It's uncommon for us to meet a couple for the very first time at their engagement session. The situation leaves everyone a little on edge because we are hoping the couple will be fun and relaxed in front of the camera, and the couple is hoping that we will make them feel at ease and get some really great photos of them. Thankfully, with Megan and Guy the initial uncertainty melted away almost immediately. It felt like we had known them for a while because they were easy to get along with, casual, and fun!

One of the first things we noticed was that Megan wore a bright colored dress with some awesome 3-inch heels -- and then proceeded to hike 2 miles from Millennium Park to Adler Planetarium in those heels with ease. Color us impressed! Guy had a great sense of humor and was incredibly sweet to Megan. His down-to-earth personality and their go-with-the-flow attitudes made their e-session a piece of cake.

The cute moments came very naturally to them. We hardly ever prompted them to hold hands or kiss for a photo because they were already doing that candidly, which made our jobs really easy. They clearly make each other very happy. :]

Megan and Guy -- it was so great getting to know you. Thanks for being such troopers with all the walking and unexpectedly frigid winds. (Perhaps it was good practice for your upcoming winter wedding?) ;] We can't wait to be part of your special day in December.

They're back! Do you recognize Chayal and Emil without the Holi powder all over them? ;]

For this more "conventional" second half of their e-session we headed downtown to their favorite spots around the DuSable Bridge on Michigan Ave. It was quite a contrast to running around a park throwing colorful powder, but their fun-loving natures still shone through as they made each other smile and laugh. (We're not sure how Chayal kept smiling while braving the cold Chicago winds and near-freezing temps in a skirt without a jacket!) o_O

Emil & Chayal -- we had a great time working with you again and can't wait to celebrate and photograph your wedding this spring! Enjoy these images in the meanwhile!

Alicia and I had the pleasure of getting to know Justin and Rachel on a service trip to West Virginia a couple years back. Rachel is a nurse, and Justin is a med school classmate of Alicia's at Stritch -- so I'm sure you can imagine that among the four of us, it was quite a challenge to find a time to do their e-session! Thankfully we were able to find just over an hour to squeeze in some shots around Millennium Park and Michigan Ave.

Having less time than usual was no trouble for these two -- their positive attitudes, laid back natures, and comfort with each other after years of friendship had them looking natural and casual in front of the camera right away. (If you've followed our blog in the past, you can probably see a pattern of these traits that make our clients so fun to work with.)  :]  They know just how to make each other laugh and smile and are obviously excited to get married.

Rachel and Justin -- you make such an awesome couple, and we can't wait for your wedding this spring!

Emil is one of Alicia's med school classmates, and he and his fiancée, Chayal, decided they wanted to throw Holi powder for part of their e-session. Colorful, whimsical, and fun -- it fit their personalities perfectly, so we enthusiastically agreed!

Emil & Chayal -- this was an awesome idea for your e-session. Thank you so much for choosing us to shoot it! We had a fantastic time and are looking forward to the more "conventional" second half of your e-session later this fall!

Our third photo session with the McCarthy family was the most fun yet. :] They now have two adorable daughters, and we had a great time photographing the girls playing at a local park followed by some bubble fun back at the McCarthy home.

Cate is currently a huge fan of Disney's Tangled with the long locks to prove it. Libby is the spitting image of a younger Cate and definitely in a curiosity/exploration phase. She seemed perplexed when Cate started blowing bubbles -- but after trying to eat them for a few minutes, she got the idea. ;]

Ginny & Michael -- thanks so much for working with us again, and enjoy your images. :]