Portugal Trip // Exploring the Azores, Lisbon, and the Algarve

My spouse had a ticket to visit Portugal back in 2010 (just a few months before we started dating)... but then that volcano in Iceland erupted and halted all flights to Europe for a few days. Long story short, they never ended up being able to visit until now. It's been a bucket list location for a while since their grandmother is from Portugal (and of course I’ve heard all about the perfect weather, clear water, great food, etc.)

Scheduling this trip in the middle of the fall wedding season was certainly a decision I questioned more than once, but ultimately it was the perfect way to recharge. It's really easy to fall victim to burnout in the wedding industry, especially for photographers, but I know I owe it to myself (and to my clients) to genuinely be enthusiastic about what I do. Because I make it a priority to schedule time off for myself, I am lucky enough to almost always love what I'm doing and to bring all my best energy to each couple I work with.

On this trip, we started and ended in Lisbon where we visited art museums and galleries, ate all the tapas, enjoyed live Fado music, relaxed on the balconies of our Airbnbs, and oohed and ahhed at all the gorgeous tile. We explored castles, their gardens, and greenhouses in Sintra— as well as a labyrinth of tunnels beneath one of those castles. In the Azores, we soaked in sub-tropical hot springs on a chilly day (and then ate a stew cooked in the geothermal water!), took many a foggy hike, walked along a crater lake, and swam under a waterfall at the end of a trail. In the Algarve, we stayed inside a windmill built in 1900 by our host's great grandfather, wandered along red rocky cliffs and through caves and tunnels leading to hidden beaches, and braved the chilly ocean water. It was one of my favorite vacations we've been on and I'm so excited to share some of the images with you all!

If you're wanted to see more travel photos, you can see images from our other adventures in the travel section of my blog.

Summer Parklands Engagement Session

Just looking back through this gorgeous summer engagement session has me already missing the peak-season greenery...but if we're being completely honest I'd trade all that in for the cooler weather that is *supposed* to be coming sometime soon. These two were a joy to photograph— they make each other laugh so easily, their fashion choices are right up my alley, and their tattoos complement each other's perfectly. I had such a wonderful time showing them all my favorite paths in The Parklands.

Reminder about flower fields: flowers are delicate. If you want an image of someone sitting while surrounded by flowers, look for a rock or dirt area for them to sit on so that you don't crush the blooms. It'll give the same impression without causing harm. (I know you don't believe me, but look at all the images we got while sticking to dirt and rock! You can't tell at all - which is why I feel the need to bring it up.) A good question to ask is "if one hundred other people did the same thing what would happen?" One hundred people can walk on dirt or rock without an impact, but if 100 people wandered through the flowers then we would lose those flowers fast. The Parklands is pretty good at putting up signage on areas that are delicate or need to rest so you know where to avoid.

Another note for all the photographers out there— make sure to stay current on your permits when you're shooting at a park! The Parklands requires a permit to shoot in all five of their parks, but it is so worth it! They always have clean (and temperature-controlled!) bathrooms, beautiful flowers, and are constantly expanding with new projects! Our financial support is needed to make sure our impact is minimized— and to ensure the parks are well-maintained so we always have a beautiful place to explore and to photograph.

If you’re looking for more outdoorsy goodness try this adventurous hiking session or this epic Iceland engagement. Also if you want to hear more about how Kristen and Ryan got engaged these photos were featured along with their story over on How They Asked!

Modern Chicago Wedding at the Bridgeport Art Center

I always love any excuse to visit Chicago, so when Lucy and Daniel asked me to photograph their wedding I was over the moon! I arrived at the Ambassador downtown and was greeted by their sweet Corgi Winston who helped me assemble all the lovely detail shots. Their rooftop first look was so incredibly sweet…and incredibly windy. We almost lost Lucy’s veil over the side of the building, but managed to snag it before it blew away. The Ambassador’s historic lobby area made for some really fun Vanity Fair style wedding party images - made even better by the mis-matched floral bridesmaid’s dresses. 

The ceremony and reception were held in the Bridgeport Art Center — it was the perfect blend of industrial, modern, and romantic. Before their guests arrived, the three of us snuck off to a quiet little corner for them to exchange their vows privately. I’ve had more and more couples sharing vows during the first look or during another private moment during the day - it’s a really great way to share personalized vows without having to get up in front of everyone if that’s not your thing.

During the processional, their flower girl took her job VERY seriously and made sure to evenly distribute the rose petals down the aisle…so much so that I’m pretty sure the DJ had to improvise and loop the song to add some extra time. It had all their guests and the whole wedding party cry laughing and was just the perfect start to their ceremony. At the reception, there were so many sweet details - like constellation napkins designed by Lucy to go with their paper straws for the cocktails, a swan ice sculpture that anyone who ordered white wine got to watch it pour through, a delicious desert bar, and photo-booth. I could go on and on, but let’s just let the photos speak for themselves.

If you’re looking for another art-filled modern wedding you should check out Jessica & Arno’s 21c wedding.

Florals : Flowers by Stem // Venue: Bridgeport Art Center // Event Design: Art of Imagination // Dress: BHLDN // Catering: D’Absolute // Hair: Danielle Catalano // Makeup: MAKE me UP by KJ // DJ: Toast & Jam