I am so honored to introduce my amazing friend, stylist Erin Carpenter.  Along with makeup artist Sonia Roselli we photographed this engagement inspiration shoot at one of my favorite wedding venues. A New Leaf combines floral design with a unique event space.  Their urban garden is an oasis in the middle of a bustling city neighborhood. Kelly Whitesell and Elizabeth Del Castillo of the clothing boutique Eskell were gracious enough to provide the clothing for our shoot.

Erin offers special styling services for the bride-to-be. From engagement photo session to the “Big Day,” Erin’s bride is the picture of her most stylish self…just in time for the most photographed days of her life. Whether you need a fashion-forward, figure-flattering look for your rehearsal dinner, a shopping strategy for your head-to-toe wedding ensemble, a style advocate at your bridal salon appointment, or the perfect “not your grandmother’s sequined suit” ensemble for the mother of the bride, Erin delivers with style and a sense of humor.

When she’s not styling models on set, stylist Erin Carpenter can be found working one-on-one with Chicago’s professional and social elite. Erin and her work have been featured on NBC-5 and ABC-7 news Chicago and Today’s Chicago Woman and Michigan Avenue magazines, and she is a style blogger for ChicagoNow.com.

Catch Erin at 773.294.8385 or erin@erinpersonalstylist.com, or over on her blog, Notes on Style: http://www.chicagonow.com/profiles/erincarpenter.

Eskell

1509 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 486 0830

Eskell

1509 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 486 0830

Sonia Roselli

7363 N. Greenview Avenue
Chicago, IL 60626
(312) 371-8596

A New Leaf

181 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 642-8553 ‎

The Rookery is one of Chicago’s most elegant and sought after wedding venues.  Its renowned staircase, glass ceiling, and grand marble staircase create the perfect backdrop for a vintage inspired wedding.

Tiffany and Peter have amazing style, and included so many gorgeous detail into their wedding day.  Tiffany’s lace wedding dress and birdcage veil were flawless.  The classic facades of downtown Chicago made a perfect backdrop for their wedding portraits. Tiffany’s bouquet is one of my all time favorites.  The unique combination of  Calla Lillies, succulents, and peach feathers were absolutely gorgeous.

Stems did an amazing job creating a floral design that complimented the architecture of The Rookery Building. Peach and gold wedding decor is an unexpected, yet sophisticated choice.Thank you to Tiffany and Peter for being so wonderful to work with, and choosing me to be a part of your wedding day.

Caitlin and Peter enjoyed flawless weather for their garden themed wedding.  The English Garden at the Chicago Botanic Gardens was the perfect choice for this lovely summer wedding.

The navy bridesmaids dresses were a perfect choice to compliment the purple wedding bouquets. 

I can’t imagine a more beautiful setting for a summer cocktail hour.  Guests enjoyed live music before entering the tent for dinner.  The Dennis Keith Band made sure the dance floor was full!

Take the Cake is always a delicious addition to the party.

Caitlin and Peter, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your beautiful Chicago Wedding.

Chicago is emerging as a national wedding destination because of the many stylish, dedicated, and committed wedding industry professionals who call this city home.  Emily and Patrick hired the some of the best including Vwidon who designed her elegant dress, and Fleur who created the exquisite bouquets.

I love this photo of the happy groom taken by my amazing second photographer, Brianne.

Emily is obviously gorgeous.  Her natural beauty combined with the expertise of makeup artist Rebecca Males (represented by Sonia Roselli Weddings) made creating beautiful portraits effortless.

One of my favorite parts of the wedding day was taking portraits near The Wrigley Building.  I walk across the Michigan Avenue a few times a week so to say that I take it for granted is an understatement.  Emily and Patrick wanted a very “Chicago” background for their photos so I suggested this area.  I just assumed they were familiar with it.  However, when I saw the reaction of the couple and the bridal party upon our arrival, I knew it was a new and exciting experience for them.  Everyone was taken by the beauty of the river and the vintage facades.  Adding to the experience was palpable energy of downtown Chicago on a Saturday afternoon.  Everyone gets excited when they see a bride and groom.  Tourists stop to take photos, send well wishes, and kids always think they are looking at royalty.  Simply put, it is a joyful once in a lifetime experience.  This day made me remember how lucky I am that this beautiful city has always been a part of my daily life.

This perfect wedding day flawlessly turned into an exuberant evening.  The cuisine at Galleria Marchetti and the music by Toast and Jam combined to create a simply fantastic party.  Emily and Patrick, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your Chicago wedding day.

The above photo is a fashion image I shot ten years ago.  It was featured on the Eliza Magazine Blog over a year ago.  Every month I continue to receive emails from brides wanting to know who the designer is and where they can buy it.  The “dress” in this photo is actually the combination of a vintage top and 1/2 of a 1980′s prom dress from the thrift store.  The “bride” is my friend Meredith who is sitting in an abandoned city lot.  Her hair style is made from $1.00 pack of synthetic hair from one of the wig stores on Milwaukee Ave.  This photo resonates with people because so much of Meredith’s spirit comes through in this image.  If you express your personal style and enjoy your day the photographs will be amazing. Regardless if you are wearing a $10,000 dress or a $10 dress your enegry is the most important element of your day.  Remember that it is not the dress that makes the woman, but the woman who makes the dress.