iKLiKphoto blog

LAST POST!

2011-10-18T12:07:00.005-06:00

this old blog has been very ill- and it finally died. but don't be sad- it has gone on to a better place...so come on over and check it out HERE!

if the link above doesn't work type in:
iklikphoto.com/blog

please update your browsers and bookmarks to the new blog

this old site will stay up so we can look back at all the good times we shared, but it will no longer be updated. thanks so much for all your visits here- can't wait to share more chewy-delicious photo goodness with you on the new and improved blog! kris

new website

2011-10-13T08:21:00.007-06:00

my loooooong overdue new website is up- hoooooray! i haven't facebooked/tweeted/screamed it to the world yet as it's still being worked on (check back after the weekend- i hope to make a huge dent in it!) but if you are a loyal blog reader you get a sneak peek so go go go take a look...

iKLiKphoto.com

many awesome photos are yet to be added but i had to go ahead and post what i have done so far as my old website was embarrassingly outdated. it was over 5 years old... do you know how old that is in web life? well i did the math myself and it's about 476 years...plus or minus a decade or two.

next step is updating this blog.....sooooooooon my lovelies- very soon :)

S + D: wedding

2011-10-05T07:39:00.021-06:00

A gorgeous couple, a stunning setting and lots of loved ones celebrating a beautiful union makes for a photographers dream. It was such an honor documenting your amazing wedding Sarah and David!

Click HERE to see the slideshow.

A few of the vendors who helped make this wedding so special:
Venue: Chicago History Museum
Wedding Consultants: Bliss Weddings and Events
Photography: iKLiKphoto
Flowers: Cornelia McNamara
Beauty: Halo Salon
Musicians: Gold Coast Orchestra
Caterer: Berghoff Catering

H + M: reception

2011-09-23T07:07:00.010-06:00

Heather + Mike tied the knot in Punta Cana with a small group of family and friends then came back home to Chicago's awesome Salvage One for a full blown party! Congratulations guys, I loved documenting your celebration- wishing you all the best! Click HERE to see the slideshow :)

Sneak Peek: S + D

2011-09-20T19:50:00.005-06:00

just had to share a tiny preview of this gorgeous bride and groom with some twinkling city light deliciousness! can't wait to share more :)

E + M wedding

2011-09-01T12:36:00.022-06:00

The slideshow is now up! Click HERE to check it out :)

Erin and Matt tied the knot at Assumption Catholic Chuch in the city and then headed out to the suburbs for a gorgeous reception at Butterfield Country Club, giving them a little of everything on the photo front. They also got a little of everything with the weather - a gray, rainy morning cleared up to be a gorgeous, sunny afternoon.

This is the third wedding I have documented for the groom's awesome family and it's always an honor and a pleasure!

Huge congratulations guys! Hugs- Kris

the groom serenades the crowd...
and the crowd goes wild!

Sneak Peek: H + M

2011-08-31T09:08:00.004-06:00

just started editing this wedding at salvage one and it is making me giddy! had to share a few with the city skyline- the beautiful couple & red balloons! what's not to love? more coming soon....

KM engagement....

2011-08-29T09:11:00.002-06:00

just a sneak peek from an engagement session i did back on MEMORIAL DAY....yep- memorial day and i'm just getting around to posting it- eeeeek- i told you i was slacking at blogging lately but this session was soooo amazing it's worth the wait- come back soon to check it out :)

the k family

2011-08-29T07:13:00.005-06:00

a tiny preview of this awesome family session with adorable baby davis

clarendon hills family photos

2011-08-16T11:07:00.008-06:00

i'm still slow on the blogging front- sorry- summer just has too many fun things to do besides keeping up with my blogging ; ) but- i'm starting to post things to my facebook page a little more regularly so become a fan if you want to keep up with my latest work by clicking HERE.

Josh-6 months

2011-07-20T08:07:00.002-06:00

Remember adorable baby Josh? He is now 6 months old! Check out his gorgeous baby blues and click HERE to see his slideshow :)

LIFT at St. Ignatius

2011-07-14T10:21:00.008-06:00

click HERE to view the LIFT slideshow :)

due to my crazy moving-momming-wedding season schedule i have been doing slideshows for clients instead of blogposts. i might as well start sharing them so my blog isn't so unkempt :) check out this year's fabulous LIFT event held at st. ignatius. LIFT members- if you want to see all the photos they are finally up on my proofsite. click HERE to view and order them :) congrats to the whole LIFT team on another successful event!

lynn + mark

2011-07-13T11:26:00.007-06:00

congratulations to lynn and mark who tied the knot last weekend at their beautiful house. click HERE to view their wedding slideshow.

i'm so happy for you guys and i loved getting to capture your big day! xo- kris

ch ch ch changes....

2011-06-14T08:51:00.002-06:00

sorry for the blogging drought...been hard at work on some big changes around here- i have a new website that will be live soon and have been sorting through thousands of photos to find my favs, also have had many photo sessions lately that i can't wait to share. and to top that all off i'm in the middle of a move so have boxes and mess everywhere....eeek! can't wait to debut this new website and get settled in my new place. thanks for your patience. xo kris

brides chicago

2011-05-20T19:52:00.005-06:00

my photos from nicole and aaron's gorgeous wedding are in the current "bride's chicago" magazine. thanks again guys for letting me document your awesome wedding:)

sir benjamin of arabia...

2011-05-12T07:36:00.001-06:00

george!

2011-05-02T20:54:00.005-06:00

adorable baby george is almost 5 months! george and my ben are only 11 days apart in age and it's so fun for me to see how similar they are growing and changing!

recently...

2011-04-26T21:48:00.005-06:00

some recent phone snaps of my favorite subject:)

glasses

2011-04-14T11:43:00.009-06:00

took these snaps of ben as he was finishing his morning coffee and in the middle of the new york times crossword puzzle...when he gets stuck on an answer he always starts fooling around with his glasses...crazy kid ;)

4 months :)

2011-04-11T21:33:00.001-06:00

baby josh!

2011-04-05T10:09:00.003-06:00

i loved photographing adorable 3 month old baby josh...what a cutie!

vail

2011-03-20T16:43:00.015-06:00

a few polaroids of vail. okay...fake polaroids- i used the app on my iphone :) had some great skiing- and one day ben even went to the top of vail mountain with me! we took a gondola up and had lunch at the top. my mountain baby :)

colorado bound

2011-03-07T10:16:00.010-06:00

we are off to colorado for a ski week! yahoo. i will return all inquires as soon as i get back from vacation and of course will have a few photos to share :)
the quilt that ben is sitting on was made by my mom's mom's mom - so my great-grandmother townsend who is ben's great-great-grandmother! how cool is that? and i have another one that is green and white that is sure to pop up in a photo session soon- they are both just gorgeous- love them! have a great week all!

Addie

2011-02-23T13:40:00.002-06:00

meet adorable addie- i'm photographing her every month for her first year just like i did for her big brother forrest and am currently doing for her cousin george. so fun to watch these babies grow :)

grandma

2011-02-14T14:52:00.019-06:00

My Grandma died today...she was 98 years old and lived a long full life. I feel so lucky to have had her in mine for so long. She was an exceptional lady. She had a sharp mind till almost the very end, I think due to the fact that she was always busy...meeting with her friends, playing bridge, working on her puzzles, knitting, reading... She was fully engaged in life, smiling, inquisitive, interested in other people, she was kind and strong. She was famous for her homemade pickles and cinnamon rolls. I never saw her in pants- she only wore skirts and dresses. She always wore jewelry and I can't picture her with out her gold rings and necklaces. She collected bells and Hummel plates and had candy sitting in crystal bowls around her house. She traveled the world and had been just about everywhere but lived in southern Minnesota her whole life.

My son was born on December 1st- her 98th birthday and she was giddy- she told me it was her best birthday present ever and I was delighted he shared a birthday with her- what a lucky omen. A few days after Christmas this year she had a stroke and we feared she would die within the week- I flew up to Minnesota with Ben and stayed with her for 4 days over New Years as I wanted her to meet him, and I wanted a chance to say goodbye.

I rushed in to see her and show off Ben as soon as I got to the hospital- leaving my camera bag in the car- so I didn't capture their first meeting but it is something I will never forget. She was lying in her bed and held him facing her. Ben was instantly smitten and started beaming at her until he burst into a wide smile- it was his first smile ever and he happily sat with her smiling and cooing and she held him as she laughed and cried. It was one of those magical moments I will always remember.

The collage photo above I composed from that trip and sent to her last week for an early Valentine's along with the photo below of the 3 of us. Happy Valentine's Day Grandma- you will always be in my heart. Love, Kris

happy weekend

2011-02-11T15:32:00.002-06:00

hope your weekend is a HOOT! love ben :)

baby genius...

2011-01-28T23:39:00.012-06:00

i know every mom thinks their baby is a genius but i have clear photographic evidence ...first of all he likes to hang out just like a little buddha - sitting around all zen like and smiling (he hasn't quite mastered the legs crossed thing yet) but he does have a big belly and is bald so he is obviously trying to mimic one of the greatest philosophers of all time.so i decided to ask him a philosophical question... "did you enjoy keeping your mother up all night last night?" and he grinned and clearly signed "yep- a little bit."

then i asked, "so you think you are quite the cute little punk?" and he gave me two of his best cute little punk smiles.

so i forgave him cause he was so stinking adorable and i asked him "who loves their mama?" and he pointed at himself- clearly saying, "this guy!"
what a charmer... my little baby genius ; )

baby george!

2011-01-20T17:09:00.002-06:00

i will be taking pics of this adorable little man every month for the next year. what a cutie! click HERE to see baby george's first photoshoot:)

bookend

2011-01-14T12:13:00.004-06:00

ben makes a great bookend...and double bonus i figure he is learning by osmosis surrounded by all these books...that is kinda how i studied in college- i would fall asleep on my book then the next day would know everything in it ; ) and below ben shows off his new trick- huge smiles that make me melt and show off his dimple :)

melt

2011-01-10T17:02:00.001-06:00

thanks to my mum for taking some snaps of me and ben :)

e + m engagement

2011-01-04T18:22:00.009-06:00

i had a blast with erin & matt at their engagement shoot- can't wait for their wedding this summer!

big ben

2010-12-16T19:58:00.004-06:00

no his eyes aren't getting bigger- his cheeks are just slowly going down in puffiness so you can see them. ohhh...my little buddha- soo cute!

ummm....even more ben :)

2010-12-13T17:36:00.002-06:00

more ben

2010-12-11T16:18:00.005-06:00

i can't believe how fast this little guy changes- only 10 days old and he already looks so different to me then his first few days. lots of feeding, sleeping, cooing, burping and diaper changing going on over here... and yep- i'm still totally smitten.

Welcome Benjamin Roe!

2010-12-06T16:11:00.004-06:00

meet my new little man- ben- born on 12/1. he showed up on his great grandma's 98th birthday which was just perfect! what a special birthday to have.

we have both been very sleepy and haven't had a lot of photo time yet but wanted to take a few quick snaps to show off this handsome little guy who has me totally smitten.

family christmas card

2010-11-07T19:13:00.003-06:00

i have done a bunch of cute family sessions lately- just have been pretty bad about blogging them! but wanted to share this one of my good friends and their adorable twin girls- can't believe they are already 6 months old!

so it's only a few weeks till my due date! i'm getting a little uncomfortable- but need another week to finish up all my work projects- then i will be ready for this little guy! can't wait to meet him!

belly update

2010-10-13T22:54:00.004-06:00

I'm into my 34th week - so just over a month to go : )

Congratulations Nicole + Aaron!

2010-10-07T16:19:00.029-06:00

I loved this wedding- such a joy to photograph with so many special details in an amazing setting. I have a huge awesome slideshow set to Nicole and Aaron's first dance song HERE. Make sure to check it out!

Thanks for letting me document your big day guys- it was an honor! XO- Kris

Venue: Blumen Gardens
Photos: iKLiKphoto
Florist: Soiree Floral
Officiant: Anita Vaughan
Catering: The Country Store
Baker: Sweet Dreams
DJ: Style Matters
And a big thanks to Marci for second shooting this wedding with me!

Sneak Peek....

2010-10-04T01:22:00.005-06:00

Such an amazing venue, fun bride and groom and so many awesome details made this wedding such a blast to shoot- can't wait to share more! Please check back soooooon!

And don't forget, the photobooth pics are already up...click HERE to view and order :)

the baby and his doppelganger!

2010-09-30T15:59:00.005-06:00

have been meaning to share this for a while now- but does my baby look just like samuel l jackson...aka- jules from pulp fiction? i think so! in this pic he even has the funky beard going on. only a month in a half till i meet the little guy :)

Nicole and Dave: the slideshow!

2010-09-30T15:00:00.007-06:00

I now have the slideshow up for Nicole and Dave's gorgeous wedding - click HERE to check it out!

Venue: Prairie Productions
Church: Wicker Park Lutheran Church

Also want to give a big thanks to my awesome second shooters, Marcie of M&Dphotography and Christina of christinawehbe.com

If you missed it- make sure to check out the original blog post of Nicole and Dave's big day HERE.

Congratulations guys! Love Kris

Nicole & Aaron- the photobooth!

2010-09-28T21:34:00.007-06:00

I photographed an amazing wedding last weekend- can't wait to share some photos from it! In the meantime check out the awesome photobooth pics posted on my proofsite. Click HERE to view and order :)

happy happy birthday!

2010-09-28T14:33:00.007-06:00

happy birthday to my mom, my sis morgan, my nephew jack and my niece avery who all had birthdays in the last few days! here are a few snaps from jack and avery's "amazing animal show" party.

the babies room!

2010-09-22T10:05:00.004-06:00

i had fun pulling together odds and ends for my little boy's room and thought i would share the final result...

the lights above the window are from target's outdoor/garden department. i love how they glow at night. the rocker and dresser are both hand me downs from my parents- the dresser was their first piece of furniture when they got married.

i made the mobile over the crib by cutting up old paper source catalogs. the map i picked up from AAA for free and the fish on the wall is an old kite i found in my parents cedar closet. the pillows are from scraps of fabric i bought at a quilting shop and had my mom sew together. my mom also gave me the adorable robot comforter -she found it at a kids store by our lake house in michigan

the quilts are treasured family heirlooms- my great grandmother made them- they are pieced together from her old dresses. i love concert posters and had several cool ones sitting around that i thought would look just perfect in the babies room. the kasperek stool i nabbed from my little sis who played hoops in college-it was her locker room chair.
the vintage marvel comic postcards i ordered online- still haven't quite figured out what to do with them- but think they are adorable and will find someway to display some.

the crib is another target find and the rug, lamps, frames, shelf and baskets are all from ikea. the antique globe i picked up at a sidewalk sale - i have always been obsessed with maps and globes and think they make great art!

so that is the grand tour... i still have lots of things to get together- diapers, clothes, high chair, stroller etc- but i'm starting to feel semi ready for this little guy...he has been rolling around and kicking like crazy lately- i can't wait to meet him!

CONGRATULATIONS DAVE & NICOLE!

2010-09-15T08:20:00.016-06:00

my little brother is married! huge congrats to dave and nicole!!!
i'm still waiting to get photos from the other shooters who took most of the ceremony and reception photos- but here are a few early favorites that i captured as i took the getting ready and group photos around chicago, and of course i snuck my camera out too during the ceremony and dancing for some more shots...but please check back soon to see the slideshow!

K + G

2010-09-07T20:07:00.008-06:00

remember adorable kate? she now has a little sis grace, who just turned one! they are both too cute- so fun to see you all!

Gift Certificates!

2010-09-01T09:32:00.002-06:00

Looking for a great baby shower gift or perfect present for a new mom? Look no further....

please email me for more info :)

Natalie!

2010-08-28T12:53:00.004-06:00

my old college friend's daughter just turned one! so fun to catch up and get some photos of adorable natalie- make sure to check out the slideshow by clicking HERE!!!

family

2010-08-25T08:39:00.007-06:00

i took my nephew and nieces out for a fun photoshoot by my parents lake house in michigan. so many gorgeous places up there i have always wanted to shoot at and these 3 agreed to be my models- i just had to pay them in ice cream :)

a belly shot my sister took for me- it's a boy and he is due on my birthday- november 19th!

twins!

2010-07-29T10:50:00.001-06:00

my friend stephani came over to visit the other day with her gorgeous twin girls...of course i had to get a few shots : )

family road trip!

2010-07-26T12:42:00.033-06:00

last weekend i headed back to iowa with my family to celebrate the life of my grandma roe - my mom's mom who passed away last month at the age of 94. she lived in california for the last 30 years of her life, but spent her first 60 years in northern iowa where she was born into a large farm family, then moved to the small town of garner where she married my grandpa- worked at their grocery store and raised 3 kids.

the photo below is part of the crowd that gathered after the memorial service in a local park to visit.

it was special to go back to my mom's home town of garner- and the town of clear lake that is just 10 miles away from there where my mom and her brothers spent their childhood summers and where I spent many of my own - visiting my great aunt peg and playing off the red dock seen below with my siblings and cousins.

after a quick swim we drove through downtown clear lake with a stop at the surf ballroom. when my mom was a teenager she went to see buddy holly, richie vallens and the big bopper preform here at what would become their last concert- shortly thereafter they died in a plane crash- instantly becoming legends and inspiring the lyrics to the iconic song, american pie. below is my brother in law in front of the famous venue.

next we headed 100 miles north to st. peter minnesota- to visit my dad's mom- my amazing grandma vi who is still going strong at the age of 97.

the oldest and youngest members of my family. grandma vi and her great- granddaughter, cate, meet for the first time.

my grandma plays bridge, does crochet, and works on puzzles all the time- i think it's part of her secret for staying so sharp at her age.

my parents goofing around with my niece

my nephew wearing my grandma's shower cap ; )

buster - my nephew and nieces' dog came along for the trip.

my siblings and i with my grandma- and if you look close you can see my baby bump- i'm expecting a new addition in november!

avery and jack with their great grandma

my sister and her husband wisely rented a RV for the long trip- here a few shots i got of their kids hanging out in it before we hit the road.

so it was lots of car time this weekend but so worth it- great to see everyone! xo- kris

C + C wedding: lake geneva

2010-07-22T11:33:00.004-06:00

congratulations to christine and chris who had such a gorgeous wedding up at lake geneva at the abbey resort!

make sure to check out their wedding slideshow by clicking HERE.

i loved capturing your big day- can't wait to share all the photos. xo- kris

n + a engagement!

2010-07-15T12:50:00.007-06:00

these two are big fans of the movie "charlie and the chocolate factory" so our first stop was a candy shop for some movie inspired "sweet shots" :) then we hit up one of their favorite music venues, the aragon, where the management was nice enough to let us come inside for a few shots - we had such a blast and i can't wait for their wedding in september!

LIFT @ A New Leaf 2010

2010-07-08T21:06:00.013-06:00

Fr. Jamels James and members of Old St. Patricks Chicago LIFT organization celebrated their 6th Annual Scholarship Event raising funds for the children of LIFT. Funds raised during the event will provide room, board, education and LIFT leadership training for children ages 12 to 22 from Southern India. Our goal is to LIFT these children out of the poverty, disease and lives of neglect.

LIFT (Leading India's Future Today) is a not-for-profit founded by Fr. Jamels James and friends to provide education, leadership training and community involvement opportunities to bright children that would otherwise not have the opportunity to receive a formal education. LIFT is committed to helping these children transform their own communities through education.

K + S wedding!

2010-06-28T18:19:00.025-06:00

Kelly and Shawn embraced their Irish heritage with the wedding and reception taking place in gorgeous Galena at the Irish Cottage. Such a fun place to shoot and what a beautiful wedding, I loved getting to capture it! Huge congratulations guys! Xoxo- Kris

Make sure to check out Kelly and Shawn's wedding slideshow to their first dance song by clicking HERE

K + M Wedding

2010-06-18T09:09:00.006-06:00

click HERE to see the wedding slideshow!
Ceremony: Faith Hope and Charity
Reception: The Drake
Video: Smiling Toad
Band: High Society Orchestra
A big congratulations to Kelly and Mike!

C + J slideshow :)

2010-06-14T11:48:00.004-06:00

finally- photos from a gorgeous wedding on the coast of california- huge congrats to the happy couple! xoxo -kris
and don't forget to click HERE to view this amazing slideshow!

P + M wedding!

2010-05-10T08:26:00.013-06:00

I was honored to photograph this gorgeous and intimate wedding in Madison, Wisconsin. Paulina was a college roomie and is one of my dearest friends and I loved being there to document her big day! Paulina and Mike, I'm so excited for you both and wish you a lifetime of happiness together! Lots of love!!! Kris

Make sure to click the link at the bottom of the post to view the slideshow!

Click here to view Paulina + Mike's Wedding Slideshow!

sneak peek: P + M

2010-05-05T09:03:00.001-06:00

a few photos from a gorgeous wedding on a foggy spring day in madison wisconsin....more coming sooooon :)

italy: the best of the rest

2010-05-04T09:42:00.009-06:00

I have been a bad blogger- edited all my italy pics as soon as i got home but has taken me forever to post them cause WE MOVED! We are still in the city, about a mile from our old place but it's so nice to have a little more space- our old place was a 2 bedroom plus a den and this place has 4 big bedrooms- one of which will be a big new office for me- yahoo! Griffey is also loving it over here cause we now have a big deck and a huge yard, and since we switched el lines from the brown to the red Pete's commute to the loop is cut in half! So far it's a win win- well, except for all the unpacking we still need to do... and the place is a bit of a fixer-upper (we have forest green formica counter tops in the kitchen-eeeek) but after a little work we are sure it will be awesome! I will post pics when I get it a little more cleaned up in here...

Okay- on to the rest of the italy pics....After Venice and Florence we rented a car for the last week of our trip and our first stop was Cinque Terre on the the Italian Riviera- a gorgeous spot where you hike between 5 villages tucked into the steep hillside overlooking the Mediterranean. We had some perfect weather for the hike but the next day tons of rain so we took the car up the coast to Genoa- exploring the port town and the boyhood home of Christopher Columbus. Then it was on to Siena (with a pit- stop at the leaning tower in Pisa). We enjoyed exploring Siena early in the mornings and later in the evenings to avoid the tour busses and mid- day we took off on day trips to charming Tuscan towns and the wineries of Chianti. Our next stop was Spoleto, one of my favorite towns cause it was off the beaten path- no tourists, no English spoken, just us and the locals. We hiked along Roman Aquaducts, explored castles and day tripped to Assisi from here before heading back by Rome, to Ostia Antica, where we spent the day exploring the well preserved ruins of ancient rome. So after 16 days, 7 hotels, and countless bowls of pasta, we were ready to head back home- but what an amazing trip!

Italy: Venice & Florence

2010-04-20T12:11:00.016-06:00

venice was amazing, a total fantasy land- we spent our time there wandering the canals getting lost, drinking espresso and dining on fresh seafood. we skipped out on a gondola ride (150 euro- ouch) and instead took a water taxi up and down the grand canal.

st. mark's square during the day- above and at night - below

from venice it was on to florence! where we took the only photo of the whole trip with pete and i in the same frame ; )

pete climbing to the top of the duomo
at the top - enjoying the view as its about ready to downpour
watching the rainstorm from the safety of the hotel

one more post to come so check back soon for the last of the italy pics :)

Italy: (or kris and pete in front of stuff that is old) Part 1

2010-04-14T11:55:00.018-06:00

We are back from Italy and had an amazing trip! We toured through 7 cities- (with lots of mini-trips in between) but started the trip with a stay in "the eternal city." Beginning with me in front of the pantheon- here are some highlights of ROME!

my peter in st. peter's square :)

in the vatican

the light streaming through the window of st. peter's

taking in the sights

mailing a postcard from the tiny country known as vatican city :)

the spanish steps

the crowd in front of the trevi fountain and pete in the home of augustus caesar

hmmmm- i forget what this is- but it's way old and important :)

looking through a store window to the street and me in front of a cool old door.

my favorite site in rome, the colosseum!

stay tuned- venice is up next :)

published!

2010-04-11T17:36:00.007-06:00

Kathryn + Sean's awesome wedding was just published on the gorgeous 100 layer cake website check it out! And to see my original blog post and their wedding slideshow click here.

Roman Holiday!

2010-03-24T17:16:00.001-06:00

Pete and I are finally taking our honeymoon, 2 + weeks in Italy- HOORAY! I will have limited access to emails and voicemails from abroad but will make sure to respond to all inquires when I get back on April 10th... And of course I will bring back lots of photos to share so check back soon :)

Nora Fleming

2010-03-19T15:55:00.010-06:00

I had fun styling and photographing these for Nora Fleming who makes adorable interchangeable dinnerware- check out her website to see the hundreds of options to "dress up your dishes". Also make sure to check out her inspiring blog as Nora has an eye for all things lovely, from decor, to art to kids clothes.

Kylie!

2010-03-12T11:49:00.002-06:00

vail

2010-03-08T12:36:00.006-06:00

had a great time with family friends at their house in vail.. all images captured via my iphone :)

the cove

2010-03-04T15:20:00.006-06:00

we rented the oscar nominated documentary "the cove" the other week and it really rattled me - so hard to watch but important to be made aware - here is a little info about the movie and a link where you can learn more about it and take action....
CLICK HERE TO LINK TO THE COVE WEBSITE
"The Cove exposes the slaughter of more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises in Taiji, Japan every year, and how their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in Japan and other parts of Asia, often labeled as whale meat. The majority of the world is not aware this is happening as the Taiji cove is blocked off from the public. The focus of the Social Action Campaign for The Cove is to create worldwide awareness of this annual practice as well as the dangers of eating seafood contaminated with mercury and to pressure those in power to put an end to the slaughter."

out of office

2010-02-25T19:33:00.007-06:00

i'm shutting down shop for the next 5 days- we are off to colorado for a ski vacation...cause what i really need right now is more snow ; ) i will get back to all emails, phone calls and print orders on wednesday.

and because no blog post is complete without a photo...here's an oldie of my pup under the dining room table. i felt so guilty dropping him off at the boarding place tonight- don't know how i will ever let my future kids go to school when i can barely let my dog go to a kennel!

posters

2010-02-24T12:29:00.006-06:00

i'm a huge fan of concert posters, the style, the colors, the price! what's not to love? came across a few today that i think will make a great contribution to my collection so i bought them- yahoooooo...

loved the colors in the blue one and the station wagon one totally reminds me of road trips when i was a kid. my fam would pile into our awesome wood paneled station wagon and hit the open road. it was a time before seatbelts and we would make the back a huge bed and all crawl into our sleeping bags, read books with our flash lights and yell that another sibling was in our space until my dad would threaten us with pulling the car over....good times :)

recently....

2010-02-16T15:35:00.008-06:00

above, a few iphone snaps from the top of the sears tower - i haven't been up there in years but have been wanting to go check out the new suspended glass flooring and my cousin's visit a few weeks ago gave us the motivation. was a little spooky to wander out on it but very cool!

the photos below are from recent trips to the lakehouse- and the red thing around griffey's neck in the first shot is his christmas collar that i made him wear for most of december....adorable! the first and second shot below were taken at the same spot about a month apart - shows how the lake builds up with frozen waves over the winter- this time of year it looks like the surface of moon out there!

Home...

2010-02-15T14:08:00.003-06:00

some tulips my hubby gave me for valentine's along with a line from a great song that is popping up everywhere lately by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros -you can check it out here. hmmm- actually, it sounds like they are saying "home is whenever i'm with you"not what i wrote above-oops- either way- it gives me warm fuzzies. happy belated valentines day everyone!

Harrison!

2010-02-10T08:50:00.002-06:00

A few favorites from a fun family photo shoot with adorable one year old Harrison!

twins!

2010-02-03T10:24:00.002-06:00

had to share a few early favorites of these adorable one month old twins- im just getting started on the editing but they were sooo cute- we got lots of good stuff! also had a fun family shoot on sunday- will get a preview up soon!

N + D

2010-01-26T11:54:00.013-06:00

N + D sneak peek

2010-01-23T23:36:00.006-06:00

when you take engagement photos for your little brother and his fiancee- you can make them do really embarrassing stuff....i give you their interpretation of "the lift" from dirty dancing...

family photo shoot

2010-01-21T11:38:00.010-06:00

a few pics from a shoot before the holidays- they gave a bunch of these prints to their mom for christmas- so sweet :)
in other news...i have been going crazy with album orders around here- love putting them together- have even been inspired to make one for myself so am digging through years and years of photos- but all of this album work has made me quite slow on the blogging front... so am thinking i should kill two birds with one stone and start posting some fun album designs up here to share :) stay tuned....

A+C

2010-01-13T09:15:00.007-06:00

christmas card shoot for some soooon to be parents :)

M + J Wedding

2010-01-04T22:28:00.040-06:00

Ceremony: St. James Lutheran
Reception: The Drake
Planners: Nicole and Colleen at Windy City Trolly

What an amazing wedding- a big congratulations to Meg and Josh! This was such a joy to document not only because it was GORGEOUS, but also because Meg's family and mine are friends and it is always fun to see the whole crew! It didn't hurt that there was a beautiful bride, a handsome groom, a breathtaking setting, remarkable flower arrangements, a rocking band and most importantly a room full of family and friends celebrating a beautiful union!

Make sure to turn on your speakers and click on the link at the bottom of this post to view their wedding slideshow! I also want to give a big thanks to my second shooter Laura Meyer who did a great job!

Do the people in this next photo look familiar? It's one of my awesome couples from last year- Meg's cousin Paul and his wife Erin, with the adorable maid of honor Kelly in the middle :)

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SLIDESHOW!!!

Congratulations Meg and Josh!!! Hope you are having a blast in Hawaii! I can't wait to share the rest of the pics! xoxo- kris

A + D

2010-01-04T20:13:00.004-06:00

a few more photos of amy and david's awesome engagement shoot around the modern art museum- so fun!

Sneak Peek: A + D

2009-12-23T09:49:00.004-06:00

i promised these two a sneak peek at their engagement session before i took off for michigan. can't wait to share more! happy holidays everyone!!!

happy birthday sun!

2009-12-21T16:55:00.005-06:00

"On this shortest day of the year, the sun is at its lowest and weakest, a pivot point from which the light will grow stronger and brighter. This is the turning point of the year. The romans called it Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun"

it's officially the first day of winter and christmas and new years are right around the corner- how does this always sneak up on me so fast? i have been a bad blogger lately as i have been so busy with holiday sessions and orders. this weekend i had three fun photoshoots and a gorgeous wedding at the drake! i can't wait to start digging through all of them...in the meantime here is a quick pic from my phone. happy winter solstice everyone!

cate's BIRTHday!

2009-12-08T19:03:00.004-06:00

Catherine Sofia (Cate)

2009-12-08T12:33:00.002-06:00

Baby Cate!?

2009-12-07T10:51:00.007-06:00

i have a new niece! my sis suz and her husband tony welcomed a gorgeous baby girl around 1 am this morning! she is 7 lbs 6 oz 21 inches long and has strawberry blonde hair! i was lucky enough to be there for the delivery and take some photos for them- soo amazing! i will be sure to post some soon but in the meantime here is one I snapped from my iphone. we think her name is going to be Cate (but they are still debating). what a little doll! welcome to the world little one!

ReCEntLy....

2009-12-04T09:45:00.013-06:00

-this week has flown by- how is it friday already? all day yesterday i thought it was wednesday- i feel gypped - way too much to do!
-a few photos from my iphone-all from rain soaked october- sunny november ones to come...
- if you are looking to kill some time- here are a few cool websites to check out. this first one is a of a couple that biked from st. louis to seattle last summer. BIPEDALIST
-im a fan of the levis go forth commercials so finally went to their website- great layout, design and concept and walt whitman poems too! LEVIS

N+J Wedding!

2009-12-01T08:11:00.018-06:00

Congratulations to Noelle and Jason! These two are adorable together and were a blast to work with! The weather was also quite a pleasure. Who would have thought it would be warm and sunny in late November!? The late afternoon light before the ceremony was amazing and we took full advantage, getting some fun shots of the gorgeous bride. The ceremony ended just before dusk so we raced around the Naper Settlement with the wedding party to nab the last bits of sun and breathtaking sky!

Next it was on to the reception for dinner, dancing, toasts, cake and... a surprise serenade of "Living on a Prayer" by Noelle's youngest nephew- what a riot! I have so many great shots I want to share so stay tuned....a slideshow with many more pics will be posted soon!

I also have to give a shout out to Ben Mahoney Productions who was there on video, always a pleasure to work with and they do a fantastic job - check them out brides :)

JUMP

2009-11-25T09:01:00.002-06:00

these guys are crazy good jumpers!!! more pics to come :)

N + J sneak peek

2009-11-24T09:32:00.008-06:00

just starting to go through the photos from noelle and jason's wedding. we lucked out and had a beautiful and warm late november day! aside from a flat tire incident after the ceremony and a rescue pick up from noelle's uncle (big thank you!) it was a perfect day for a wedding. these are a few shots of the stunning bride before the ceremony started in the gorgeous late afternoon autumn light. check back soon...many more to come!

editing my own wedding...

2009-11-20T11:11:00.004-06:00

has been on the back burner for a while as im still trying to catch up on everyone else's wedding and album orders- but i have gotten some great images from my family members! this one my sister in law captured of my nieces playing at cocktail hour- this pic just tells such a story and always makes me smile :)

Brooks 11 months

2009-11-19T13:12:00.004-06:00

so fun to see adorable little brooks again- can't believe he is already 11 months- what a cutie :)

a few more....

2009-11-16T18:55:00.004-06:00

shots from our awesome H.T.R. shoot last week- i finally finished the editing :)

hair that ROCKS!

2009-11-10T15:20:00.015-06:00

I did a shoot yesterday with hair guru Steph from Hair that ROCKS, the talented makeup artist Veronica Saucedo and 6 lovely ladies. Im just starting to edit through the photos but wanted to throw a few online to give the girls a sneak peek. I had a blast working with all of you! I will be adding more here as well as to my facebook page so check in again soon:)

B + B Wedding

2009-11-03T11:11:00.005-06:00

These two lovebirds tied the knot at St. Cletus in LaGrange and then we headed out to the gorgeous Patrick Haley Mansion for the reception- the house has so many amazing antiques and fun rooms to photograph and the great hall that held dinner and dancing had a "great gatsby" vibe- so fun!

Family Pics

2009-10-25T12:11:00.026-06:00

snapped some photos last week for some old high school classmates of mine and their adorable families. so fun to catch up and meet their little ones! here are a few favs...

recently....

2009-10-21T11:49:00.013-06:00

here are a few photos i pulled off my phone and what we have been up to recently. the only app i have paid for on my iphone is the polaroid one- totally worth it- makes anything look cooler! it's called "shakeit photo"....get it morgs and suz! in no random order here are pics of my puppy, a recent lakehouse visit to see my parents, toronto roadtrip, elliot brood @ schubas, grizzly bear @ the metro, pete's b-day cake and a visit from his mum, seeing a play at the goodman, and random stuff in my neighborhood... good fun!

C + C engagement

2009-10-19T10:54:00.004-06:00

Christine and Chris and I had a fun time getting some pics on a perfect autumn afternoon around the city. These two are getting married next summer up at Lake Geneva- I can't wait :)

K & L wedding

2009-10-15T10:02:00.012-06:00

Congratulations Kristi & Lance! These two tied the knot at the beautiful Winter Garden atop the Harold Washington Library.

This was such a fun wedding for me to document because Kristi and my little sister Morgan played basketball together at the University of Iowa and a bunch of their old teammates and coaches were there. I'm used to seeing this crew after basketball games when they were all red and sweaty. But I have to say, they all cleaned up quite nicely- especially the bride who looked gorgeous!

Make sure to click on the link at the bottom of this post to view Kristi and Lance's slideshow! I loved getting to photograph your big day guys- can't wait to share the rest!

Kristi and Lance choose to see each other and take photos before the ceremony, these next few photos are their "first sight" :)

to view the slideshow....CLICK HERE!!!

K + M Wedding!

2009-10-01T07:07:00.019-06:00

The photos from this wedding will be on the proofsite by oct 29

Katie and Michael tied the knot at the gorgeous Music Institute of Chicago in Evanston. It was such a moving and sweet service, they shared excerpts from Katie's journal along with friends and family members first impressions of the bride and groom, and had a friend sing a beautiful solo of "I can't take my eye's off of you."

Katie and Michael have quite a long history with the YMCA, they first met there as kids, and returned later as counselors where the reconnected and fell in love :) They even had their former boss from the YMCA officiate the ceremony and she did an amazing job!

After some fun photos around Evanston and of course the High Ridge YMCA, it was on to the reception at Pinstripes, a unique bowling and bocce bistro! Guests enjoyed games and appetizers outside while snuggling up to the bonfire, then it was on to dinner, a touching sideshow of the couple, toasts and dancing!

Congratulations Katie and Michael, I loved getting to capture your big day and can't wait to share the rest! xo- kris

OUR WEDDING!!!

2009-09-28T12:59:00.051-06:00

Sorry, it's been a while since I blogged cause I have been a little busy... Pete and I got married!!!

I owe so many people a big thanks for all the hard work and time they put into the big day! I had relatives and friends stringing lights, hanging lanterns, setting up tables, and millions of other tasks as we had almost a week of festivities (and meals) to plan!

Most of all, I need to thank my mother who was amazing! From planting carload after carload of flowers in the yard to cutting and pasting together decorations, to coordinating every meal, thinking about every detail, and making it all look gorgeous! I have to thank her too for putting up with me! After 4 years of shooting weddings I was a little "wedding-ed out" when it came to planning my own. But I warmed up to it and ended up loving every second of it- there was something magical about getting so many important people in our lives together, and Pete and I both feel so grateful for everyone's love and support!

We had the wedding on a perfect late summer day up at my parents lakehouse in Michigan. We had cocktails followed by the ceremony on the front lawn with Pete's Dad as the officiant, he got ordained online and he did an amazing job! I think he has a new career calling ; ) After the ceremony we had the guests move through the house to the back yard for dinner, dancing and an amazing sunset over the lake followed by a small fireworks display and star gazing from the decks over the bluff. I still can't imagine how we could have done it any better- it was wonderful!

Our inspiration for the wedding decor was really the lakehouse itself. I knew immediately when planning that it was the only place I wanted to get married. The time of year, degree of formality, number of people and everything else changed quite often though ; ) The house is set high on a bluff overlooking the lake with amazing views and the house has lots of stone and wood throughout. We brought in the blues and greens of the lake as our main colors and many "natural elements" like rocks to hold down table cards, wooden mats on the buffet table and sand in the candle vases.

I have always been obsessed with maps and incorporated Michigan maps into the table numbers, place cards, hotel guest bags, photo booth and anywhere else we could think of.

Pete is quite the beer connoisseur so we thought it would be fun to serve up some of our favorite local brews to our guests.

We got the flowers from the local farmers market- we talked to the ladies at one of our favorite flower stalls ahead of time with the simple direction we wanted everything to look "natural and wildflower-ey" and they did a fantastic job, at a bargain price!

Instead of giving away take home gifts to our guests, we decided to make a donation in their honor to the Great Lakes Alliance, this fantastic organization works to keep our great lakes clean and beautiful.

We found Crate & Barrel tablecloths and napkins that incorporated a bunch of fun colors and used that as our guide for the paper lanterns, paper decorations and other colors we pulled in.

I had Sean Dorgan who I used to work with at an event photography company shoot the wedding for us (he handed over the raw files and I'm doing the editing). He did a great job- thanks Sean! My sister Morgan also got a ton of fun shots and of course I was out there with my camera too before the wedding to get some of the detail shots :) I'm also eagerly anticipating some photo files from friends and relatives who snapped some great shots- (hint hint people- send me your files :)

We drove up the Blue Star Highway before the wedding and had fun popping out of the car for pictures at sites we found along the way.

Back at the lakehouse, I changed into a more informal dress to greet the guests for cocktails.

After getting back in the wedding dress, we were all set to go!

Instead of a traditional wedding party we chose to have our family walk down the aisle including our nephew and nieces as our "flag children" :)

Our "wedding party" :)

I set up a photobooth for the guests and we had people snapping photos in there all weekend, here is a small sampling....

The next morning at brunch we made sure to get some big group shots of the families.

Due to our work schedules we didn't have time for a long honeymoon (instead we are planning a delayed honeymoon to Italy in the spring) So we decided to take a mini-roadtrip and spend a few days exploring Toronto as neither of us had been.

We were impressed, so diverse and so much to do!

The Art Gallery of Toronto was very cool- Frank Gehry (a Toronto native) just renovated it!

Toronto even has islands which we took a ferry to then explored on bike- im always a sucker for boat rides!

We decided to go all "honey-mooney" and detoured by Niagara Falls on the way home. Awesome!

And for the grand finale- Pete surprised me by calling one of our favorite restaurants by the lakehouse and making sure our name would be on the marquee for the wedding day! Awe...what a catch my hubby is!

Thanks again to all our friends and family for helping to make our day so amazing! And I owe a thanks to all my brides and grooms who have trusted me to photograph their weddings over the years. I definitly got lots of inspiration from all of you!