“Mark + Michele are officially married!! Their wedding had something borrowed, something new, and many things that incorporated the color BLUE. It is our pleasure in featuring above our favorite wedding photographs from Mark + Michele Summer wedding… it was a beachy and coastal nautical themed wedding in Crystal Lake.

 

No we weren’t on the shores of Lake Michigan or in Lake Geneva. Nor up North in Door County Wisconsin or Traverse City Michigan… we were in Mark + Michele’s home town of Crystal Lake in Northern Illinois. Many brides want a destination wedding on the beach, but ultimately decide a far away destination just isn’t going to work. So why not bring the theme to your local wedding, set a Summer date, get creative, and continue to bring the coastal style to the day. : ) If your creative like Michele ( she’s a graphic designer who was easily was versed into a do-it-yourself bride ) or if you need a little help, decide to hire the expertise of an event planner and take your beach vision and work it into your reception. We LOVE photographing our couples who are unique waterfront weddings both taking place in Chicago and in far away coastal destination locations, by a lake or on the oceanfront, in a marina or on a yacht, or even at sea.

 

For Mark + Michele’s wedding we especially liked Michele’s choice of the classic wedding colors of navy and white which she carried throughout various moments of the day from the ceremony through to the reception. The chosen bridal party’s monotone shades of navy colors painted the perfect simple palette… a classic sailor nautical wedding fashion. At the reception, we enjoyed her DIY bride technique gathering together pieces to create a coastal cottage style table centerpieces which featured items like coral, sea shells, driftwood, galvanized lanterns, glowing candles, florals and nautical colored stripes on the name tags, cake, table numbers and stationery. Beyond the great job decorating and planning the reception, M+M also pointed us to great “beachy” shooting locations. Michele + Mark both grew up in Crystal Lake, so it was easy for them to choose nearby picturesque photo settings along the lake, by the docks, in front of the marina’s sailboats, and along sandy lakefront tying their day’s theme together. Great locations, thanks M+M! Well done and bravo for such amazing thought behind your wonderful wedding!!!

 

Mark + Michele, we probably wrote this previously about your engagement session, but we’ll say it again we love your use of creativity behind your use of props. And as we also previously wrote… M+M you are so fun to work with! We appreciated being there documenting a memorable milestone in your lives. Your bridal party, families, and friends were incredibly inviting and we enjoyed working with everyone. Thank you already for all of your referrals and in becoming our friends over the past year. Hope you are as thrilled with the photos as we are!!”

 

 

 

Mark + Michele’s Wedding incorporated many DIY elements, below are a few highlights and vendors:
Coordination by: Michele ( and a lil bit of Mark : )
Ceremony: St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Crystal Lake
Reception Venue: Crystal Lake Country Club, Crystal Lake
Couture Designer Wedding Gown: Sottero and Midgley purchased at Kathryn’s Bridal, McHenry
Hair: Paige from Mario Tricoci
Makeup: Kylie from Mario Tricoci
Bridal Shoes: Light Blue Roma heels by RSVP
Veil: Borrowed
Bridesmaids Shoes: Champagne Chic to Chico, Nine West
Bridesmaids Dress: Marine charmeuse dress with ruched waist and pockets, David’s Bridal
Flower Girl: Dress from David’s Bridal + Headband from ETSY.com
Groomsmen Attire: Navy Izod Suits from Macy’s + champagne & navy striped ties from The Tie Bar
Flowers: Grapevine Floral, Lake in the Hills
Cake: Rolf’s Patisserie, Lake in the Hills
Caterer: Crystal Lake Country Club
Menu: Door County cherry chicken and filet, season vegetables with twiced-baked potato.
DIY Centerpieces: Lanterns + candles from IKEA coral, driftwood + shells from Save-On-Crafts.com
Guestbook Frame: Miller + Miller engagment photo and Michael’s custom frame
DJ: Bob Kramer
Honeymoon: Sanibel Island, Florida

 

Revisit photos from Mark + Michele’s Chicago beach engagement photography Summer photo session in June.

“When we first met with Mark + Michele, it was a bitter cold and snowy January Chicago Winter day. Over a cup of coffee, we all instantly bonded and talked about the exact opposite weather — the Summer, beach, vacationing in Michigan & Wisconsin, and boating!! So we instantly decided to wait until warm weather and planned for a Summer time Chicago beach engagement session. For their shoot, although it was sunny, the beach wind was a little cold… but the chill didn’t seem to bother Michele + Mark. M+M we’re awesome still up to getting their toes wet in the sand and then they cuddled up in their beach blanket afterwards. They are a cute couple, with a lot of love for each other.

 

During our first meeting, we discovered Michele is a graphic designer ( as are Miller + Miller in addition to being photographers. ) So we bonded about this too… sorry Mark for talking too long about our business card, fun papers and type. : ) Michele currently works downtown Chicago and says she loves working in the creative field, designing with typography and too funny today as I was writing this blog entry I received their invite – an awesome mix of metallic papers and typography design. LOL

 

Michele + Mark’s love story + “how they first met” was during a group of mutual friend’s get together. ( They both attended the same middle and high schools, but didn’t actually talk until many years after high school – this is nearly identical to Ryan and my how we first met story. ) After the first night of great conversation and keeping in touch afterwards through Facebook, it wasn’t until both Mark + Michele were in London that the start of their relationship fully developed. Mark was studying in London finishing up his Masters Degree and Michele’s was visiting her sister who was working overseas. The rest is history and now they are busy planning their wedding.

 

Incorporating a prop to personalize our engagement sessions are always a fun touch couple’s bring to the session. Michele was telling us how her and Mark have had many of picnics together… And even in the colder months! Rather than picnicing outside in the Winter, they even have had a picnic in their living room ( which was actually how Mark proposed to her last November! ) When Michele ask if we could incorporate the picnic element, we put our creative heads together and decided a picnic on the beach and capturing a lighthouse shot would be perfect match for them. We love how these creative sandy, beach photos turned out!! Thanks Michele in bringing along the basket and extra sand toys! Hope you both enjoy the photos. We had fun strolling around the City with the two of you. We can’t wait for your wedding – talk to you soon and enjoy the rest of your Summer wedding day’s planning.”

 

 

 

Mark + Michele currently live in Palatine, but are originally from Crystal Lake Illinois. They are getting married in their home town this August, a Summer wedding at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Crystal Lake with their reception following at the Crystal Lake Country Club.