Visiting downtown Chicago for Cady & James’ engagement session just after Thanksgiving was the perfect way to end my 2018 wedding season and get in the holiday spirit. It was as if the whole city was covered in decor and there was even an adorable German Christmas market that took up an entire block! I had a blast exploring new sites on this trip, as it seems everytime I come to this wonderful place, I can find something unique.  

In spite of the lingering snow and freezing temperatures that had graced the city recently, Cady & James let me take them ALL over for stunning views of downtown Chicago during their session. We started at the Wrigley Building, which not only boasts stunning architecture and white stone (which you know my DC wedding photographer’s heart loved!), but it also had a pretty amazing view of the city. From there, we stopped at the Riverwalk and visited some of Chicago’s iconic bridges; these two even let me take them into the middle of Michigan Avenue as the traffic whirled around us! We wrapped up the session lakefront at Milton Lee Olive Park, an assuming location off the beaten path which, in my opinion, offers one of the best views of the city (rivaled only by photos I shot at a North Avenue Beach engagement session a few years ago!).

The simple fact that we were able to visit SO many spots in just one short session is a testament to how easy these two were to photograph! And it didn’t just end at photography — I clicked with Cady, and then James, the first time we chatted. These two met at a party in college while Cady was attending the University of South Carolina in Columbia. You’d never guess it now, but James used to DJ back in college and went on a tour his senior year, finding himself at that same frat party in SC. They spent most of the evening talking and getting to know one another before eventually heading their separate ways as they were in different relationships at the time. It wasn’t until over two years later that they reconnected via the amazing power of Facebook while Cady was living in DC. They started dating long distance and continued that for another three years while Cady moved to Chicago for school. Five years of dating later, they are happily living in Chicago, TOGETHER!, and will be married this October at the Army/Navy club in DC. It’s incredible how life sometimes seems to join people through fate and I’m so excited to have met these two as well. They radiate an infectious amount of joy and you can’t help but be happy when you’re with them! Luckily for me, 2019 is just around the corner and we will be celebrating in the District of Columbia before you know it!