Most brides dismiss their church as a good location for wedding photography. The assumption is that plenty of pictures will be taken inside the church, let’s move on to another spot after the wedding. This was my first trip to St. Josaphat Catholic Church in Chicago. I always like to walk around a church in search of a few places to shoot. The fountain was of course an obvious spot, but with a little searching I found an alley on the side of the church. It was dark and not really appealing however the red door caught my eye so we ventured toward it for a few shots. If you’re still planning your wedding please don’t discount your church as a great spot for pictures. You never know what your photographer might come up with.

Chicago has a plethora of great landmarks to use as backgrounds in wedding photography, but some times simple is more than enough. Step off Michigan Ave to any side street and you will be surprised by some of the places to shoot. As you know, there are no shortage of bus stops in Chicago. I say use them as backgrounds. You never know what you might come up with.

Hopefully the five images below show you why I love Olive Park. For those that like to read: It’s hard to find shooting locations that offer easy access, a lake, trees, a view of the city, and enough room to photograph without tons of people in the background.

Jessica and Mark were lucky to avoid the rain most of their wedding day. However, the Chicago Museum Campus was our last picture location and there was no avoiding it. The rain came and we improvised. Wedding photography seems to resembles my love for jazz. You start with a plan and you never know where you will end up. Some people would look at rain as something to avoid on the wedding day. I say make it work!

I find many of my brides spend quite a bit of time picking out the perfect Chicago wedding reception venue, only to dismiss it when it comes to photography. I know you are ready for a break, but giving your photographer a little time at the reception will be worth it. I usually take 15-20 minutes to hit a spots at the reception that really standout for great pictures. These often turn out to be some of the best images of the day. Here are just a couple images taken at the Murphy Auditorium just before cocktail hour.

A note to all wedding party members and bride and grooms. It may not look pretty when you’re standing in front of it, but don’t worry I have a plan. Most people don’t walk through their day and have brief moments where they find themselves thinking, “Wow, that decrepit wall would make a killer background at 2.8″
Welcome to the burden of thinking like a wedding photographer. When watching movies we see catch lights in an actor’s eyes and drift off into thoughts of the light source creating it. I can’t make it five minutes into my day with my boys without seeing the way light falls on their faces.

My point you ask? Simple, I promise I won’t let you down. Give me the benefit of the doubt and you’ll love what you see in the end.
Walking up to this location in downtown Des Plaines, I heard whispers and some times louder than whispers, “Seriously, we’re going to shoot here.
{Insert heavy sarcasm} This will look great.” I’m not going to lie, I like a challenge.

These images are the end result of what seemed like a strange place for pictures of a bride and groom. When I delivered the album to Michael and Jill, Michael mentioned that these turned out to be their favorite shots.

A lot of my friends ask me how I can keep things interesting week after week when a lot of my clients want the same locations and backgrounds for their wedding photography. When I’m on location the first step is to find a background that creates the mood that fits my clients. I think a lot of people tend to focus on their background strictly because it looks cool. We (photographers) are certainly used to members of the bridal party saying, “Wow, look at that. We should shoot there.” The shots below use the Trump Tower in Chicago in two completely different ways. The bridal party image works really well with the massive tower due to the amount of people. I think just the bride and groom would have seemed tiny in comparison.
The second round of images with the bride and groom were taken up on the 16th floor balcony at the Trump Tower. This view of the building still shows off the city, but seems to be a bit more intimate. On a side note, if you want to shoot on the balcony make sure the door handles are on the door. We went to shoot and were informed that the handles are actually removed to keep people off the balcony. It took a little work, but as you can see we finally got to shoot outside!

We all know the Vatican is in Rome, but every time I photograph a wedding at Holy Name in Chicago I’m reminded of the first time I stepped into the Vatican. I remember walking into the Vatican on Christmas Eve in complete awe. I’ve performed in front of crowds of thousands of people, traveled the world and seen some amazing things, but there is just something about the magnificence of the sanctuary that has always stayed with me. While not quite the same scale, Holy Name is Chicago’s version of the Vatican. I hope these two images give you a glimpse of why Holy Name stands out so much to me.

When it comes to country clubs in the suburbs The Hinsdale Golf Club is a favorite of mine. It has been a while, but I’m hoping to return in 2010. These images are from Karen and Charlie’s wedding in 2008. I was filing away some old images today and stumbled upon these. Now you can see why I’m dying to go back. What a great location for wedding pictures and a reception.

If you have been searching for the perfect Chicago Skyline shot for your wedding pictures you may find what you are looking for here. If your wedding is in the city, or you’re simply driving in from the suburbs for pictures, here are just a few of my favorite locations with the Chicago skyline.