So one of the things I discovered about Mike…is that he isn’t too big on PDA (public displays of affection). So I was really interested to see how he would fair on his wedding day! But I will give him a ton of credit- he was great for the photos and was a great sport through it all. And there were some pretty funny moments throughout our photo session. I think there were times when the bridal party was staring at the two of them in disbelief as they were hugging…having their arms around each other…etc. And it was fun to see all the guests so eager to watch these guys kiss at the reception! The wedding ceremony and reception were held in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.

Ceremony: First Korean United Methodist Church
655 East Hintz Road
Wheeling, IL 60090

Reception: Bristol Court Banquets
828 East Rand Rd
Mount Prospect, IL 60056

We had so many phenomenal pictures taken during this wedding…but I will only post 30 or so here. More will be posted on my Facebook page this upcoming week..stay tuned!

Here’s a different take on a wedding dress photo-

And for their wedding rings photo…I put them ON THE WEDDING DRESS! It’s hard to tell but the wedding rings are balancing on one of the bustling buttons!

I love this relaxed photo of Mike

I absolutely adored the back of Sue’s wedding dress. The bow was a unique touch-

And a simple portrait. I honestly think this might be one of the best photos of a bride I have ever taken. Don’t be fooled by it’s simplicity…I really like this photo-

Look everyone- they are hugging! They really do love each other! =)

A great fun moment…and we made sure to have some nice fall colors in the background of some photos. It goes so well with the purple/plum colors of the bridemaid dresses.

Yea…the groomsmen look ‘ok’ too-

Mike has such a naturally occurring smile. There is no half smile…it’s all or nothing. And when you see him smile…sometimes you can’t help but to smile as well!

And it is just perfect that Sue is always smiling and laughing too!

We had to get them to calm down for some photos without smiles-

Who would have thought such a cool location exists in suburban Chicago? But that’s what I do…I scout..and I look for unique locations for my clients! Go suburbs! ummmm…yea…I kinda liked the texture, lines and compositional element these giant concrete squares provided- =)

Bridal party photo!

A photo of her wedding bouquet-

Once we got to First Korean United Methodist Church, we had time to grab a few more photos-

Another stunning photo of the bride

One of my favorite photos from the day-

And we should throw the groom in there so he doesn’t feel left out- =)

I usually like to share a lot about my clients and what made their wedding special and unique…but in this case…I am choosing to withhold some photos from the blog. I just want to say that this ceremony was one of the more emotional wedding ceremonies I have ever been to, and it touched many in attendance. This photo says so much without me having to share any details-

Then we headed to Bristol Court Banquets in Mount Prospect, another northwest suburban town-

And I don’t want to get into the specifics of this game…except to say that it was pretty funny and shocking at the same time. I think I closed my eyes during some parts of it…and I’m the photographer! =P

And…we finish with one last photo of their first dance-

Thank you guys for having me as your wedding photographer! I had a great time…and ran into two of my old junior high school friends…one who I hadn’t seen since jr high! I’m so happy for you both, and I pray that He would continue to grow your marriage and in the ways that you will serve him as one.

with love,
Kenny

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Enjoy the slideshow!

Photos by Nakai Photography

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They held their wedding ceremony and reception at fabulous Blackstone Hotel in downtown Chicago. They worked with the wonderful catering manager and friend Ashley, who made sure their food and service was spot on! And as it was small and intimate gathering of close family and friends, they only booked me for a couple hours of coverage.

Their wedding ceremony room at the Blackstone Hotel

A photo of the wedding bouquet

I was able to capture this photograph of Tim just after Audrey walked down the aisle

I only had a short time with them, but I still managed to pull them away for some creative wedding photos outside on Michigan Avenue.

I loved Audrey’s wedding dress!

My favorite photo of the two of them-

Their wedding reception was not held in the normal ballroom, but in the more intimate Art gallery. Like a true gallery, the art in this room changes all the time. Here’s a photo of the chocolate wedding cake!

The Art gallery is normally used for cocktail hour at larger weddings, but for Audrey and Tim, it felt just so perfect!

I loved the flowers, the same ones used in Audrey’s bouquet

Banzai!

Thank you Tim and Audrey for having me there as your wedding photographer! It was a wonderful ceremony and reception and it was great to see you spend it with those you love most! Congrats!

with love,
Kenny

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College put some distance between them. Like 48 states in between. Thus…out of sight out of mind? Almost. I’m sure there are chapters in between, but let’s fast forward to the end of the story…where years later sparks are rekindled and…bata boom bata bing…they are now married!

We had a great time at their engagement session photoshoot…it was good for them to be in front of the camera…so on their wedding day, they didn’t have to worry about feeling uncomfortable having their pictures taken. You can see their engagement photos here.

Since their families live so close to one another in the northshore suburbs of Chicago, it only seems fitting to have their wedding ceremony there as well. The Kenilworth Union Church, with it’s wonderful architecture and beautiful courtyard, was a perfect fit. After the ceremony, we headed down Lake Shore Drive, through downtown Chicago, to the W Hotel Chicago City Center. A reception venue with a great vintage and modern vibe.

Ceremony
Kenilworth Union Church
211 Kenilworth Ave
Kenilworth, IL 60043

Reception
The W Hotel Chicago City Center
172 West Adams St
Chicago, IL 60603

Elizabeth’s wedding dress looked at home in her parent’s living room.

Her wedding shoes by J.Crew

The younger sisters helping to put the finishing touches on her wedding dress-

When the other two bridesmaid’s walked in…they were a little overwhelmed-

A couple photos of the gorgeous bride!

I suppose I should post a couple photos of the groom as well- =)

A photo of the guys-

Some photos in the courtyard of the Kenilworth Union Church

Taking advantage of the stonework surrounding the church

I love their expressions in this photo-

Wedding photography was a high priority for Elizabeth & Dan. They appreciate the way I incorporate architecture into my wedding photography, and I really wanted to make sure I did a good job for them-

I love the way he is looking at her in this photo-

Leaving Kenilworth, we headed downtown…and on the way we stopped at a bridge where we could capture “Chicago” with various architectural details.

The pink flowers just pop in the color palette of this photo-

You can just see it in his eyes….just how happy she makes him feel-

I saw this moment about to happen and I ran across the street to grab this photo. I didn’t prompt them or anything…this was how they were walking…I’m sure some of them didn’t even know I was taking this photo.

Wonderful floral arrangements-

The main ballroom at the W Hotel Chicago City Center-

The wedding cake with pink accents

Pink floral centerpiece-

Cocktail hour at the W Hotel-

Look at her smile as they dance their first dance as newly weds. I can only begin to imagine some of her feelings at this moment-

Wedding ring surrounded by pink orchids-

And to finish the night…a surprise from Dan’s brother…a midnight carriage ride through Chicago.

Elizabeth and Dan…though you guys have known each other for years…it is so very obvious in these photos and others…just how much you guys love each other. You are loved by so many…thank you for having me as your wedding photographer. I wish you both the best!

with love,

Kenny

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Some people remember weddings based on the venue. Some….the vows. This will forever be remembered as the wedding where the parents line danced for 40+ minutes.

Ceremony: The Village Presbyterian Church
1300 Shermer Rd
Northbrook, IL 60062

Reception: The Glen Club
2901 West Lake Ave
Glenview, IL 60026

Wedding Cake: Rolf’s Patisserie

Earlier this year, we had an engagement photoshoot at Millennium Park…Here is of my favorites from the day…click here to see more Millennium Park engagement photos!

To start off their wedding photos, I want to share my favorite photo from the day- I love the shapes, composition and color palette of this photo.

Dave and his brother being a little goofy

Love this shot of Dave as he has some last minute thoughts about Elyse-

Her wedding bouquet-

And lastly…a photo of the bride!

If you know Elyse, you know she loves to laugh and smile…I think this photo captures that side of her well-

Since the The Glen Club is in ‘The Glen’ we took advantage of a couple of the scenic areas-

A photo of her beaming down the aisle!

The Village Presbyterian has some nice details…the stained glasswork is one feature I like-

The tears in her eyes-

This very well may be Dave’s favorite photo from the day…the one where they are driving away in his BMW M3

Once we got to the Glen Club, the sun began to set…and we HAD to grab some photos with the gorgeous ‘yummy’ light-

The Glen Club set up looked great-

I love Rolf’s Patisserie – not only do they make great looking wedding cakes…they taste good too!

Ahh yes….the infamous line dancing! Proof that it really did happen! I anticipate enrollment to this group to increase once people realize just how much fun line dancing can be! =)

Thanks you guys for having me as your wedding photographer! It was a wonderful celebration and I am so happy for you both!

with love,

Kenny

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“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

Voltaire shared a little bit about how they met at their engagement session earlier this summer. We headed downtown to the Museum campus in Chicago. Below are a couple of my favorites. You can see the rest of their engagement session photos here.

As for the wedding day photos- their bridal party was a load of fun. Laughs all around…from the ladies singing along to 80′s musicals on DVD to the guys pretending to be graffiti artists during the portrait session. Enjoy the pics!

***more wedding images are up on my facebook page – feel free to ‘friend me’ if you can’t see all 50+ images***

Jamie’s wedding veil was pretty long, so I wanted to incorporate it into the dress photo if possible-

The guys donned the traditional Filipino formal wear…a ‘barong’.

We had some time to grab some creative shots of the guys before we left the hotel-

Back up to the ladies room where the finishing touches were being applied-

I headed down a couple floors to grab this shot of Jamie as she left her hotel room-

Her wedding bouquet-

Instead of a hug, Voltaire and his father showed other forms of physical affection. =)

Creative portraits at a park- And though the summer sun was fierce, we took advantage of the light to grab these next couple shots-

Their table placecards for the guests-

I love the expressions on their faces-

And finally the bride and groom ring shot with pocket aces

Thanks Jamie and Voltaire for an awesome time! You guys were just too much fun! May your commitment to each other grow stronger day by day as you being your new lives together!

with love,

Kenny Nakai

I had a great time seeing the two of them in action at their urban – industrial engagement session that we had in the West Loop of Chicago. Here are a couple of my favorites…you can view the rest of their engagement photos here.

***there are 30+ images here on the blog, there are 50+ images on my facebook page. Feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see the photo album***

Church: Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Schaumburg, IL
Reception: European Crystal Banquets in Arlington Heights, IL

We started the day at Jen’s parent’s house. The bridesmaids had a relaxing time laughing and eating fresh fruit. It was a really calm atmosphere-

To start, I decided to mix things up and get a little creative with her wedding dress shot-

Jewelry details-

Getting the make up put on-

The hairstylist and makeup artist working at the same time-

Someone woke up from their nap to find his auntie getting ready for her wedding!

Thanks to Nate Mathai for coming out to be my second photographer on this wedding-

I love her expression!

I love the way he looks at her…he cannot help smiling-

We headed out to Busse Woods in Schaumburg for some nature type shots-

Some fun with the ladies-

The guys getting their turn-

As we were driving out, I saw this scene in my head and we had to stop to get this shot- Almost like an art piece.

Then we proceeded to downtown Arlington Heights for a few more-

To be honest, I love these next two photos. Definitely coming from more of the creative – artistic side of my brain-I saw these electrical wires and combined with the color palette, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to shoot here! But yea, it’s just a vacant lot that I thought had some potential-

Jen helps out with the youth from her church and they came out to sing the newly weds a song-

First dance-

Met a fellow wedding photographer, Rachel, having a good time on the dance floor- Go Rachel!

Thanks for a great time Jon & Jen! And thanks for trusting me with the site selections! What a gorgeous day and a blessing ceremony- I definitely look forward to seeing you both around! As our Lord brought you both together…thousands of miles apart, may He continue to guide you as you live your lives as one-

with love,

Kenny

Here are couple images from their engagement shoot we shot last summer. This first image won an “Accolade of Excellence” at the International WPPI 16×20 print competition in Las Vegas last year. You can see the rest of the images from their engagement session here.

Jeremy mentioned that this image was the wallpaper for his computer- =)

***there are 51 images posted here, there are 81 posted on my facebook page. Feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see them in facebook!***

As you will see from their day, Jo has an eye for details. Even with this first shot…check out the doorknobs in her bedroom closet! Doorknobs from Anthropologie (of course!)

When I saw these Chinese paintings, I had a creative idea for her wedding dress photo!

I love the colors in her shoe shot-

Floral design and execution was done by uber talented Grace from Vale of Enna. She really out did herself on this wedding…the bouquets and centerpieces were top notch! A unique bouquet for sure!

Mother placing the veil. I love these moments-

It was a bit warm in the room, so Jo was trying to stay cool in the hallway-

The moment of anticipation!

The ceremony was held at the Naperville Congregational Church

Look at his smile! I think he’s a little happy…just a little. =)

After arriving at the Hyatt Lodge, we headed out for our creative portrait session. I love the light and shadows in this image-

The sun would play hide and seek behind the clouds, and we took advantage of the rays when we could-

I ran across the pond to grab this shot on a bridge connecting the Hyatt Lodge to a business building.

Tried something new – though it felt a bit awkward posing for this shot, I think it came out great!

I love this portrait of the two of them.

Inside the Hyatt Lodge…

I walked around the Hyatt Lodge grounds and couldn’t resist, I pulled them out for a couple pictures during the reception-

Thanks you guys for an awesome day! Even for standing in goose poop! =) I look forward to seeing what He has in store for you both!

with love,

Kenny Nakai

Here are a sampling of images from their wedding day! ***More pictures are on my facebook page. Feel free to ‘friend’ me if you can’t see the pictures there***

Thanks you guys for such a wonderful day! It was a privilege to see people who give so generously to others…celebrate with loved ones. =)

with love,

Kenny Nakai