Grettings from Lake Geneva! It’s Jen and Tim’s wedding weekend and I’m squeezing in the last little bit of work before I take the weekend off to enjoy a wedding as a guest. These two make it official tomorrow so perfect time for me to share their engagement session from last summer.

It’s always so much fun to photograph friends. I met Tim a few years back as he is an integral member of our trivia team and travel group. I became fast friends with Jen shortly after they started dating (we’re both in the wedding industry, it was kind of hard not to. Also, she’s awesome). While I would love to tell your their love story, I’m just going to copy and paste Tim’s words from their wedding website because it’s amazing and there’s no way I could top this.

The air was frigid and crisp. The wind was an angry beast nipping at your nose. It was December 17, 2015 in Naperville, Illinois. Yuletide sounds and festive cheer rang in the air. Bells, chimes, carols. Reverie. But nowhere was it merrier than inside the chapel of Naper Settlement where TJ and Katie were rehearsing their wedding ceremony. Tim was one of TJ’s groomsmen and Jen was one of Katie’s bridesmaids. Tim and Jen met briefly at the rehearsal, chatted a bit the next night at the wedding, and, like a snowflake that melts as it hits your cheek, Jen was gone from Tim’s life.

Although their time together was brief, Tim was smitten. He asked Katie about Jen often, wondering what could have been. Or could be. “I don’t think it’s a good idea” Katie would tell him. Alas, he thought, it was not meant to be.

Finally, after hearing about bad online dates for the umpteenth time, Katie told Jen to go on a date with Tim. “If nothing else you like the same music (referring of course to Bob Seger),” Katie reassured her. On July 24, 2020, Jen relented and went on a date with Tim. Being the chivalrous knight he is, Tim made Jen come to the world famous Chicago dive bar “The Lodge” which was about a block from his apartment. Jen arrived a tad late and a mite frazzled (which was and still is completely uncharacteristic of her) but after she settled in they hit it off in a marvelous way.

After three dates they were inseparable and after four months they had a (cash only) ring picked out. Together they have been on many adventures, traveling to such exotic locales as Lake Geneva, Austin, and Florida. Despite their budding romance beginning in the bowels of a pandemic, they found love in a “hopeless place”. They are excited for their next chapter together.

We started the session at their shared apartment in Lincoln Park. Side note for this first photo : I know not everyone drinks, but if you do, it’s a really great way to loosen up and calm the nerves before getting in front of the camera.

Their first dance will be to Amy Winehouse’s cover of Valerie so here’s me trying to be artsy and incorporate that. For all of you who are attending this weekend, this photo has been on your fridge for a bit.

Thanks again Tim & Jen! Can’t wait to celebrate with the two of you!!