Our Save the Dates are mailed and loved ones have been personally alerted, so what better day than my own parents’ 42nd anniversary (today) than to publicly (finally) announce our wedding plans!! Drumroll please… On April 23, 2018, Kevin and I will say “I Do” at the Abbazia San Pietro in Valle, in Umbria ITALY! Yep, you read that right my friends. I’m embracing the question you’ve heard me ask so often, and running full steam ahead with “Why not?” Why not get married doing exactly what the two of us love to do together? Traveling together has shaped our relationship so …
Hotel Arista Wedding – Alyssa & John
While apart, Alyssa & John are happy people. But the moment you see them together? You realize, there’s a whole other level of smiling you had yet to experience. Together, these two positively beam. The week leading up to their Hotel Arista wedding day, Alyssa and I texted off on about the weather forecast and our Plans A, B & C in case the potential rain decided to stick around (all the while, obviously hoping it wouldn’t rain). When I awoke that Saturday morning to the puddles on the sidewalks and continued sprinkling, I was so worried I’d walk into Alyssa’s hotel …
Central Park Engagement – Jessica & Viral
When I asked Jessica & Viral what they would do for their engagement session if they could do absolutely anything, none of the answers had anything to do with Chicago. When we started talking about some of their happiest memories and how Viral proposed, it was in Central Park. Why, I thought (and promptly asked) are we taking engagement photos in Chicago? So we didn’t. Jessica & Viral’s Central Park engagement session couldn’t have suited the two of them more. Filled with cuddles, laughter and impromptu dancing, a couple of hours flew by without any of us realizing it. And …
The Truth About Printing Photos
I read an article in the Chicago tribune recently that discussed the cost of weddings in Chicago. Spoiler Alert: It’s expensive. Chicago ranks fourth in the nation for the cost of a wedding, coming in behind Manhattan, New York, and New Jersey. Everyone kind of knows that already though, right? (Just take what you would spend on dinner at your favorite local bar. Something simple – 2 cheeseburgers, 2 beers. Now multiply that by 150, or whatever your guest count is. That’s also 1 drink a piece, not an open bar, and not anything unique yet. So it makes a …
Chicago Riverwalk Engagement – Kelli & Adam
They laugh without caution and hold onto each other as if the axis of the world existed inside of that hug. Their laughter tells of the comfort found in being yourself without holding back. And all of those hugs – with the extra little squeezes – speak volumes to the support system they find in each other. And with this romance, the romantic setting that is the Chicago Riverwalk at night, couldn’t have been a more perfect spot for Kelli & Adam’s engagement session. The cozy ambiance that naturally surrounds Kelli & Adam would be enough to make time photographing them …
How to Remember Your Wedding Day
You are happily planning your wedding and yet at every turn someone says, “Oh my gosh, the day goes by so quickly. Be sure to soak it in.” You hear it over and over again, enough to cause a bit of concern. After all, you are spending months of your time preparing for this great celebration. The last thing you want is for it to fly by and not remember it! But the one thing all of these good meaning people haven’t said, is how to soak it in. It’s great advice, but what is a real solution? How do you actually …
Olive Park Engagement – Nicole & Matt
Nearly every single person, before they have their photo taken, feels awkward. It’s simply a natural human reaction. I feel the same way when the tables are turned. But when your gut reaction to that anxious feeling is to curl up tight to your beloved and giggle (almost) uncontrollably? Yea, that’s pretty stinkin’ photographically perfect. And I’m going to do very little to dissuade that response 😉 While they might say it felt weird at first, Nicole & Matt were adorable from the very start of their Olive Park engagement session. Their love is found in those knowing looks; where she knows he …
Downtown Chicago Engagement – Kate & Matt
Only having chatted on the phone, I was excited to finally meet Kate & Matt in person for their downtown Chicago engagement session. Kate’s mom is good friends with past RMP mother of the bride, Anne (mom to Dena) and based on all the fun I continue to have with that amazing family, I knew only good things were in store! While the sunset at Olive Park was lovely, my personal favorites from Kate & Matt’s downtown Chicago engagement came when we arrived to the Riverwalk at exactly the perfect time. While so many talk about the wonders of Golden Hour (aka …
Did you know? Little Known Facts About RMP
Do you ever have one of those conversations where you talk about something you do that is a no-brainer for you, but the other person says, “OH! I didn’t know that!” I find myself in that position fairly often, so today we are touching upon 3 little known facts, behind-the-scenes here at Rebecca Marie Photography. Did you know that every time we process a credit card a donation to a non-profit is made? The irony is that most small businesses prefer not to accept credit cards. There’s some very valid reasons for that, but for me personally, we got a …
Newborn Photography: Ms Ava has Arrived!
In July of 2012, we photographed these two young kids preparing to say, “I do.” In October of 2012, the largest choir I have ever witnessed at a wedding came together to sing the composition Kate & Scott, both highly talented musicians, wrote for their wedding day. In thinking back to the journey of these past 5 years, I re-read what I wrote for their wedding blog post and I imagine it will hold true for this next step in their life together. In trying to describe what it takes to compose an eloquent piece of music: “Writing a piece …