Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers
301 North East Water Street
Chicago, IL 60611

As with most Indian weddings, there were soooooo many photos taken! It is really hard to narrow it down to 40 to post here on the blog! Next week, I will be posting more photos on my facebook page! So if you want to see more, be sure to check them out!

One thing I love about Indian weddings are the details.

And getting ready with all her jewelry and sari is a team effort! Such an important process…and I am thankful to be able to photograph this special time for Shruti!

She looked absolutely amazing!

And while the ladies were in the huge suite at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel, poor Sudeep was getting ready in a ‘normal’ room! =)

I think he looks pretty good in this photo!

Before the barat ceremony, we took a few photographs around the Chicago Sheraton Hotel.

And as I mentioned earlier, we took advantage of the fog that had rolled in!

Another cool photo with the fog-

The Barat- I’m not sure all the meaning behind this Hindu ceremony, but is a fun time of dancing while the groom sits on an elephant/horse…or in our case, a Chicago trolley!

The Chicago Sheraton has their own private driveway for the Barat. So they can dance all they want!

Inside, the bride’s mother awaits for another ceremony-

The gorgeous room set up at the Chicago Sheraton! Great job by Yanni Design Studio!

Yanni had great metal work and flower arrangements-

Shruti makes her entrance!

So many details in a Hindu wedding! And so many moments to capture in a photograph!

A photo of mom and dad with their hands over the couple

Again, I just love the work of Yanni Design Studio on this wedding!

My favorite bridal party photo from the day! They look great in their saris!

Smoking hot! Loved this little sweet spot for a photograph!

The beautiful room setup! The Chicago Sheraton Hotel can host large weddings. Flowers and centerpieces done by Yanni Design Studio.

A great job on the ambiance (I love the blue lights!) done by Chicago Sound and Lighting

I also love the blue uplights! Lighting adds so much for ambiance!

A photo of the wedding cake

Shruti changed saris for the reception. Which means…more photos of course! =)

Love this photo!

While they were cutting the cake, I saw this shot. Perhaps the gutsiest wedding cake cutting photo I have ever taken. =)

First dance photos~ Look at her smile!

One thing I took away from the evening’s festivities. Sudeep is one talented dude. This guy can sing and he can dance. Here he is singing to Shruti with his boys backing him up on vocals

And then he sang in another group!

A fun dance routine- and as I mentioned, more photos will be posted on my facebook page early next week! Stay tuned for more!

Fun photos from the dance floor!

Thanks Shruti and Sudeep for an amazing time! Congrats once again! Your day was filled with so many special moments, and I am thankful to have been your wedding photographer! Best wishes as you move out East and start a new chapter in your life!

with love,

Kenny Nakai

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New Chicago Studio in Lincoln Park: 855 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60642 *by appointment only*

I am thankful for the Indian community in Chicago. They are a faithful supporter of Nakai Photography. If you are perusing this blog post and have never reached out…please leave a comment or send a message! I appreciate your support and I would love to know who you are! My Indian friends joke around that I know more Indian people in Chicago than they do! =) And to this…I may have to agree. =) So I would like to say THANK YOU to the Chicago Indian community for referring my name around!

But alas…onto Tena & Joseph’s engagement photos! I had a great time getting to know these two and hearing their story. And while they have been together for awhile now, they have maintained a long distance relationship the whole way through. Since they spend so little time with each other in the same state, I felt it my duty to make sure these guys had a GREAT time during their photo shoot!

I love their smiles- you’ll see lots of it during the engagement session-

What a great portrait of these two!

Being a little creative with the surroundings-

Same place…but this photo has such a different feel than the previous photo

What a moment- real smiles all around. I love being able to put my clients at ease so they can be themselves!

A beautiful picture.

And in case you didn’t know…Joseph is just a bit taller than Tena…so we had some fun with this next photo! It was SOOOO funny!

Being creative with the sunlight-

Stealing a moment in an alley

Congrats to Tena & Joseph! Thanks again for having me as your engagement photographer! If only I was traveling with you to India! *I wish!* =) And if you are in the Indian community and like what you see here, feel free to search through my blog to see other examples of weddings I have photographed! As I mentioned, I am so appreciative of the Chicago Indian community as they have continually passed my name around to others when they are looking for a wedding photographer. A big THANK YOU!

with love,

Kenny Nakai

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New Chicago Studio in Lincoln Park: 855 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60642 *by appointment only*

It was a great time and we were able to capture some creative photographs at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. I was privileged to be their wedding photographer…entrusted to capture their special day in a creative, unique and authentic manner.

I love how a slideshow really allows you to feel the emotions of the day. I hope you connect with Hannah and Jason through their wedding photographs. Enjoy the slideshow in it’s true high definition glory! =)

Music Credits:
Kalai – Divide Me
Joshua Radin – I’d Rather Be With You
John Legend – Each Day Gets Better

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New Chicago Studio in Lincoln Park: 855 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60642 *by appointment only*

90% of my clients who step in front of my lens…are nervous!

Anastasia and Patrick are no exception. This couple is so full of life…they love to travel and participate in all kinds of activities! In fact…while were talking about their engagement session, I was taking notes on all the different activities or places I haven’t done or visited yet (especially in Chicago)! And while they are great friends and love to spend time with one another…they were nervous about the photoshoot! And as I assure all my clients…this is normal. =) But it is my job…to make you feel comfortable during the engagement photo session. This is one of the reasons I strongly encourage couples to book an engagement photo shoot with their wedding photographer. They need to know that they can ‘be themselves’ with their wedding photographer! I hope through these engagement photos, you can really see but more importantly…feel…the love and emotions shared between Anastasia + Patrick!

When looking through my engagement photography portfolio, A + P were drawn to my Chicago urban industrial photography. So we decided to head to the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago for their photos!

Great smiles in this photo!

A gorgeous yellow background in the West Loop~

A larger, wider, creative photo…almost like landscape photography – really highlighting the urban industrial vibe of Chicago

A more creative crop- such strong graphical elements in the photo, but yet I love the moment shared between the two-

This building in the West Loop represents the economical climate in Chicago and our nation during this period of time. And yet while there are so many incomplete projects and many are in difficult financial situations…love remains. And the future is always brighter when you are on a journey with your best friend.

Her face is glowing. =)

We headed indoors to one of their more favorite chill spots in Chicago.

It was great to see Patrick smile and laugh throughout the afternoon –

One of my favorite photos from the engagement session

What a great couple-

I definitely try to maintain a clean and modern look to my photography. This photo is an example of that…And as before, I love their emotions!

Nothing says Chicago like the Willis *ahem* Sears *ahem* tower.

So many great elements to this photo! And being in the west loop, there is an urban industrial vibe in the decor!

Something new for this year…photos in my photography studio! (located in Lincoln Park, Chicago) This is a new option for my wedding couples! A+P are the first couple to take advantage of this new type of engagement photography! Check out the gorgeous soon-to-be bride!

Patrick makes her smile. =)

A studio photo of the happy couple!

Favorite photo of Patrick- almost belongs in GQ or the W magazine!

Not to be out done…This photo of Anastasia..blows me away. I had to ask her if she has done any modeling before. Um…Vanity Fair anyone?

And one last photo of the beautiful couple!

Thanks so much Anastasia + Patrick for a great afternoon! You guys were soooo great to work with, and I hope I was able to put you both at ease throughout the photo session! Your relationship and emotions really shine in the photos…and I am privileged to have been apart of it!

Looking forward to the wedding! =)

with love,

Kenny

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New Chicago Studio in Lincoln Park: 855 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60642 *by appointment only*

We started the wedding day at the Hyatt in Northbrook. The groomsmen and bridesmaids each getting ready on the same floor. This allowed for easy access for me to pop in and out to take photos of both parties getting ready! But to be honest, all the action was happening with the bride. =)

***More than 70 photos will be posted on my facebook page next week! Feel to friend me if you want to see more!***

A photos of the wedding shoes and wedding dress in the background-

Her wedding jewelry and button made and worn for the bachelorette party earlier in the week! Vote for Hannah!

I love this portrait of the groom- almost belongs in an GQ magazine for an article on the executive of the year! =)

And as I mentioned, getting Jason’s real smile on camera can be a challenge…another reason why I love authentic photos of people! Especially on their wedding day!

Hannah look stunning in her wedding dress. I adore this photo of her. So simple. So classy. So beautiful.

ummm….another stunning picture. For all you future brides, Hannah’s wedding dress was tailored at Ms. Couture in Chicago! Just a couple blocks from my photography studio! They did a great job! And a thanks for the crew at Sonia Roselli Esthetique – Great work as always ladies!

Some details of the wedding dress

A black and white photo. And I already mentioned Ms. Couture…but they deserve another shout out for a beautiful veil! They made it!

For our creative photo session, we headed out to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. As spring had taken it’s time in arriving, we really had to look for flowers! I found this spot where we had some budding tulips in the foreground and daffodils in the background! A perfect spot for photos!

Love this photo! What a moment! =)

We found a spot for some cool groomsmen photos

The same spot with photos of the bride and groom

A bridal party photo – the first of many. This is an example of a photo that just comes alive in black and white

I found another patch of daffodils- and we definitely had to take advantage. Nothing says spring like daffodils!

I normally don’t do too much photoshop to my imagery – but with this photo of the bridal party…it just felt right. A more classic and traditional pose w/a modern vibe. =)

The bridesmaids getting their own photo-

I love these next three photos. A gorgeous bride + amazing light = phenomenal photography! That’s one of things I do well…the ability to see natural light and how it allows for different photos-

This was a conceptual photograph at first…and when I took it…I wasn’t too thrilled about it. But after converting it to black and white…and massaging it in Photoshop a little. I really like it! It comes close to the concept in my mind! I love it when I can trust my photography intuition! =)

A photo of the ladies=

We dismissed the bridal party and took a few more photos of the bride and groom before heading out to the ceremony-

Love the water, the reflection, and the daffodils in the background!

Probably one of my second favorite moments during a wedding…and as the wedding photographer, I almost always get to see their faces during this moment! =)

A prayer time-

The reception was held at Concorde Banquets in Kildeer, IL.

And true Jason’s interests…the bridal party huddled up on the dance floor! Game on! Totally impromptu and soooo much fun!

First dance- I really like incorporating the ambient light in my dancing photos. It helps make the imagery feel more ‘real’ as if you were really there witnessing the first dance.

And to close…a photo of their rings!

Thanks Hannah and Jason for a great time! I wish the best and my prayers go with you as you grow in your relationship together! And thank you for allocating so much time on your day for wedding photography! I think your investment really paid off! =)

with love,

Kenny

So yea, if you need a caterer for a party, gathering or wedding, reach out to Truffleberry Market as their food is pretty amazing! They make all their food from scratch…so much love and care goes into everything they do!

Here are some photos from our time together!

The client area of Truffleberry Market

But in the kitchen is where all the food preparation magic happens!

Yes…they make their own pasta!

Some tuna tartare on a wonton chip? ummmm…yes please! I could eat this all day- So good!

They make a pretty mean mini red velvet cupcake w/cream cheese frosting-

And the chefs of Truffleberry Market: Brittany and Vaidotas. The goodness behind all the goodness!

***if you are a regular visitor to this wedding photography blog…you might recognize Brittany & Vaidotas…I photographed their wedding in Cabo, Mexico this past January! You can see their AMAZING wedding photos at this Destination Cabo Wedding Photography blog post!***

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New Chicago Studio in Lincoln Park: 855 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60642 *by appointment only*

The twins were soooooo cute! And being an uncle two 2 nephews and 5 nieces, I love taking photos of kids! I really try to capture as many ‘looks’ as I can…b/c we all know how quickly children change! It’s great to see how a photo can really capture a kid’s thoughts and personality traits. Anyhow…enjoy the photos!

A fun moment-

Like most 1yr olds, he is teething and wants to put anything and everything in his mouth!

A cute portrait

A photo capturing where their progress towards walking. They can stand…and that’s it…for now! =)

In Korean tradition, the 1 year birthday is important. They typically dress the kids up in a ‘hambook’ (am I spelling this correctly?)

And one last photo of the two of them together!

And a slideshow with more photos from the portrait session!

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New Studio – 855 W. Blackhawk St Chicago, IL 60642

I love all the little moments that really shine through in the wedding photos. Enjoy!

Music:
Just the Way You Are: Written by Bruno Mars covered by Kina Grannis
Marry You: Bruno Mars

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New Studio – 855 W. Blackhawk St Chicago, IL 60642

A few days ago, one of my wedding photos from Sharon & Larry’s wedding was featured on Junebug’s “Best of 2010 – That’s Heartbreaking” blog post! Sharon was getting ready at Chicago’s own Sonia Roselli Esthetique in Roger’s Park. I still remember the moment and I am so glad to see the Junebug editors saw and felt the emotions through the photo. It is amazing the range of emotions a woman expresses when she puts on her wedding dress, and I can only begin to imagine the emotions Sharon must have felt.

So feel free to check out the blog post featuring Junebug’s Best of 2010 – That’s Heartbreaking! to find my image! I also want to give a shout out to my friend Kenny Kim who also had a photo featured in the same blog post!

For those that don’t want to click on over, here’s a screenshot of my photo. I am also including a photo by Jerry Ghionis right above mine. And in case you were wondering, Jerry Ghionis is one of the best wedding photographers in the world…it’s ridiculous to have my photo under his. It’s kind of like playing on the same basketball court with All-Stars basketball players. =)

You can see more of Sharon & Larry’s Chicago wedding photos at this blog post.

Thanks so much Junebug for the honor and sharing my imagery with so many others!

with love,

Kenny

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New Studio! 855 W Blackhawk St Chicago, IL 60642

And boxing was a tough assignment! Though I had full access…the speed of the punches and the low light conditions made for a challenging environment. I kept imagining what it must have been like to be a sports photographer back in the day…ringside as Muhammad Ali tore up opponents. This photo of Muhammad Ali is just epic. The composition, the lighting, and of course…the right timing.

And to think…THEY DID THIS ON FILM! So to all you sports photographers who have shot on film…I tip my cap to you. I can’t imagine what it must have been like.

Amateur boxing night at The Standard Club turned out to be a great event. Chicago boxer Lee Roy Murphy, a former Light Heavyweight National Gold Glove winner, was the guest of honor-

I love the look in his eyes-

Favorite photo of the night-

Yes…this very room at the Standard Club hosts wedding ceremonies, receptions, and…once a year, amateur boxing night.

I hope you enjoyed something a little different than weddings and engagement photos- it was definitely refreshing to shoot something different…and to grow a greater appreciation for those sports photographers who have gone before me-

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855 W. Blackhawk St #104 Chicago, IL 60642