» Katie 

This past weekend took Nikki and I went on an adventure to Chicago to photograph Kristin and Mark’s wedding. Kristin was absolutely oozing love and happiness throughout the day. Not even the clouds could put a damper on the day. Incredibly five minutes before the outdoor ceremony began the clouds parted and gave way to beautiful blue sky and sunshine. The Eaglewood Golf Course and Resort set the backdrop for a gorgeous ceremony which popped with orange and pink flowers. Although the ceremony was great my favorite images from the day are of Kristin and Mark together sharing in their newlywed bliss. Thanks so much for allowing me to share in all your happiness!

» Katie 

Once upon a time their was a girl named Kristin who was looking for love in the “Windy City.” She looked and looked but there was nobody who fit her perfectly. He had to be funny, good looking, great taste in footwear, and a Cubs fan. Then one day Kristin’s friend Kate met a boy in Charlotte NC named Mark and new right away that Kristin would fall in love. Hundreds of emails and calls later Kristin and Mark met and love was in the air. After a year of dating Mark planned a romantic evening in Chicago complete with a stay at the W hotel and proposed. She said yes and they planned their day. I was lucky enough to be invited to document the occasion and since I was already in town why not take some shots around the city so that they can always remember how it all began….starting with a trip to the W.

Taking it all back to the site where Mark proposed….

It’s a good thing he isn’t a Sox fan….

» Katie 

I have been to Chicago a couple of times before but I have never really done much sightseeing. Well all that changed with Dawn and Erich’s engagement session which literally took us all over the “Windy City.” We began our day along Lake Michigan and then moved on to Millenium Park, downtown, and then to Shedd Aquarium. We used the engagement session as a test run for where we will take their wedding party on the big day. All in all we got some amazing shots, I learned a lot about Chicago and I made new friends!!!! This is one FABULOUS job!

» Jenny 

This weekend I was lucky enough to be a part of Suzanne and Peter’s gorgeous wedding at the Wilshire Ebell in Los Angeles. If you’ve never been to the Ebell, it is a stunning location built and decorated in the Italian Renaissance style. It has large windows with thick drapes, elaborate furnishings, walls covered in oil paintings, a stunning courtyard with dramatic columns, a library, and even a theater.

Suzanne and Peter wanted to play off of the dramatic decor for designing their event. The room was surounded in candelabras, rich flowers and fruits, theatrical like spot lights, and beautiful gold linens. The room had an ethereal moody feel that contrasted well with the upbeat and fun band that played a lot of R&B, funk, motown and soul.

Because Suzanne and Peter are both actors, the room was filled with many talented people. There was a nice blend of emotional serenades and humorous speeches for the bride and groom. Throughout the night there was a lot of crying but even more laughter. It was evident how much fun everyone was having and it solidified in my mind what a long, happy, and fun marriage Suzanne and Peter will have.

Some of Suzanne and Peter’s vendors:

Coordination- Details Event Planning- www.detailseventplanning.com

Florist: Floral Arts- www.floralartla.com

Video: Reel Life Pictures- www.reelifepictures.com

Hair/Makeup: The Studio Agency- www.thestudioagency.com

Cake: Rosebud Cakes- www.rosebudcakes.com

» Jenny 

There was a very interesting article in the Wall Street Journal this Friday June 2nd. The article is titled “Brides Gone Wild” and you can read it at: “Brides Gone Wild”

It is an interesting glimpse into the way wedding photography is changing. It definitley fits with our “Not your mother’s wedding photography” tagline as well as our modern approach to photographing weddings.

The article talks about changing styles towards documenting what brides and grooms look like while getting dressed for the wedding day and the reactions from the mothers…. most mothers didn’t quite understand the importance of “getting ready shots” and the article tells of brides omitting the racey pictures (mostly bra and panty shots) from the parent albums.

The getting ready preparations are one of my favorite to photograph. It is always fun to be a part of the excitement and anticipation of the wedding day. It is one of the most emotional times of the day and it is usually the time when the bride and groom never really know what the other is doing. It is fun to be able to document those pre-wedding preparations so after the wedding they can each be a part of what the other was doing.

Here are a few of my favorite Red Loft Studios “getting ready shots”.

Lena getting her lipstick touched up before photos.

Susan being helped into her dress by her sister in law to be.

A nervous goom…Brian being helped with his tie from one of his groomsman.

Andrea’s image of Katie getting helped into her dress by her mom.

Katie’s dramatic image of Julie putting on her lipstick before heading out to her ceremony.

Tammy’s fun image of Candice looking at her make up for the first time!

» Jenny 

Today I had the pleasure of photographing Miranda and Greg’s 7 month old daughter Charlotte. She has the cutest 2-tooth grin. She is either headed to a life of photography or supermodel-dom…..that girl loves the camera!!! Miranda and Greg have a great colorful home with lots of great places to shoot, so we just hung out at their house. It was great meeting little Charlotte and getting to know her better! Here are a few of my favorite shots from today….

Mommy and Charlotte

There’s the grin!!!

Peek-a-boo