Wedding Photography Coverage at The Palmer House, Hilton – Chicago, Illinois
Post by Cathy – Cathy and David Photographers

Nov. 28, 2009 – To start off with, I have to say that Annie is one of our sweetest brides ever. While we were in Chicago shooting Dyanne and Reid’s Oak Park wedding (which was coordinated by Kate, one of Annie’s bridesmaids!), she drove an hour just to meet with us and talk about the details of her wedding: Chandeliers, vintage hairstyles, black floor-length gowns, a warmly-lit ballroom at the Palmer House — one of the oldest hotels in Chicago. Everything about Annie and Josh’s wedding was full of simple elegance and tasteful sophistication. We could not wait to shoot it!

So, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, on a chilly morning in downtown Chicago, we headed to the Palmer House, by Hilton, where the girls were running in and out of the bridal suite with dresses and shoes, makeup and jewelry. And at the center of the storm, was the calm and cheerful Annie. Her bridesmaids were willingly at her beck and call, whether it was gluing on eyelashes, writing out placecards, or just giving an opinion on jewelry, they were there for her. Definitely one of the best group of bridesmaids and one of the best maid of honors I’ve seen yet.

The ceremony and reception were so full of love and joy. The band was over-the-top AMAZING and played their heart outs all night long while the guests danced and partied just as hard. And I have to mention that for a guestbook, Josh and Annie laid out a collection of vintage postcards for their guests to write messages on. What an awesome idea!! Anyways, this wedding was an amazing celebration to photograph. The night fled by so quickly and we were sad to pack up and leave at the end of the night. Annie and Josh – Thanks so so much to you and your families for being so gracious, so real, and so full of joy.

Chicago Wedding Vendors:
Hair: Tigerlilie Salon (They specialize in vintage hairstyles and did an AMAZING job!!!)
Flowers: Barrington Flower Shop
Ceremony and Reception: The Palmer House Hilton
Caterer: The Palmer House, Jane Himmel – Senior Catering Manager.
Cake: Take the Cake
Music: Don Cagen Orchestra
The Dress: Kenneth Pool by Armale, 2010

The Palmer House Hilton
Palmer House Wedding Website
17 East Monroe – Chicago, Illinois 60603
Ph. 312-917-7308

Just a couple last things. A VERY special thank you to the staff of the Palmer House, Hilton. Your hotel was one of the absolute best places we’ve ever worked. Not because of how gorgeous it is, but because of how courteous and attentive the staff were, treating us like guests of the wedding party and not just as vendors, and for their super-fantastic catering director Jane, who has the thing down to an art form. THANK YOU! If you’re getting married in Chicago, Illinois and want an amazing downtown location for your wedding, look no further.

Thanks again to Annie and Josh. You guys were so kind and awesome to work with. We had such a fun time with the both of you and your bridal party and family. Thank you!

*A special thanks as well to Ruffled, for featuring her amazing vintage hairstyle on their wedding inspiration blog.*

*Another special thank you to Style Me Pretty for listing this as one of their top three favorite weddings on 2009!*

Thanks for reading! – Cathy.

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Palmer House Chicago Wedding Photography | Annie and Josh originally appeared on Chicago Wedding Photographers | Cathy and David (www.cathydavidphoto.com) on December 14, 2009.

Wedding Photography Coverage on September 12, 2009 – Chicago, Illinois and Oak Park, Illinois
Post by David.

Dyanne at the reception: “What kind of guy gives you art? Who gives you art as a gift? How amazing is that? How amazing is it that I married this man?? I am so freaking lucky!”

These are the sorts of things we hear at weddings from our couples. I honestly don’t know how we get such awesome people to work with but I’m beginning to think that crossing my fingers has been helping. Reid and Dyanne had been nothing but wonderful that day, and amidst watching all the people laughing, hugging, sometimes singing randomly it really brought the whole day together. Dyanne and Reid are exactly the type of couple we look for. Their photography was important to them, but more than that, it was the memories they wanted to hang on to. They were about connecting with one another, loving one another, having fun, relaxing with friends, and letting the day come as it may. Every moment of the wedding day was a series of connected emotions; the happiness the girls had putting together their own bouquets, the excitement Ried had getting his watch and the care he took unwrapping the paper, the stunned disbelief Dyanne had getting an original work by Chagall that Reid had been saving since last October as a wedding present, the pride in the parents faces, the adoration in Dyanne’s face as her dad gave a truly touching toast, the unrestricted joy that bound Reid and Dyanne together the entire night. Some brides hold it back, some brides are just relaxed, and some, like Dyanne, just let it all out all night long. She and Reid are madly in love with one another, and I honestly don’t know how they made it without seeing each other before the wedding.

After the wedding was over, we all went over to Poor Phil’s at the beautiful Carleton Hotel of Oak Park, where everyone had stayed the night before and night of the wedding. Reid and Dyanne had pretty much insisted that they buy us a drink since we choose not to drink at weddings we’re photographing (even if begged, and offered – though Cathy and I usually finish the evening with a glass of wine when we get home!). It was then that I found out that Reid had been a groomsmen of a wedding by one of my favorite photographers, Becker, an Orange County Wedding Photographer out of southern California. (No pressure, right??) I’ve become more and more shocked as time goes on how small this world is and how interconnected people are through weddings. So many of our brides next year and this year are all interconnected in some way or another, which I’m sure I’ll talk about in the next blog entry (hint hint, Amanda and Roger

Reid.. Dyanne.. what can we say. We LOVED being your wedding photographers and we, well, don’t know how to say it but we just plain love you guys.

Chicago Wedding Vendors:
Caterer – Twomaytoz Event Catering
Event Coordinator – Kate, Dettagli Weddings
Hair Stylist – Livia Caporale
Makeup Artist – Jill Gosser
Band – Gypsy (Acoustic Band)
Flowers were done by Dyanne’s mom and the bridal party. Awesome right??

The amazing bouquet’s designed by the mother of the bride, and put together by the bridal party.

Cathy loves doing her shoe shots.

Meet Reid!

Meet Dyanne!

One of my very favorite before the ceremony shots, ever.

Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica, Chicago, Illinois – This place was absolutely amaaaaaazing!

We love that every bridesmaid had a different colored dress. So cute!

-A special thanks to all the vendors who worked so hard on this wedding. The wedding band, Gypsy who seriously were one of the best bands we’ve ever heard. Their sound is awesome and you have to check them out online!!! As well, Kate was an awesome wedding event coordinator and we had a fabulous time working with her.

Thanks for reading! -David.

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Chicago Wedding Photography | Dyanne and Reid originally appeared on Chicago Wedding Photographers | Cathy and David (www.cathydavidphoto.com) on September 23, 2009.