Patrick Haley Mansion Joliet, IL Wedding | Catherine & Chris

We first connected with Chris and Catherine back in August of 2017. We connected via Instagram and I could already tell that these two were bound to become some of our favorite people!

When we met for their engagement session, in July of 2018, at the Arranmore Farm Polo Club, in Oswego, Illinois, it truly was like connecting with old friends. We laughed. A lot. And had such a fabulous time, hanging out, and of course, taking some photos too! They were naturals in front of the camera, but more importantly, you could feel their love. {If you’d like to come on over here, you can check out more from their session that day!}

Fast forward to March 16th, 2019. All the planning and all the hard work had come to fruition, and it was their wedding day. It was a gorgeous, winter day, at the Patrick Haley Mansion, in Joliet, Illinois. Chris and Catherine we’re surrounded by the people that are most dear to them, including Catherine’s mom, who was unable to be at the wedding, due to illness, but was able to share in the festivities via satellite! Which we thought was pretty darn amazing. Cheers to technology and to awesome friends who helped to make sure she was witness to it all!

There were nearly 300 people who attended this amazing couple’s special day, and the love in the air was palpable. I think everyone had goosebumps a time or two …

There were so many laughs. And quite a few tears. But they’re the kind of laughs, and tears you’ll remember. Because they’re the kind that made you feel something real.

This New York style wedding was fabulous from start to finish, and we can’t help but give a shout out to the amazing coordinators, Wendy and Krystle of Day of Divas for their amazingness throughout the day, Hunter, with Hunter Floyd Films, who is a badass filmmaker and you should go check him out when you get a chance! The amazing florals by Petals n' Bloom. And to one of the most spectacular bands we’ve ever heard! Green Fourteen got the party started, and kept it going into the moonlight! And as always, the staff and team at the Patrick Haley Mansion!

To Chris and Catherine ... you have become friends along this beautiful journey, and we are so lucky to have shared in this moment with you both, and your amazing family and friends. Thank you for letting us stand alongside of you and for letting us share in your one of a kind love. We certainly will never forget this special day. We adore you guys!!!

And just because we can remember it like it was yesterday … we have to share a couple of our favorite moments, which you can see below, too!

First, Chris & Catherine's first look. The way Chris looks at Catherine, and vice versa ... ladies and gents, find yourself someone who looks at you like this!

Second ... the fabulous bridal party! Such a fun group, filled with so much love for this pair!

Third ... father/daughter moments ... melt your heart folks ... 

Fourth ... the partay!!! Hire a band like Green Fourteen, and you’re sure to dance the night away, and have a blast too!

Fifth … the amazing, wonderful family and friends of this couple! The love was genuine, and beautiful.

Sixth … the BRILLIANT team of people who we were SO LUCKY to work along side of! {check em’ out below!}

Coordinator: Day of Divas LLC
Florals: Petals n' Bloom
Band/Dj/Rockstars: Green Fourteen
Venue: The Haley Mansion
Makeup: LG Makeup + Tans
Dress: Here Comes The Dress
Videography: Hunter Floyd Films
Photography: Hey Sisters! Photography | Emily Allison & Erin Elliott

Scroll down to see more of Chris and Catherine’s wedding at the Patrick Haley Mansion in Joliet, IL!

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Arizona's Marble Canyon Couple's Session | Joshua & Brittany

I met up with Joshua and Brittany in Page, Arizona when I was visiting earlier this year. They had told me about Marble Canyon about an hour from Page. This area was one of the first places they explored after moving from Florida just a year previous and this magical place is where they discovered their love for the desert and this beautiful state.

These two met 13 years ago. They were both attending a band camp party and after Josh saw Brittany he attempted to throw out every pick up line he could. With no avail, he just gave her his number and crossed his fingers. Weeks later, he gets a text, "Do you have a hammer? I need a hammer." He runs to Walmart, gets a hammer, and heads to her dorm room where he helped her hang up pictures on her wall. Soon after, Josh asked Brittany out using the song “Check Yes or No” by George Strait! How cute is that?

They are now Mr. and Mrs. and spend their time climbing mountains together. Like, that is their past time and it’s pretty freaking amazing and absolutely inspiring. Josh explains it so beautifully (grab a tissue!): “Pushing ourselves to the limit, we often meet our worst selves. In those moments, all that's left is our strengths. Climbing together has allowed us to find how our strengths complement each other's. When we are down and weak, all we have is each other to build ourselves back up. The sport of extreme walking has made our relationship immensely stronger and that's what keeps us coming back. Also, the views are great.” 

Josh and Brittany are truly so kind, genuine, adventurous, and so much fun. They were a little nervous going into the session. It wasn’t their first time in front of the camera, but going into it, it felt like it. Which I think we all can relate too! But they had nothing to worry about because, holy smokes, did they rock it. They let their true selves show and had so much fun together. And as a result, I was able to capture genuine moments of these two amazing humans in love. 

Scroll down to see Josh & Brittany’s Marble Canyon Couple’s session!

Want to go on an adventure with us? Click here >> contact << and let’s chat!!!

Rosy Mound Natural Area Adventure Photo Session | Valerie & Taylor

Valerie & Taylor are celebrating their love for one another with a couples photo shoot at Rosy Mound Natural Area in Grand Haven Michigan!

One of our absolute favorite things about working with our couples to capture their love story is that we always instantly feel like they are old friends!! It was that exact feeling while I worked with Valerie & Taylor. They are absolutely both hilarious, and they had me cracking up with laughter for the entire shoot.

Valerie & Taylor met just over two years ago at Harmony Brewing in Grand Rapids. They were both just minding their own business, enjoying some pizza when flirty eye contact ensued. Taylor approached Valerie and challenged her to a pizza eating contest and two years into their relationship their commitment to never leaving a pizza unfinished still stands!!

We decided to brave the freezing temperatures together and met up at Rosy Mound Natural Area for their couple’s photo session.  Rosy Mound is one of our favorite outdoorsy photo shoot locations and it is absolutely overflowing with Pine Trees, Sand Dunes, and sparkling Lake Michigan; what more could you possibly ask for?! It sets right on the lake and is only about 30 minutes from Grand Rapids. Our personal favorite was when we asked the couple to hold hands and run straight toward the camera! Valerie was a total rock star running in heels and a floor-length dress and the couple could not stop laughing after accomplishing this maneuver, the results are truly priceless.

Valerie & Taylor later told us that this photoshoot was the first time that they had ever visited Rosy Mound together and they have since returned for walks in the woods and along the beach!

Scroll down to see all the moments from Valerie & Taylor’s couples photo session at Rosy Mound Natural Area!

Ready to celebrate your love story with an Adventure Photo Session in Rosy Mound Natural Area or beyond? Click here >> contact << and let’s chat!!!

Red Rocks Canyon Couples Session | Amanda & Ashley

The best reason ever to celebrate your love story? Just because you want to! We did just that with Amanda & Ashley’s Red Rock Canyon Couples Photo Session!

The past four weeks were an absolute whirlwind for Erin! (one half of the Hey Sisters! Photography duo) Four states, hours of driving, meeting so many awesome people, an amazing photography workshop, a rock slide, AND a snow storm!! If she wasn’t driving - she was shooting and climbing around rocks and it all ended with a trip to the hot springs.

With every trip she has taken, Erin has learned more about herself, what fuels her passion, and what makes her smile. Photographing Amanda & Ashley’s couple’s photoshoot at Red Rocks Canyon in Colorado is high at the top of her list!

Amanda and Ashley are so sincerely sweet, amazingly kind, and totally adorable! Amanda and Ashley have been dating just about seven months after meeting online (modern-day love story!) and they enjoy spending time together being active with hiking, camping, snowshoeing, and playing golf and tennis. Erin formed an immediate bond with Amanda & Ashley over a shared love for the Canadian Band ‘Wild Rivers’. Amanda & Ashley’s first official vacation together was six weeks into their relationship when they drove out to Chicago to hear ‘Wild Rivers’ live, it seemed fated that the beautiful couple ended up right in front of Erin’s camera!

Though Amanda & Ashley had taken lots of pictures together to document their love story, this was their first time having a professional photo shoot as a couple. They both later told us how at ease and natural they felt being in front of Erin’s camera!! And they also told us that their favorite image from their couple’s photo session at Red Rock Canyon (which you will, of course, get to see below!) is the photo of them snuggled face to face, close together. It was such a beautiful moment between them and you can easily feel the love that they have for one another, it’s definitely one of our favorites too!

Scroll down to see more of Amanda & Ashley’s Red Rock Canyon Couples Photo Session!!

Ready to celebrate your love story with a Couples Photo Session in Red Rocks Canyon or beyond? Click here >> contact << and let’s chat!!!