A Revolution Brewing wedding, you say? Count me in! I’d been waiting so long to finally capture Amanda + Brian’s big day. It was so much fun!

Their Story

“We were introduced through mutual friends when we lived in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois,” Amanda told me. “I was finishing my doctorate degree while Brian was working professionally. We quickly bonded over good food, craft beer, and conversation. Our first date was nearly three hours long – yes, I talked that much! We then dated long-distance for one year while I completed an externship in Atlanta, GA. Frequent trips were made between the small town of Normal, IL and Atlanta.

We moved to Chicago in the summer of 2018 and the first night we had dinner and well-deserved beer at Revolution Brewing (crazy to think that’s where we decided to have the wedding)! Brian finally proposed February 27, 2021 at a very snow-packed Fullerton Beach in Lincoln Park. We then welcomed Daisy, our mini Australian Labradoodle, to our family in August 2021. We can’t wait to begin the next chapter of our lives together – wherever that may lead us.”

First Look

Amanda + Brian got ready separately, with Amanda downtown and Brian at an Airbnb. The Lincoln Park area has sentimental value for them, so we planned to do their first look at the South Pond by the Zoo. Once everyone was ready, I left with Amanda and the girls to meet Brian, who was already waiting for us. They had written notes to each other, so we decided to have them read them back to back… before even seeing each other! And once they turned around, Brian’s jaw hit the floor. I mean, Amanda looked INCREDIBLE, so I wasn’t surprised.

With the wedding party in tow, we all set off to take portraits around the park. At one moment we crossed an angry red-wing blackbird, and were grateful it decided to leave us be. After some great shots in the area, we all hopped on the bus and went over to Revolution.

Revolution Brewing Wedding

Amanda + Brian had a beautiful ceremony. I’ve seen lots of folks incorporate elements into their wedding that represent the combination of the two people, like a sand or water ceremony. Being at a brewery, of course, Amanda + Brian wanted to do something related to beer. They poured a glass of barley and a glass of hops together into one, signifying their bond (and their love of beer!). They said “I do,” kissed, and walked back up the aisle to start cocktail hour. Guests munched on some hors d’oeuvres, drank delicious beer and even had the option to go on a brew tour!

Once it was time to sit for dinner, Amanda + Brian walked back into the dining room for their entrance with beers in hand. After eating some great food and hearing heartfelt speeches, the couple danced with their parents. Their first dance followed, which was to the song “I Will Always Be Yours” by Ben Rector. Everyone then joined them on the dance floor and raged the night away! The music was so good that I’m certain the ceiling was shaking for the guests eating below in the dining room of the restaurant.

“Why Revolution Brewing?“

At one point I asked Amanda + Brian why they wanted to have a Revolution Brewing wedding. They said, “We LOVE craft beer and Chicago, so Rev was a natural choice for us to check out. Once we were able to see the space, and meet Steph, we were hooked on having our wedding there. The venue speaks for itself in terms of its natural wood beauty. A lot of the other venues we considered also only had macro-beers available, which was a hard no. We couldn’t wait to have the wedding of our dreams at a brewery we love in our home city.”

SO much love to these two perfect humans. I can’t wait to see them next year when I photograph Amanda’s brother’s wedding! xx

Getting Ready Hotel: Waldorf Astoria / Venue: Revolution Brewing / Hair + Makeup: Patty McGuire Hair & Makeup / Florals: Thrive Floral Designs / Cake: Roeser’s Bakery / Calligrapher: Nochta Boutique / DJ: The DJ Firm