Every time I meet with a Bride & Groom, there’s one question, that almost ALWAYS comes up after I ask what the wedding reception and/or ceremony venue is:  ”Have you ever shot there before?”  While I have been fortunate enough to photograph at most of Chicago’s most well known wedding ceremony and wedding reception locations, one of the most often overlooked and under-appreciated location selections is where a couple and their bridal party would like their portraits created either before or immediately following their ceremony.  Here are a couple of my favorites:

OLIVE PARK

A lot of people recognize the pictures, but don’t always know what the location is.The large cantilevered platform that extends out over the water makes for some fairly dramatic photographs as long as the waves don’t hit too far up on the rocks (because the photographer has to climb down the wall and stand right on the water line…..

The only drawback to this location is it can be a very popular spot, and since everyone wants to use the platform cutout, it’s not uncommon for a bridal party logjam to develop.  Luckily there are some other areas such as the Grand Ave beach, the view looking back towards Navy Pier with the ferris wheel in the background,  as well as the small garden area just outside the park.

MUSEUM CAMPUS

If there’s one spot in the city to capture the “postcard of Chicago” photograph, it’s the museum campus area out near Northerly Island by the Adler Planetarium.  This one is also very popular, and on a busy Saturday there can be as many as five or six large bridal parties in the area, but luckily there is enough space along Solidarity Drive for the skyline photographs, as well as the area around the Planetarium, Northerly Island Park, and the 14th St. Beach for everyone to co-exist.

MORTON ARBORETUM

If you’re in the suburbs, there are also some great options.  Although these locations are just as popular as many of the downtown spots, because they are more open and spread out, its very easy to find a place to create unique images that will look nothing like the pictures that every other bride getting married that day will have!

Morton Arboretum is a great spot, and although there is a permit and fee required, it’s worth the small investment because not only are there the obvious natural locations available, in the case of rain, there are covered areas and areas indoors that can work as well.  The first three photographs are from Amber and Shaun’s wedding last year where it rained from the minute the ceremony was over through the end of their reception.  The last few are from Carrie and Brian’s wedding in 2008, a good example of the fall color that’s available, even in November

POTAWATOMIE PARK

This one is not as well known, but the Fox River in St. Charles has some really cool parks on both shores, however Potawatomie Park not only has a good parking lot which is convenient for the bridal party’s transportation, there is also the large pavilion which provides shade on the super hot summer days, and shelter if indeed the weather doesn’t cooperate.  Luckily at Christie & Charlie’s wedding and Allie & Josh’s wedding weather was not an issue at all when we made their photographs!

CANTIGNY

Cantigny in Wheaton has a lot of variety.  There’s the former mansion of Robert McCormick (which is featured in the movie “A League of Their Own”), the rose garden, formal gardens, a lot of open area, and let’s not forget the collection of WWI and WWII tanks that all the groomsmen love to climb on!  In addition to these photographs, also check out some of the pictures from Bronwyn & Dan’s wedding which featured Cantigny as well.

Obviously there are lots of other fantastic venues to create bridal and bridal party photographs.  These are just a few of my favorites, but keep checking back for more updates on some of my other prefered spots!