Liz Schrenk 12/30/23 Liz Schrenk 12/30/23

Jeanne and Kevin’s Emotional DiNolfo’s Wedding

Jeanne and Kevin’s love story may well be one of the most romantic we have ever had the honor of witnessing. With over sixteen years of friendship as their foundation, being alongside Jeanne and Kevin as they made things official and became husband and wife was an absolute joy. . .

Jeanne’s first memories of Kevin go back to their Sunday morning CCD class at St. Christina’s (the same church where they would get married 16+ years later!) where she said he was “one of the only well-behaved and respectful kids”. Kevin remembers meeting Jeanne in high school through mutual friends and valuing their friendship from the very beginning. Though they always shared affection with one another, Jeanne and Kevin’s friendship really solidified when she became pregnant with Thomas. Kevin left the door open and Jeanne felt comfortable enough to turn to him to be her sounding board. Where the father of Jeanne’s baby was absent, Kevin stepped in and was a friend to her through thick and thin. Kevin took Jeanne on her maternity ward tour, took her out for ice cream and to their senior prom. From the beginning, Jeanne would describe Kevin as “one of the best men” she knew, while Kevin knew from those early days that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Jeanne.

Jeanne and Kevin found themselves bonding more and more every day through laughs and tears. As years passed, they watched each other go in and out of relationships with others while secretly rooting for those other relationships would end so they could have a chance to be together. Kevin loved Jeanne and her son Tommy from the start, while Jeanne and Tommy always sensed that love from Kevin and felt at home with him. It was only a matter of time before Jeanne and Kevin ended up together, and their marriage officially made the three of them a family. As Kevin said, “Jeanne is my better half, Tommy my son, these things have always been in my heart.”

Conrad, Ashley and I were all so happy to come along for Jeanne and Kevin’s wedding. There were so many emotional moments throughout the day, but those moments with Tommy will stand out as our favorites to witness. Tommy’s reaction to seeing his Mom as a bride. Tommy’s pride as he stood alongside his Mom at the altar, his smile when taking pictures with the wedding party. His laugh when Jeanne picked up her teenage son “just to prove she can”. But perhaps our favorite moment of the day was when Tommy gave the most eloquent and heartfelt toast during their celebratory dinner at DiNolfo’s Banquets – there was not a dry eye in the room as Tommy confidently delivered THE best toast we have ever heard. It was truly a magical day filled with so much beauty and love, we will always cherish the memories of this perfect wedding.

Congratulations, Jeanne and Kevin, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Jeanne and Kevin’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VIDEOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
DiNolfo’s Banquets

FLORIST
Fun At Parties Florals

HAIR
Elizabeth Scott Company

MAKEUP
Denise Ferguson

RECEPTION BAND
Raise Your Glass

WEDDING GOWN
Sophia Tolli

WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Eva's Bridal International

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES
Azazie

Liz Schrenk 6/28/23 Liz Schrenk 6/28/23

Natalie & Tom’s Sweet Lincoln Farmstead Wedding

Natalie and Tom connected with us after their first photographer fell through, we feel so lucky to have met this amazing couple. These two are so in love and so easy going . . .

Natalie and Tom connected with us after their first photographer fell through, we feel so lucky to have met this amazing couple. These two are so in love and so easy going they made this day feel much more like a hangout with friends than work. When we arrived at the beautiful Lincoln Farmstead Natalie was relaxing with her girls in the bridal suite while Tom was enjoying the fresh air with his guys. I snapped some details pictures inside the barn (who knew a former livestock feed area could be so pretty?!) while Conrad took some getting ready pictures of the girls. Everyone was in great spirits and even offered to share donuts and mimosas with us!!

After Natalie slipped into her beautiful gown (I mean, how gorgeous did she look??!) she went to see Tom in front of the barn. Their First Look was beyond sweet, Tom was clearly overwhelmed to see his stunning bride and Natalie was all smiles. From that moment the two were inseparable for the rest of this perfect day!

We explored the property taking wedding party photos and finding one pretty spot after another, we had an amazing time photographing at this perfect venue! When the time came for the ceremony to begin the light had softened and the guests were all settled in their chairs behind the barn. Natalie and Tom exchanged their vows in front of their favorite people and it was time to start the party!

The barn looked AMAZING set for dinner, we were selfishly VERY excited to see that Sweet Baby Ray’s was catering the meal. I mean, donuts AND barbecue at the same wedding?? I told you we were lucky! It was the most perfect day, what an honor for us to be a part of it.

Congratulations, Natalie and Tom, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Natalie and Tom’s gorgeous wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
Lincoln Farmstead

FLORIST
Countryside Flower Shop

HAIR AND MAKEUP
Meraki Artisan Design

CATERER
Sweet Baby Ray’s

DJ
Music in Motion

WEDDING AND BRIDESMAID DRESSES
David’s Bridal

Liz Schrenk 6/22/23 Liz Schrenk 6/22/23

Jessica & Elie’s Romantic Bridge Lemont Wedding

Jessica and Elie met on Hinge and had their first date the day after Christmas in Wrigleyville. They quickly grew close as the COVID pandemic started and decided to quarantine together. . .

Jessica and Elie met on Hinge and had their first date the day after Christmas in Wrigleyville. They quickly grew close as the COVID pandemic started and decided to quarantine together. Jessica and Elie spent a lot of time trying to find ways to “date” despite being stuck at home.. They did at home sushi nights, movies at home, concerts at home, wine tastings at home, etc. They learned so much about each other during this time and fell in love quickly and deeply! Elie proposed 2 years after our first date and that night they celebrated with all of our family and friends at the Irish Oak bar where they had their first date.

We first met Jessica and Elie over Zoom, which made sense given the circumstances of their courtship. We were so happy when the day came for these two to make things official, it was a perfect Spring day filled with many beautiful moments. Jessica looked radiant as she slipped into her slim lace gown from Jasmine Bridal just before a sweet reveal with her bridesmaids. Once the girls were ready we traveled to Elie’s home church for their traditional Lebanese ceremony. Elie was beaming as Jessica came down the aisle to meet him at the altar, and from that moment the two were inseparable for the rest of the day.

After the ceremony we went with the wedding party to Lilacia Park in Lombard for photos. The park was quite crowded as it was a beautiful Spring day and the tulips and lilacs were in full bloom, but we found plenty of beautiful spots for photos with Jessica and Elie’s wonderful wedding party. One of our favorite moments of the day came when Jessica and Elie “Iced” their bridesmaids and groomsmen on the party bus after we finished photos, they disguised the drinks in gift packaging and had a great laugh as everyone chugged together on the party bus.

When we arrived at The Bridge in Lemont we took time for pictures of Jessica and Elie together. He works for the railway so we made sure to get a few (safely!) near the train tracks before everyone settled in for cocktail hour. The room at The Bridge looked absolutely gorgeous, we loved the aesthetic of the dark linens with tons of pretty candles and florals. Once the guests were seated we were treated to several thoughtful toasts and one of the most epic and romantic first dances we have ever seen. It was truly an unforgettable day, what an honor it was to be a part of Jessica and Elie’s wedding!

Congratulations, Jessica and Elie, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

To see all of Jessica and Elie’s beautiful wedding photos, click here

VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue

VENUE
The Bridge

DAY-OF COORDINATOR
Liza Loret

FLORIST
Blush Blooms

VIDEOGRAPHER
Up the Ante Productions

DJ
Signature Entertainment

BRIDAL HAIR
The Bridal Collective

BRIDAL MAKEUP
Kylie Jordan Artistry

WEDDING RINGS
Windy City Diamonds

WEDDING GOWN & BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Jasmine Bridal

MENSWEAR
Michael Kors

Liz Schrenk 11/23/21 Liz Schrenk 11/23/21

Jess & James’ Gorgeous Independence Grove Wedding

Jess and James met on the first day of their Freshman year at Stevenson High School. They were introduced by a mutual friend while riding the bus to school – little did they know that bus ride was the beginning of an epic journey. Over the next several years, they maintained their friendship and were completely oblivious to the signs of compatibility between them. Friends pointed out the chemistry often, but James and Jess always insisted they were just close friends.

That all changed their senior year of high school. They officially began dating, much to the excitement of their families and close friends, and attended their senior Prom together. They were eager to begin their futures at Texas Christian University and Indiana University for college, but were unsure of what that meant for their newfound relationship.

Thousands of video calls, visits when possible, phone calls, love letters, care packages, and text messages later... college graduation was upon them. James had accepted an offer in Mansfield, Texas and Jess had accepted an offer in Chicago. They were not thrilled about the ongoing long distance, but they were confident they would find the best solution together.

After 8 months of being apart, Jess quit her job, packed up her belongings, and drove to Texas to move in with James. Since moving in together, their journey together has blossomed and grown in ways they could not have imagined. Conrad was on hand to photograph James’ romantic and snowy proposal to Jess, she was completely surprised by the thoughtful moment that he had planned for her.

They got married on the hottest day of the summer, but it was the most perfect day to celebrate their love. After their “first look” Jess and James exchanged private vows (our FAVORITE wedding “trend”). James showed Jess that he carries a picture of her from when she was little, it was the sweetest moment. From that emotional first look to their ceremony (officiated by our friend Brad of Love Story Weddings) to their amazing Independence Grove reception this was a wedding we won’t forget.