Hi, I'm Kenny Nakai.
As a Chicago wedding photographer, I’m lucky enough to document some of the city's most beautiful love stories.
I hope you find inspiration here and connect with the feelings I had when I created each photo.
Hi, I'm Kenny Nakai.
As a Chicago wedding photographer, I’m lucky enough to document some of the city's most beautiful love stories.
I hope you find inspiration here and connect with the feelings I had when I created each photo.
You've done your research.
You're in the right place.
This page is for couples who are serious about their photography and want to understand exactly what they're getting before they reach out
"In the end, your guests celebrated and returned home. The bridal gown gets preserved. The flowers become wilted. The rentals are returned. From your wedding day, you are left with the memories from your photos — so why not select the best photographer to capture the most memorable day of your lives?"
THE EXPERIENCE
Most photographers describe their work. I describe my clients. There's a reason couples who care deeply about photography keep finding their way here. Not because of a specific style or filter, but because of how the work makes them feel. Authentic emotions. Timeless. Beautiful composition.
I've been a Chicago wedding photographer since 2007. In that time I've shot hundreds of weddings, traveled to Thailand, Greece, and Mexico, and earned a spot on the preferred vendor lists at Chicago's top five-star hotels.
A Director of Catering at one of the city's most prestigious properties, someone who works with the best photographers in Chicago, once told me my photos were exquisite. That I had an eye for marrying a moment with the beauty of the space around it.
I intentionally keep my calendar limited so every client gets my full attention.
The details I include for every couple I photograph.
The Nakai Essentials.
01
Curated Location Guidance
You share your vision, the vibe, the feeling you're going for. I'll guide you with thoughtful location ideas, ideal timing, and sample images so you can see exactly what's possible before the day arrives.
02
Direct Access to Me, Always
I'm always just a call or email away. Whether it's your proposal, engagement session, or wedding day, I'm happy to think through anything photo-related with you. No assistants. No gatekeeping. Just me.
03
The Final Walk Through Call
About a week before your wedding, we'll connect to go over everything together to make sure the timeline is aligned to your current feelings. You planned your wedding for months. Things can change. I'm here to listen and be on the same page.
04
Personal Editing on Every Image
Every photograph is personally edited by me for consistent color, light, and tone. True to the moment. Built to last. No outsourcing, no batch processing, no presets applied blindly.
05
Hand Retouching on Select Favorites
I personally retouch a curated selection of your favorite images by hand — flyaway hairs, fire alarms, cluttered backgrounds, all removed with care. The goal is polished, natural, timeless. Nothing that looks worked on. Everything that looks real.
06
Private Gallery + Family Heirloom
Your photographs are delivered in a beautiful private gallery for you and your loved ones to revisit and order prints. When an album is ordered, I design a custom layout that tells the full story of your day. Built to be passed down to future generations.
I've photographed surprise proposals all over Chicago. Rooftop skylines, private residences, lakefront beaches, hidden corners of the city that feel cinematic at the right hour. I don't just show up and shoot. I help you plan the alibi, think through the light, and position myself so that when they turns around, every expression is captured.
TYPICAL INVESTMENT
$600-$900
60–90 minutes · Weekday, weekend & holiday availability
Weather flexibility · Albums & prints available
All Nakai Essentials included
Your engagement session isn't just about getting beautiful photos — though you will. It's about learning how to be in front of my camera before your wedding day. Figuring out what you look like together. Discovering that it's actually fun. Most couples arrive nervous and leave saying they can't wait for the wedding.
You let me know if you have a vibe or any specific or meaningful locations in mind. Your engagement session is a collaboration — you bring the energy, I bring the city.
TYPICAL INVESTMENT
$800-$1650
90–120 minutes · Multiple locations & outfits
Weekday, weekend & holiday availability · Optional night session
All Nakai Essentials included
I photograph a selective number of weddings each year. Not a high volume — a boutique number of couples I can serve with my full attention, care, and presence. Every collection is built around you. Elopements, micro-weddings, full-day coverage. Always me as your photographer. Always personal.
What you're investing in isn't just hours of coverage. It's two decades of knowing how to maximize each moment and location. It's knowing what to do when something unexpected happens. It's knowing that your wedding means so much...to so many people.
TYPICAL INVESTMENT
$6000-$15000
Elopement through full-day coverage · Albums & prints available
Always me as your Chicago wedding photographer
All Nakai Essentials included
"We loved his style and creativity that we just didn't feel like we saw with the others. We knew he'd come with some kind of price — but we felt it was well worth it."
JILIENNE + JOHN
A Sacred Space.
I'm grateful every time someone trusts me with their wedding day.
To let me into something this personal. To walk beside them through everything the day brings — the joy, the nerves, the moments they didn't see coming. To feel what they're feeling, often before they feel it themselves.
It would be an honor to be there for yours.
— Kenny
WHERE TO NEXT
SERVICES
Surprise proposals all over the city. Rooftops in River North to skyline views along Lake Michigan - let's plan the moment.
SOCIAL PROOF
Reviews & Testimonials
60+ 5 Star Google Reviews - hear in their own words what it is like to work with me.
SERVICES
Photographing this special season of life. When your love first began - celebrate with unforgettable photographs
I'm Kenny Nakai, a Chicago wedding photographer creating beautiful, timeless imagery since 2007. For couples who value artistry, authenticity, and the moments that last forever.
