Restaurant Wedding at FitzGerald's in Berwyn, IL | Megan + Patrick
FitzGerald’s / Berwyn, IL
Megan + Patrick had a pure vision for their wedding day. A focus on fun, friends, family, and of course the deep love these two hold for one another. Not to spoil the whole blog for you, but I can safely say these two pulled their vision off with flying colors! Come with me as I relive one of my favorite wedding days at FitzGerald’s restaurant in Berwyn, Illinois.
Portraits and Private Vows
Their wedding day started on the more intimate side, with Megan + Patrick getting ready separately from one another in the company of their friends and family. Soon after they had their first look in Megan’s parent’s backyard. This also gave them a moment to read their private vows to one another, all under the spectacular fall colors of the massive tree behind them. Having their first look done, Megan + Patrick were able to have their wedding party photos as well as a majority of their couples portraits done early in the day. These were taken at the beautiful St James Farm nearby, and the fall vibes were immaculate here as well. Before long though it was time to hop aboard the trolley with their wedding party members and head to FitzGerald’s for the remainder of their restaurant wedding festivities!
Their Outdoor Ceremony at FitzGerald’s
FitzGerald’s is a restaurant and live music bar in Berwyn, Illinois, and was THE perfect choice for Megan + Patrick’s wedding venue. There’s such a fun atmosphere to the space both inside and out that really fed into the joy these two and their guests felt throughout the day. With a slight chance of rain we chose to have their ceremony underneath the outdoor tent. Not a soul let this dampen the mood though, as everyone was so happy to be celebrating the love between these two beautiful humans.
One of my favorite highlights of the day came shortly after as during cocktail hour Megan + Patrick were able to enjoy oysters off the grill. Not only were these delicious, but it was so fun seeing these two have this time to mingle and be present with their guests! This was only possible thanks to us getting taking their portraits early, and was a priority of Megan + Patrick. We did of course snag a few more portraits of just the two of them before making our way inside for their reception.
Indoor Wedding Reception at FitzGerald’s Restaurant
As far as restaurant wedding venues go, FitzGerald’s is in a league of its own when it comes to atmosphere. Between the warm vintage aesthetic, and the incredible live music the space is famous for, I can’t imagine a better space that Megan + Patrick could have chosen for their wedding. Each moment of their reception felt like a scene from a movie. Like the speeches that brought out the deep belly laughs, or the epic dance floor that was filled to the BRIM the entire night. The night was an unforgettable experience from start to finish, and I’m so glad I was able to document it!
I can’t thank Megan + Patrick enough for choosing me to photograph their restaurant wedding at FitzGerald’s. I’m still obsessing over their day, and honestly probably will be for years to come! If you’d like to see more love stories like theirs be sure to check out some of my other blogs. For those looking to book me as their wedding photographer I’d love to hear from you! Head to my contact page to send me an inquiry so we can get the ball rolling on planning your one of a kind wedding day!
Wedding at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago, IL | Allison + Adam
Bottom Lounge / Chicago, IL
If I had to pick a wedding that really captured the essence of Chicago, Allison and Adam’s wedding at the Bottom Lounge would easily be one of my top picks! From the stellar portraits taking advantage of some of Chicago's classic architecture, to their venue in the iconic West Loop, there’s so much to love about this wedding day. I can’t wait to share with you the story of their day, but first are some truly kind words from Allison!
“From the moment we met her, we knew we had found the perfect wedding photographer. Sara's calm and friendly nature immediately put us at ease, and we felt like we had known her for years. On the day of the wedding, she was ever-present, but never intrusive….We love how her photos are both timeless and unique, and really reflect our personalities and style. We were referred to Sara by other well-respected photographers in the industry, and it's easy to see why. She is incredibly talented, professional, and passionate about her work. We are so grateful to have had her as our photographer and will treasure the beautiful images she captured for the rest of our lives.”
Getting Ready and Portraits in Chicago
To kick off their wedding day Allison + Adam both got ready at an Airbnb in Chicago with the company of their loved ones. The two were careful not to cross paths though as they wanted to have their first look on the roof of the Airbnb. The Windy City really lived up to its name for the first look, but that didn’t stop Allison + Adam from having an amazing moment for just the two of them! They were able to read private letters they had written for one another which was such an emotional moment to start the day on.
Outside of the wind, the weather was perfect for their day. It was so nice out that we decided to walk around for some photos in downtown Chicago. Even with full sun, we were able to use the buildings of the city to create some pockets of perfect lighting! Finally it was time to make our way to the Bottom Lounge for some final outdoor portraits before their wedding ceremony began.
Their Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Hour at the Bottom Lounge
While the Bottom Lounge may be known mostly as a music venue in Chicago, the space is actually massively underrated as a wedding venue! Part of that is thanks to the Lounge’s upstairs level, which Allison + Adam rented out for their wedding day. The natural lighting and classic brick walls work to create a space perfect for any style of wedding. This space works for both ceremonies and receptions as you’ll see from Allison + Adam’s wedding day. For their ceremony, these two made it a priority to add some personal touches into the day. Adam’s father was their officiant which was incredibly sweet, and they even had some close friends of theirs sing for the ceremony as well.
Immediately after their ceremony was their cocktail hour which took place on the connected back balcony of the Bottom Lounge, yet another reason to love this space as a venue! The back deck gave Allison + Adam a chance to enjoy some time with their guests while the indoor space was converted for their reception. The view here was beautiful, and with the perfect weather we lucked out as everyone was having the best time before the party really started.
Dancing the Night Away at Their Reception
The indoor space of the Bottom Lounge had a completely different feel to it in the afternoon, partly due to the reception set up and partly due to the sun setting. It made Allison + Adam’s reception feel so intimate and personal, yet they had ALL of their favorite humans there celebrating with them! The dance floor was consistently packed throughout the entire evening which was so fun. Allison even had an epic dress change later on in the evening, and as if the two didn’t already have enough to celebrate it was also Allison’s birthday weekend! Everyone was able to sing to her to celebrate, really just one of many highlights from their night that I cannot get over!
I’m still in awe over Allison + Adam’s wedding at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago! I had such a great time documenting their day, and I can’t wait for you to look through ALL of my favorite photos from their day below. Be sure to keep an eye out on my blog for more love stories and resources, and if you’re looking to book me as your wedding photographer be sure to send me an inquiry through my contact page!
Vendors
Venue - Bottom Lounge
Planner - Greater Joy Events
Video - Mike Rundle
DJ - Toast and Jam
Hair and Makeup - Pin Me Up Chicago
Florist - Garden of Grace
Dress- BHLDN
Suits - JA Bank, Generation Tux
