Best of Weddings 2014

Photo by Cathy Bock with Wes Craft Photography

In 2014 we recorded everything from glam to rustic affairs.

Beware the Grizzly at University Club of Chicago.

We just loved Kath’s bohemian vibe.

Dani’s mother looks so proud here. I love the love and the light here.

Photos from Left to right by Necia Craft & Rachel Owen.

Laura sees her father for the first time since getting her wedding dress on. Waterworks.

Ashley and her father share an emotional embrace.

Kristiana’s bridesmaids glow as K exits her changing room to reveal the dress.

After only Deanna’s mother helped her dress, she steps into the next room where her closest friends wait. I love the flower girl’s reaction!

Lauren was glowing on her wedding day. I scouted the church and found this upstairs classroom with some incredible light and the bridal portraits were so lovely, clean, and simple.

Birdcage Veil and vintage ear rings rocked on Beth. We made some lovely window light portraits before the ceremony. These were some of our favorites from her session and 2014.

We want to make our grooms look great too! Rachel Owen photographed the top row and middle left. Wes Craft shot middle right and lower left. Lower right by Cathy Bock.

I aim to create some dramatic cool shots with our groomsmen at every wedding but particularly liked this arrangement and lighting.

When I saw that red garage and the hoop I immediately wanted to gather the girls on it. We gave them some general direction to create some groupings and flatter everyone then coached some more sass out of them.

Janette’s winter capes and boots helped her and the ladies have a lovely winter photo session despite temps in the 20’s.

These guys!

This was not from a styled shoot. These were made on an actual wedding day!

Classy and fabulous.

Serbians do shots. When I saw this clear bottle of golden liquid I got low to let the mid-day sun shine through the bottle for this pour. I can almost feel the heat of that day again when I look at this.

By Aneta Wisniewska

This young man attempts to impress with his handshake. Photo by Aneta Wisniewska.

Upper photo by Aneta Wisniewska. Lower by Wes Craft

Here’s the first fake bride in the hilarious Serbian “buying of the bride” game. We really enjoy Serbian weddings for their levity. Photo by Aneta Wisniewska

Just a few bridesmaids follow Jeorganne to the limo bus.

Lauren in a cathedral train arrives at church. Her maid of honor helps her catch some air.

A little nervous and a little excited!

Jackie looks to see if it’s time to come upstairs for the walk down the aisle.

John & Val had a moving first look in the University Club of Chicago’s library prior to their ceremony.

First look. Beth is just beaming here.

Father and daughter moments before the ceremony are some of our favorites to capture. These from Shannon’s wedding are by Jennifer Shaffer

We always capture the special ring bearers and flower girls whether they’re chihuahuas or adorable little humans.

The flower girls at Kim & Dan’s wedding carefully descend the east lawn staircase at Cantigny Park & Gardens in Wheaton, IL.

Necia & Wes worked together to capture Val & her father’s entrance from both the balcony and the aisle.

That loving father look gets me every time.

So much emotion in this hug.

This is as beautiful a unity candle photograph as I’ve ever made. Their smiles and the lighting were working in harmony.

Jovi smiles at his bride during a rather lengthy Serbian Orthodox wedding ceremony.

We photographed glamerous upscale events at Pazzo’s 311 in downtown Chicago as well as rustic and intimate outdoor wedding such as this one at Brinka Cross Gardens in Michigan City, IN.

We photographed our first same-sex clients ever this year. I love the emotion here as they wed after 18 years of being together.

The colors and ceremony of the Serbian Orthodoxy have to be some of my favorite to record. Aneta Wisniewska captured one of these and Wes the other.

A touching moment.

Brian gets some help from his best man before the first kiss.

The tree provided shade on a hot summer day. Ashley & Christopher are elated during their recessional across a petal covered aisle.

Shannon’s mom is so excited as the bride and groom are announced. I love her little grin and double thumbs up.

We love capturing emotional reactions to the key events of the day as well as the events of the day. It’s just one of the advantages of being a 2 photographer team. Top photo by Michel Sauret for Wes Craft Photography bottom photo by Necia Craft.

Coins are thrown into the air at Kristiana & Jovi’s wedding. 3 kids collected and one is empty handed. I love this little storytelling vignette by Aneta Wisniewska. The bottom image is hers and Wes shot the hands tossing coins.

This photo is notable to me because of the lighting problem solving here. I wanted the blue sky to show up through the windows so I exposed for that with my camera. The room went dark with those settings so my flash was positioned high to my right so that I could light Dani and Adam as they came down the aisle.

K embraces wedding guests after the ceremony. Photo by Aneta Wisniewska

At every wedding we want to pay special attention to our grandparents present. These are just a few of our favorites. We could make a blog post of grandparents. Maybe we will!

I love using my super-wide lens at every wedding to capture dramatic architectural scenes. here are a couple.

Many times our clients are in a hurry to depart their church and get to another photo location or the reception. When we’re given a moment after the family formals we love to utilize the church for some lovely, less traditional, church formals.

This was a funny moment on board the limo when Joe decide to launch a cork. Fortunately no one lost an eye.

Our year started with a winter wedding on a snowy January day. To the right is a dramatic portrait made in Chicago at The Palmer House.

Our season began with the above winter wedding and ended in early November with the lower photo’s wedding. I like how similar these two photos are and yet opposite in color palate.

We had a great portrait shoot with Joe & Julie at their wedding reception in Oakbrook, IL.

For big groups some folks have got to get low. I like finding a hill for something like this when I can.

I just loved this setting we discovered at St Charles Country Club with Andrew & Sarah.

Love!

You’ve got to have some fun out there.

Dani & Adam’s portrait session at dusk.

Stephen sees his bride for the first time! I was hiding in some trees nearby.

Two red heads in a garden getting intimate. 🙂 Stephen & Amanda.

With large groups we love to take a few moments to position everyone for a cool composition. If a flower girl runs then it just adds to the life of the photo!

Black Chuck Taylors & Ruby Red Slippers! For the Win.

This is my take on hipster.

Chicago is such a great place for photography. I love finding beams of light to play in. R&M were wonderful subjects for this Financial district session before the ceremony.

Cantigny Park & Gardens is about 5 minutes from our home and we love to shoot there. Deanna & Kevin had their wedding party photos made there in the Fall.

Deanna chose blue for her bridesmaids and it really stood out off of the fall colors behind them.

Steve & Shannon had a Whisky & Wine themed reception so it was fitting that we stop by Cooper’s Hawk and shoot in their barrel room.

This bride wanted us to do our own take on the bride drinking the groomsmen under the table concept that’s taken Pinterest by storm. I think we owned it.

This walkway holds a special place in their hearts so it was fitting that we visit this stretch of the Chicago river walk on their wedding day.

Whether we’re downtown Chicago or at a barn, we want to use our environments to create timeless reminders for your home.

In cities and gardens we want everyone to look good and feel good out there. We think these are some lovely examples of that.

The bridges in Chicago are popular stopping points for brides and grooms. We always aim to make something a little different. This photo was made by Michel Sauret of One Way Street Productions for Wes Craft Photography.

We shot a wedding in Grand Rapids, Mi for the first time and found ourselves under this bridge for a hipster wedding party photo.

Grand Rapids, Mi has a lovely river walk. Ryan Gauper took the groomsmen photos and Wes Craft worked with the bridesmaids at the same time then we all came together for group shots.

Dan is celebrating marrying Beth here.

We loved shooting in Grand Rapids, Mi at the John Ball Zoo. These are just some of the Bohemian portraits we captured in the woods there.

Epic.

Lauren laughing in heart sunglasses is definitely one of my 2014 highlights.

On a hot summer day Ashley & Christopher had to step in front of the cooling station.

We worked at the University Club of Chicago for this wedding. Decor was by combination of Kehoe Designs & Ashland Addison Florist.

The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago is one of the coolest venues for a downtown wedding. We loved the location, the patio, and the large windows in the dining room.

Jackie & Joe’s room and cake were so cute at Architectural Artifacts in Chicago. I lit the cake to show maximum detail.

Football is America’s sport and that came through in some of our cake toppers this year! I love photographing cakes by the way.

An assortment of lovely cakes made a delicious foreground element as Laura and kissed.

These people knew how to make an entrance.

The best man speech began with some flair.

Jenny & Alex nervously hope that the magician isn’t balancing too much up atop that ladder.

I loved the heartfelt applause and the embrace here between M&R.

Good toasts draw tears and laughter simultaneously.

This about blew the kid’s top hat back.

Photo by Ryan Gauper for Wes Craft Photography

My pet peeve is when a photographer makes the photo of a lovely dark and moody setting look too bright. We use flash very tastefully to accent the action and keep the mood just the way it was. Here are a few of my favorites.

I love what some candles can do in a room. Here we’re capturing some really special parent dances.

We end the “Best of” with the best of Dance floor. This has got to be my favorite time of the night. We get to observe and record the insanity of the celebration. Our use of lighting and lens selection allow us to make really dynamic party photos.

The girl in the background’s reaction to this grind is priceless. I love the sunset sky out the barn doors too. Uplighting rocks your walls by the way!

Necia does a great job catching the mood with these experimental shots while I get the safer stuff sometimes.

Courtney’s Dad performed “I Will Wait” by Mumford and Sons with the Band, Mike & Joe.

So we’ve been doing sparklers since 2006, before Pinterest existed. I though that this night with the moon out would be a perfect night for some light painting.

Sarah & Andrew share a moment at sunset out at the St Charles Country Club.

The Peninsula Hotel Chicago – Veranda at Night

John Ball Zoo Treehouse Wedding Reception. Zach & Kath kiss goodnight with Grand Rapids in the background.

The Funicular Leaves the Treehouse carrying guests from Zach & Kath’s Wedding.

Zack & Kath made a night getaway so we had to use some off-camera flash to capture it dramatically as they went.