When Hannah asked me to photograph her wedding, I was so excited. Capturing her big day at the St. Hyacinth Basilica with her Big Star Reception was incredible. I’m still pinching myself!

Also– yes, that is a boot on Collin’s foot and a scooter to accommodate. He shattered his ankle a couple of weeks before for the wedding slipping on some stairs. We were lucky he didn’t need to walk on crutches!

Their Story

“It’s the classic love story about a FOH girl falling in love with a BOH boy,” Hannah told me. “We met in 2014 while working at Revolution Brewing in Logan Square – I was bartending and Collin cooked in the kitchen. I awkwardly flirted with him for about two years as he would get off of work, fumbling to make small talk as I poured his shift beers. It wasn’t until June of 2016 where we first smooched after attending a friend’s BBQ. We quickly bonded over movies, our families, and growing up in rural areas of the midwest. For our first official date, we met at Piece Pizza for a beer and went to see the most romantic movie of the decade, Sausage Fest.”

“Over time we met each other’s families and fell more in love as we attended weddings of our friends all over the country. In 2017 we moved in to our apartment in Humboldt Park and created a cozy little 3rd floor home with our sweet dog, Penny. In August of 2020, Collin proposed while on vacation in Martha’s Vineyard at the Katama Airport where our loving family friend, Paul, had just taken our friends up for a ride in his airplane. Before we left, Collin asked them to take a picture of us in front of the airplane hangar so we could send it to his parents, and shocked us all when he got down on one knee. It was a sweet surprise and I can’t wait to go through life with my best friend and love of my life.”

Meeting the Couple

Funny enough, Revolution Brewing was where I met the pair as well. I worked there for a few years and got to know the two. It even took me a second realize they were dating! But soon I discovered that their relationship was one of the strongest bonds I’d ever seen.

Hannah was my direct manager when I first met her, as I was photographing weddings and concerts on the weekends. I will never forget the first time I was asked to photograph Lollapalooza. It would have required me to be unavailable on a busy weekend and I was nervous to ask for the days off. But when I pulled Hannah aside to ask, she was MORE than encouraging and super excited for me! I never forgot how she always gave me the ability to pursue my dream. From seeing them hang out with friends at the bar to that EPIC photo on Instagram with Collin down on one knee, I was so excited to be a part of their love story by photographing their wedding.

Getting Ready

Hannah + Collin wanted to make sure their day truly reflected them– family, friends, and a low key stress-free evening. We started off with some getting ready photos at the Drake with Hannah’s mom, sister, and her two bridesmaids Cristina and Jamie (who ALSO worked at Revolution with us!). A massive storm system was coming through the city and it was supposed to rain the EXACT time the couple were going to do a first look outside, so we changed their location to inside in the room where Hannah was getting ready. It rained buckets for a solid hour! Thankfully, by the time we got to church at St. Hyacinth Basilica, the bad weather had subsided and the sky stayed clear for the rest of the night.

Big Star

After their epic ceremony at one of Chicago’s most beautiful churches, family photos and some portraits outside (please note the photo of all of the Revolution folks at the wedding, including me!), we hopped back on the bus to head to their Big Star reception. Of course there was a Cubs game taking place at Wrigley Field right across the street, so there were a ton of people and we had to wait for a few minutes on the sidewalk before we could be let in. But honestly it added to the excitement of the day. We were greeted in the upstairs area of Big Star with tacos, guacamole and plenty of margaritas.

Besides a few speeches, there was nothing super formal about the night and the reception was laid-back and easy going. Hannah and Collin wanted to hang out with the people they loved the most, and that’s exactly what they got at their Big Star reception. No crazy production or wild planning. Just knocking a few drinks back and laughing with friends while watching baseball. Honestly, it was a perfect day. With an amazing couple. I still can’t believe I was a part of it. Congrats again, Hannah + Collin! I can’t wait to see what life brings you! :) xx

Getting Ready Location: The Drake Hotel

Hair: Amy Geister at Salon DJ

Makeup: Nina Esposito at Salon DJ

Dress: BHLDN

Suit: Calvin Klein

Florals: Hannah’s Mother Annette + Godmother Tammy

Ceremony: St Hyacinth Basilica

Reception + Catering: Big Star