Oh, Chicago. Lately, you’ve been trying the patience of those of us who love you. This has, by far, been the worst winter I’ve experienced in my 10 years in the city.

So, as you might imagine, I haven’t been shooting too many portrait/engagement sessions. Shelby and Zack contacted me a few months ago and, in our blissful ignorance about the winter to come, we chose February 1st as the date for their engagement session.

About a week ago, I started trying to talk them out of it. I’m not going to lie: I was completely happy with rescheduling. The forecast called for a bit of snow and a high of 25 degrees, and I knew that these two wanted to shoot right next to the lake. I was panicking.

We woke up yesterday morning to find not one, but five, inches of snow on the ground. However, it was warmer and less windy than we had suspected it might be. So, we did what any crazy photographer/soon-to-be-married couple would do: we went for it!

I’m SO glad that we did. This is one of my favorite engagement sessions I’ve shot in a long time. Yes–we all lost feeling in our fingers. Yes–we grew quickly accustomed to our noses running nonstop. Yes–Shelby somehow walked through several inches of snow IN HEELS. But the end result was SO worth it.

Did I mention that Shelby and Zack never complained even once? Thanks, you two, for challenging me to do something new and for being unbelievably good sports about it all!

Take a gander at these sneak peeks, and see for yourself what fun shooting in a winter storm can be!

I’ve got to say: there’s something super romantic about getting cuddly in the snow!

Though I told her that we’d need lots of color to make the shoot work, this blanket was all Shelby’s idea. I love the pop of red!

On to location #2…

Here’s another installment of my blog series “A Look Back.” I’ve already showcased first looks and bridal details, and now I’m focusing on my favorite part of the day: getting ready!

I’ve let my love for the pre-ceremony portion of the day slip before, but I’ll say it again: the early moments of a wedding day are SO fun for a photographer. As someone who likes to capture real moments and emotions, there’s no better time to do that than in the midst of all the energy, excitement, and jitters that come with preparing to walk down the aisle. Also, there’s so much happening during that short portion of the day: styling hair, putting on make-up, getting dressed, writing and reading letters to and from your soon-to-be spouse, hanging with your friends and family, staring in the mirror in complete awe–I could go on and on. All of those moments and more are represented in these photos that, for me, show how important it is to have a photographer with you as you prepare for one of the most important moments of your life.

Here are some pro tips for helping your photographer capture great “getting ready” photos:

1. Most importantly, make sure that the space in which you are getting ready–the hotel room or bridal suite–has plenty of natural light! This will make the difference between good photos and great photos. Don’t be afraid to ask the hotel for the room with the largest windows and the most light.

2. Allow at least an hour for the photographer before departing for the ceremony.

3. Have all of the bride’s details–the dress, shoes, jewelry–laid out and ready to the be photographed when the photog arrives.

4. Make sure that the bride’s make-up gets done last, allowing the photographer to catch at least part of the process.

5. Try to de-clutter the “getting ready” space as much as possible, eliminating a mess of suitcases, grocery bags, etc.

6. Surround yourself with the people that will help make you laugh; limit the people who will cause you stress.

7. Allow plenty of time. Remember, nothing goes according to schedule on the wedding day. Leaving yourself a little wiggle room will save a lot of stress.

Let’s be honest: the most interesting stuff usually happens in the bridal suite, but we’ll give the guys some love here, too.

A while back, I started a “Looking Back” blog series, focusing on specific moments and images captured on nearly every wedding day. The first post featured first looks. Today, I’m taking a step back and starting at the beginning. In the hour or two that I spend with the bride (and groom sometimes, too) before a wedding, I love to capture the details of her wedding garb. Let’s be honest, there are usually three main players at every wedding: the bride, the groom, and THE DRESS.

So, this post pays homage to some of the fabulous dresses–and shoes!–that I’ve photographed over the years. So often, the dress sets the tone for the event, and it really speaks to the bride’s personality. Needless to say, then, I’m always excited to walk into a wedding day, and see the garb! Here are some of my favorites.