And so it began with a text message. And then some gmail/facebook chatting. More text messages. But still Damaris would not agree to meet in person. Only after much persistence did she finally agree and the rest was history! It was an Asian-Latino wedding: Indian & Puerto Rican families coming together in marriage. I love the diversity the body of Christ can bring together.

Church: Faith Alliance Bible Church (FABC)
382 S Mount Prospect Rd
Des Plaines, IL 60016

***there are 30 pictures posted here, you can see 50+ on my facebook page. Feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see them!***

I loved the lime green wall in Damaris’ room- I had to incorporate that into her wedding dress photo!

A photo of mom helping her daughter one last time before the ceremony

A portrait of the beautiful bride-

I love the natural light inside Faith Alliance Bible Church- makes for an awesome entry photo!

One of those moments that only a few people saw…I love my job as a wedding photographer!

He couldn’t take his eyes off of her…

First time I ever really got a photo of the important ring passing moment-

We headed out to Chicago, near O’hare for our creative photosession. Dennis is an amateur photographer himself and so I used a technique that I knew he would appreciate for this photo-

It took some time to get to this location, but we definitely made the most of it!

The ladies wore Tiffany blue dresses-

And I really liked how the Tiffany blue worked with the dark grey suit/tuxedo.

And then there was this photo. I’ve never been so happy after a photo before. I was as giddy as a junior high kid on Mountain Dew. So much effort pre-wedding went into this moment and to see it work was an amazing feeling. Chicago O’hare International airport…lots of airplanes flying around…the location of choice for this photo.

Add to the stress level: the intermittent thunder storms throughout the day which threatened to cancel this photo opportunity or move the airplane flight patterns.

literally…5 minutes after we took this photo…the skies opened up and the thunderstorms rolled in! It was pouring rain by the time we got to the reception just 10 minutes later.

And finally a photo of the rings on their wedding color- Tiffany Blue!

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For each wedding, I am always challenging myself to be creative and come up with a new shot or pose. It’s not always easy, but when it works out, I get a rush like no other. Bobby & Theresa let me decide where we would shoot their creative photos and they built in a lot of time into their schedule. More time = more photos!

Ceremony: St Paul Chong Hasang Catholic Church
675 Dursey Ln
Des Plaines, IL 60016

Reception: Meridian Banquets
1701 Algonquin Rd
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

***more photos from this wedding can be found on my facebook page- feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see them***

I thought this was a fun photo of Theresa’s wedding veil being put on-

Her purple & silver wedding shoes!

Wedding dress details

A photo of the gorgeous bride!

Since we took photos before the ceremony, we had a ‘first look’ between Bobby & Theresa before we started the photo session. You gotta love the purple/lavender dresses and flowers!

Some photos in Elk Grove, near Theresa’s home

Real smiles, real laughs in this photo! Such a fun group!

A great bridal party image

Look at their smiles! It just makes you want to smile too!

As I mentioned before, Bobby & Theresa gave me a lot of time and so I was able to come up with some creative photos like the ones below

I absolutely love this photo of Theresa-

A photo of the guys-

Bobby is a huge comic book and Kung-Fu fan, and so we decided to be a little creative and have some fun with their photos- This was just too much fun to create!

The men-

One of the best shots of the day! Bobby brought one of his most coveted possessions, and we HAD to take a photo with it!

Purple/lavender flowers at St Paul’s

This was a first for me in all my years of wedding photography-

I think this photos sums up their relationship- =)

Wedding cake!

This photo could be titled: Retribution!

Thanks again for a wonderful time Bobby & Theresa! You guys are an amazing couple and thank you for your hard work in the schools and giving so much to your students!

with love,

Kenny

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Ceremony: Twin City Bible Church (TCBC)
806 W. Michigan St
Urbana, IL 61801

Reception: iHotel & Conference Center
1900 South First Street
Champaign, IL 61820

Yih-Chun & Evelyn both attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign…also my alma mater (Go Illini!). I also lived down there for four years after graduating, and I like to say that I know Champaign-Urbana pretty well. BUT I really wanted something special for their wedding photos and I stumbled upon this awesome location-

Evelyn looked stunning in her wedding dress.

He couldn’t stop smiling whenever he looked at her-

Being creative with the environment

I love this detail shot of her bouquet of lilies.

I love, love, love this photo of the two of them. There was so much chemistry between the two of them, and I think this photo captures that connection-

We also spent some time in the Japanese garden and Japan house grabbing some photos.

A park in Urbana…

I have spent so much time at TCBC through the years, I could literally walk through this place with my eyes closed. =) I was blessed to photograph a wedding here-

I LOVE this moment right before the first kiss- it happened so fast, but we got it! Look at her playful face!

The iHotel in Champaign, IL. I love this venue, full of amazing architecture and art. I also appreciated Evelyn’s choice on lighting. Those purple lights really add so much to a venue.

The wedding cake

Grabbed this photo of the handsome groom

Just look at all the expressions during this toast- makes me smile everytime

We had to grab some more photos at the iHotel before I left-

Another one of my favorite photos from the day-

Yih-Chun & Evelyn: Thanks for planning so much time for photography! I think it was worth it! =) And as wedding photographers yourselves, thank you for trusting and investing so much into having me as your wedding photographer!

with love,

Kenny

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Elyse and I have been friends for a long time now, and it was a blessing to see her with David as they shared a little bit of their love story with me. You can see it in their eyes when they talk, laugh and poke each other…that there is some obvious chemistry there- =)

I hope these photos capture that connection – enjoy!

It tends to be a little crowded at Millennium Park on the weekends, so we found a more secluded area where they could be more comfortable-

I love their expressions and the energy in the moment.

Millennium Park has a wonderful garden showcasing various flowers in bloom-

And as usual, we went a couple blocks from Millennium Park to an alley and had some fun taking some photos away from the touristy scenes…

Millennium Park also has a really cool water fountain right on Michigan Avenue-

Capturing a reflection in the photo-

Thanks you guys for really opening up! And to think…you were worried about how the photos would turn out! =) Can’t wait til the wedding!

with love,

Kenny

Nakai Photography

Now I was warned that Justine thinks she is not a photogenic person. (say it with a New Zealander’s accent, it’s way cooler) But I think these eleven photos say otherwise! =)

Justine loves architecture and so we settled on downtown Glencoe, IL as the backdrop for our engagement session photoshoot. Glencoe is a quaint town with a variety of structures and buildings. We took a lot of photos, but I tried to narrow down for the blog.

I saw the shadows on the ground and really wanted to utilize them in a shot. It’s a good thing I am six feet tall to grab a shot like this-

I love their smiles in this photos- they couldn’t keep from smiling when they were with each other-

I love this photo of Justine. The moment and her smile just make me want to smile as well. =) =D

A very real moment- I didn’t tell them to do this, I love it-

We took this photo when Jordan was telling me about his love for Justine. The smiles are all real and you can see a little sparkle in Justine’s eyes-

wow…what an unphotogenic couple! =P Jordan & Justine: you guys were great! Thank you for keeping it real and your willingness to walk around all over downtown Glencoe for these photos! Your wedding photos are due up next! =)

Here are a couple photos from their engagement session we held this past fall- You can see the rest of the images here.

***More photos are on my facebook page – Feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see all 50+ images there***

Make up and jewelry were done by Julie from Poesi. Check her stuff on her website! www.ilovepoesi.com

A quick photo of the wedding shoes and wedding dress-

I love this portrait of her-

I love her smile here – it’s all in the eyes-

We headed out to The Glen for some creative shots. A big “Thank You” to the bridal party for trekking out for these pictures!

We took some photos on the bridge at The Glen-

I love this photo – capturing the flowing veil on the pier-

The Glen had a cool maze for children – it made for a fun photo!

Before the ceremony started, we grabbed this photo of Michael.

Dreaming about her own wedding someday… =)

So much is said in the eyes- love. passion. commitment.

The reception was held at European Crystal and Banquets in Arlington Heights, IL

And yes…the first dance!

Thanks you guys for having me as your wedding photographer! I’m so happy for the both of you as you begin your journey together! May you both continue to be guided by His hand and voice as you allow Him to lead your paths.

I can’t wait to hear some more fun stories over dinner sometime! =)

with love,

Kenny Nakai

But let’s rewind for a minute and start off the wedding photos with a little getting ready action at the Double Tree Hotel in Schaumburg, IL

Reeja’s wedding Sari-

I love the details-

The wedding shoes-

There was an Indian traditional ceremony at the hotel before we left for the Church.

Her father was taking in the moment-

We caught up with the guys at the St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church (1220 South 60th Court in Cicero, IL)

I grabbed Reeja for a couple creative photos before the ceremony began-

Another important Indian tradition is to tie a necklace behind your bride- and there is a specific way to tie the knot.

The reception was held at the Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, IL

The Indian tradition of lighting the lampstand together-

Moms giving their children some milk to drink (another Indian tradition)

And a picture of their flash dance! It was soooo cool! I wish someone taught me the dance too! =)

I really like the lighting at the Meadows Club. It helps for pictures like this-

After the kids performed, there as a pretty awesome dance group that performed-

Libu was tearing up the dance floor-

Thanks you guys for a great time! I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather down in Oklahoma! I’m so happy for you both!

with love,

Kenny

***More photos can be see on my facebook page. Feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see any of the 60+ images there***

Since Ambily & Jinu had their wedding in the fall, they wanted to make sure their engagement photos were in the spring/summer- Here are a couple photos from their engagement session. You can see more photos here.

The ladies got started at the house- I love the detail in Ambily’s wedding dress.

Her wedding shoes-

We had a brief moment, so I pulled Ambily aside for this photograph-

I caught up with the guys at the church. Jinu was looking pretty sharp on the limo bus-

Some of the pieces used in the Indian traditions.

The wedding bouquet-

I love the affection shown by Ambily’s dad- what a moment. I love being a wedding photographer! Seriously, out of all the hundreds of people in the sanctuary, there were only a handful of us who witnessed this moment-

These girls saw it- =)

I love the Indian saris

There is an Indian tradition of tying a necklace in a very specific manner. It’s easy to forget all the details…and that’s what brothers are for…to help in cases of emergencies. =)

Another important Indian tradition, the placing of the sari on the bride’s head-

After the ceremony, we headed out to Volkening Lake in Schaumburg, IL for our creative portrait session. We didn’t have a lot of time, so we made the most of the opportunity.

The bridal party was having a good time-

This was a photo they really wanted to take- It’s hilarious- Tiger- ROAR!

The reception was held at The Stonegate in Schaumburg, IL

At the reception, there were a bunch of Indian traditions, including the lighting of the lampstand-

The first dance-

Wonderful lighting at The Stonegate allowed for this photo-

And the skit begins! If you want to see Sebastian from the Little Mermaid make an appearance, you have to check out the photos on facebook- =)

Thanks you guys for having me! You guys were having so much fun! A memorable wedding in so many ways! But that guy playing Jinu’s dad wins for best actor! =) I wish you both the best as you continue to grow in your love and commitment to each other!

with love,

-Kenny
Nakai Photography

“We just finished our engagement session, and I fell in love with Katie all over again. I didn’t think that was possible”

I was so glad Katie & Joe had a memorable experience with me at their engagement session. Here are a couple of images from their shoot at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL.

You can see the rest of the engagement photos here.

***You can see more photos from this wedding on my facebook page. Feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see all 60+ images***

We started out in Elk Grove for the hair and makeup- The bride was being photographed by all kinds of photographers!

The flower girl was more than happy to sit next to Katie’s wedding dress!

I decided to try something different with the wedding shoes- =)

Katie looked stunning in her wedding dress-

The ceremony was held at St Hyacinth Basilica in Chicago, IL. I LOVED these doors-

The men chatting before the ceremony-

The St Hyacinth Basilica is huge! Here she is walking down the aisle!

The church was gorgeous…I loved the light leaking in from the top of the frame and the reflection in the floor-

Um…yes…the church is gorgeous. St Hyacinth Basilica in case you forgot. =)

After the ceremony we grabbed a quick creative photo-

We headed to Itasca for the our creative portrait session. We found some railroads with various shades of fall colors in the background.

At the Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca, we grabbed some photos inside.

I really like these next two-

A photo of the wedding cake

The best man began talking about Joe’s past…and you can see the fear on Joe’s face! But everyone else is laughing!

She can’t wait for her wedding day to come. =)

Thanks Katie & Joe for having me as your wedding photographer! May your love for the Lord continue to grow as you continually learn more about your relationship with Him!

with love,

Kenny Nakai

It was a wonderful celebration, and though raindrops began to fall shortly before we began our portrait session, we were able to brave the elements to for some fun photos-

A quick shout out to Alexandra, a wedding coordinator from Exquisite Weddings who helped make sure their day ran smoothly. And to Joe Kang who helped me out with photography coverage.

Before I show their wedding photos, I want to share a couple from their engagement session from earlier this year. You can see the rest of the photos here.

***You can see more photos on my facebook page. Feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see all 60+ images there***

A photo of the wedding dress

I loved the color of her shoes-

Making sure everything is ‘alright’ under the hood-

Had a couple photographs taken before we headed down for the prayer time

I love this one-

It’s ‘ok’ to feed the wildlife- =)

A moment between father and daughter-

The sari and necklace for the Indian traditions-

I loved this one of Manoj as he awaits his bride walking down the aisle.

And though it was raining, the we still headed out for some photos! They came prepared with umbrellas! It made for some creative shots!

The ladies having a good time-

It was so windy that day, I had an idea for all the guys to throw up their umbrellas into the air! The wind did the rest!

The reception was held at the Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows. The venue does a great job with lighting-

More Indian Christian traditions, the lighting of the lamp!

I love this photo of the dancer-

A group with an Indian dance-

The Meadows Club has these awesome spot lights that make for a cool photo-

Thanks you guys for sharing your day with me! And thank you for being so willing to hang out in the drizzling rain for your photos!

with love,

Kenny

Nakai Photography