA continues to break down the boundaries their storied walls once held and welcomed my idea with open arms. I curated a team of my favorite Chicago wedding vendors: Artistic Blooms on floral, Marquette Avenue Events on wedding planning, Leap Weddings on video and Windy City Dinner Fairy on sweet treats. Together we put this vision to work. The project became known as A Love Supreme and we invited couples to participate in this unique wedding event this spring. We were excited to receive a tremendous response upon going public with the invite but ultimately as we neared close to our April 9 wedding day, the group decided that sharing one couple's very unique and personal journey to marriage equality would best serve the initial vision; breaking down barriers and celebrating love as love true. So with that I was so thrilled to meet our most beautiful couple, Alishe + Cassaundra and begin to tell their love story. With the vision of our amazing floral designer , the organizational strengths of an A+ planner and the backdrop of this gorgeous wedding venue, photo + video team went to work with our stunning subjects. 

Alishe + Cassaundra, your love is an inspiration. Your strength, beauty and dedication to being real is what my dreams are made of! Having the opportunity to work with you both, invite your friends + family to celebrate your love and curate a collection of imagery to highlight love in all its forms has inspired not only my team but the entire crew of collaborators that helped make the vision real. I will always remember April 9 as the day love showed most supreme on the Rose Photo lens!

[thehuestudioco]

Spreading the word! We love @mira_couture 💞 #Repost @mira_couture ・・・ We are looking for a deserving bride in need who cannot afford a wedding dress! Apply at www.miracouture.com/gowngiveaway or please share and help us get the word out for this good cause! Thank you! . . . . . #bride #brides #gowngiveaway #freeweddingdress #wedding #bridal #gown #dress #chicagobrides #chicagobridal #chicagoweddingstyle #chicagowedding #weddingsamplegiveaway #deservingbrides #dreamdress #bridalfashions #bridalfashion #fashion #chicago #chicagoland (at Mira Couture)

[flowersbygeo-blog]

#flowersbygeo #chicagoweddingstyle #galeriamarchetti #gardenparty (la Galleria Marchetti)

[rose-photoblog]

Waldorf Wedding full of Chicago Glamour

They say ‘when you know, you know.’They also say ‘when you least expect it, love will find you.’ I’m not entirely sure who ‘they’ are but they must be right because the love we had the honor to captured recently is a testament to these promising prose. In a world of online dating, blind dates and other seemingly less than assured ways to meet ‘the one’, these two first laid eyes on each other with no internet connection, having been ‘set up’ or even a matchmaker in site. It was a chance crossing of paths that lead them to one another and seeing them together can inspire hope in even the biggest skeptics of love. These two may not have expected to meet one another but by the looks of it, it’s certainly a great thing that they have!

When we first met H + S, it was so apparent how much care and thought went into their partnership. And not just the typical stuff like holding doors and sweet words of praise…yes that ,too! And also how both of them together treat the people around them; she gracefully kind and he considerately tenderhearted, they really are match made in heaven. Our RP engagement shoot was designed around their sophisticated style and daily habits, their favorite environments -their living room with family and nearby neighborhoods -Chicago’s gorgeous lakefront and museum campus.  One remarkable consistency in both our first photo shoot and their wedding day imagery is how endearingly he looks at her…ALL. THE TIME! 

Fast forward the tape a handful of months later and we get the chance to see our sweet love birds again, this time even more elated to be in each other’s company and with line up of A++ wedding professionals from the city they both love so much to make their big day sparkle. The Rose Photo Team found ourselves at the always stunning and classic Waldorf Astoria in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. The attention to detail in the evening’s planning was just as considerate as our groom and as glamorous as our bride.  Marquette Avenue Events pulled out all the stops to organize the stunning details perfectly placed by Fragrant Design and coordinate the sweet beats of Okyne Media Lab as guests enjoyed an authentic hookah experience from Hookah Chi. Our gorgeous bride and her sweet family where made to look wedding day ready by the artistic graces of Hair by Jaun Jose and make up by Julia Simone . With love so big and gorgeous style abound, it’s no wonder that both H+S both wore smiles from ear to ear all night long! Oh and don’t forget the quick stop before ceremony at Hermes , our bride’s fave stop on Oak Street!!

To the ‘they sayers’ everywhere, thanks for guiding H + S to our team so we could perfectly capture their very graceful and oh so glam love story. We love a good reason to get dressed up and the style these two bring to the table of love is really quite inspiring. As true believers in real love and good fashion, there is hope for us all!

love,

Rose + Co

[rose-photoblog]

My love is the color red: Chicago Indian Wedding Inspire

15 years ago, I was participating in a semester in India through my undergraduate studies and my host had invited me with as guest to what seemed to be hours worth of ceremony; I would later learn this was the last in a line up of 3 action packed, full length days of wedding festivities. The colors, the joyful shouts, the dancing and clapping surrounded me like an ocean of happiness. Somewhere, somehow, and very suddenly, with enough gentle shoves from my host family and amidst the different sounds and tempo so beautifully chaotic, I was photographing an Indian wedding IN INDIA!

 In my newly acquired, colorful sari, I stuck out like a sore thumb but was eagerly guided by uncles and aunties alike to be sure not to miss this photo op or that extra special moment. It was with this wedding that my love documenting cultural ceremony was born. Add a few more trips to my own homeland of Eastern Europe to view archival portraits of distant relatives in a WWII memorial and my life's work was laid out in front of me: retell meaningful stories of our human experience with my camera in hand.

Fast forward the tape a decade and a half forward and here I sit, penciling love notes about stories that mean as much to the people in these photos as they do to me. The colors, textures and immersive nature of Indian culture and celebrations, especially these weddings, melt my art heart. When offered the opportunity to work with the beautiful humans that are Rishi + Minal, I couldn't have been more excited to tell their vibrant love story.

Minal's elegant poise, stunning style and gentle playfulness are unique to anyone I’ve met. Radiantly beautiful and arrayed in her gorgeous lehenga, I couldn't help but notice the gentle calm she wore all day, mirroring the quiet elegance that she is.

Rishi's easy and funny banter made for animated photos while he waited to see his bride. His dapper manner as he joked around with his best buds perfectly suited the white tuxedo he wore later in the evening.

The baraat, a raucous parade led by the groom's family into the ceremony, was one of my favorite parts of the entire celebration. It was jovial, loud and just a little bit crazy.

The day of festivities was long, but it flew by in swirls of color and emotion; the ceremony was filled with auspicious blessings, the reception dazzled with animated dances and performances, and the speeches were hilarious as well as heartwarming; especially as Rishi dropped to his knee in front of a tearfully happy Minal.This buzz of love surrounded every single person in attendance and kept even the eldest of guests grinning all day and helping to close out the dance floor!My life as sociologist with a camera has never been boring. Documenting the love story of this strikingly gorgeous and genuinely kind hearted couple for 17 hours fits right in line with that amazing tempo.

To Rishi + Minal: you, your love and your culture are beautiful. It was my honor and very much a privilege to play fly-on-the-wall at your wedding celebration. While I've grown less shy and tad more bossy while directing portraits, your candid demeanor and unwavering affection shine through these images. Thank you for both trusting our photo team to experience your unique love. It is bold, beautiful and withstanding, just like your roots.

love,

Rose + Co

[rose-photoblog]

Magnificante Mile + Old School Glam = DRUNK IN LOVE Chicago Summer Wedding

Two words for these two love birds: DRUNK in LOVE. Now for those of you who don't slay likeBeyoncé, then just go ahead and skip to the last paragraph. But for those that do, you really just need take one good look at this gorgeous couple's big day captured recently in downtown Chicago to see that palpable, intense, sincere and over the top love that they share. From the moment we started to capture their love story at Lynsey + Frank'sperfectly styled engagement shoot around Chicago's Loop, I could immediately tell these two were made for each other. On the morning of their wedding, love notes were passed, excitement was high and drunk in love tears dangled from many an eye at The Knickerbocker as we captured preparations for the day. The full mass at St. Joseph's Parish on through bridal party photos along Chicago's Mag Mile all gave a dreamy backdrop for capturing their love story. Like it a scene out of that waking dream, a vintage Rolls Royce appears as we are photographing in front of the Board of Trade.                    JUST LIKE A BEYONCÉ drunk in love Dream! Just another day at the office, as we slay in love!

It seemed to me that Saturday, June 24, 2016, was a day that Lynsey had dreamt of for years and 'cool as a cucumber' Frank had known that this day would look just like this always. Her Lazaro gown was cut from the fairy tale mold and his custom tuxedo was dapper as all get out!  It was aperfect summer day that was breezy and a bit cooler than usual, the amazing details of floral, sparkle and old school Chicago, with a good amount of wedding day glam, all while their guests joined in on their excitement.  For the many sweet stares we've captured, the ones that we didn't and the many more Lynsey + Frank are sure to share over their future together, my team and I are grateful to witness your real true, honestly tangible, drunk love! It's what my dreams are made of and we are so thrilled yours came true on your wedding day. We love your love!

love,

Rose + Co

[rose-photoblog]

downtown Spring wedding, classic Chicago style!

You can take the girl out of the city but you can't take the city out of the girl! This pretty much sums up my gorgeous bride from last weekend's beautiful, downtown Spring wedding; perfectly planned around Chicago's most classic + historic locales. Preparations and the most romantic first look were had at the iconic Palmer House Hotel, a trolley ride through the Loop and then down the Magnificent Mile to visit the gothic architecture that is the Wrigley Building and NBC 5 Tower and by 6pm the bride + groom had made their vows public in a sun filled, outdoor ceremony.     All the attention to beautiful detail and incorporating classic Chicago made Kaitlyn + Dustin's wedding picture perfect. But what did they wear???

He was suited in a dapper, navy blue, custom tuxedo complete with bow tie + suspenders to tie together this grooms vintage charm!  She gracefully donned what seemed to be yards upon yards of perfectly pleated tulle in a ballgown style, Lazaro wedding dress. It. was. STUNNING. Don't believe me? Just look at that train!! Flowers by Steen Productions draped each table and perfectly accented the creamy blush color of the bridesmaids' gowns. All this pulled together the ambient colors of the perfectly blossomed yards at Galleria Marchetti's venue space.  In a word, the day was ....dreamy!

Kaitlyn + Dustin, thank you for sharing your gorgeous wedding day with the Rose Photo crew. We love your love + all the beautiful details of April 22, 2017. Here's to capturing even more moments of your love story with our lens!

xo

Rose Photo

[rose-photoblog]

East meets West

When we first met this sweet couple last year,  we loved learning the story of their clandestine courtship! Jenna + Ajay met at work and for the first part of their undercover love, none of their coworkers had any idea that these sweethearts where head over heels for one another. It wasn't until the two became engaged that the office even had any idea that true love was in the air. Fast forward the tape to November 5, 2016, on the Magnificent Mile, at the newly opened LondonHouse where the two lovebirds made it official & tied the knot. Indian wedding customs circled perfectly with a downtown Chicago vibe that culminated in a great blend of East meets West traditions.

Always a sucker for fashion and the great details of style, we are pretty much obsessed with Jenna's wedding gown designed by a crowd favorite, Hayley Paige. The perfectly paired, sari inspired bridesmaid dresses were a flowy combo of sparkle & class. The amount of lush color in the bride's bouquet was mirrored with the gents custom scarves. LOVE THE POP OF COLOR, GUYS!!! From start to finish, the glam squad was on point at this wedding. So much so that when push came to shove, quite literally, our henna clad, bedazzled bridal party pitched in to move a very large obstacle out of the way of our first look!#SQUADGOALS. With a crew like that, dressed to the nines in such a stunning venue, it's no wonder we are ga ga over this set of wedding day photos!

Dearest Jenna + Ajay  ( and your amazing SQUAD, too!!) we were sincerely honored to be a part of your gorgeous wedding celebration. We cannot wait to capture more of your story and share all the photo love!

xo, Rose Photo

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#galeriamarchetti #flowersbygeo #floralnecklace #chicagoweddingstyle (la Galleria Marchetti)