As the year comes to a close, we are grateful for all the couples we were able to serve with our photography and videography in 2019. While a bride and groom’s beauty can stun in any location, we want to give a shout out to our favorite Chicago wedding venues (and some slightly outside of the city) that we worked with in 2019. If you haven’t booked your wedding venue for 2020, check out these hot spots which make for great wedding photography!
These Chicago wedding venues are featured in order by event date.
Independence Grove Forest Preserves | Jiwon & David’s March Wedding
Jiwon and David got married at the Independence Grove Forest Preserves in March. The winter was a long one, with the trees still bare. However; despite the wintry look, this was still a stunning location. The Forest Preserves is a beautiful wedding venue in all seasons, with a lake and park where guests could walk around. There were 200 guests in attendance and the space felt warm and full of happiness. The bride and groom had their first look on the terrace outside of the venue. Check out their wedding video trailer!
Allerton Warwick Hotel | Christie & Dan’s Intimate Chicago Wedding
Dan and Christie enjoyed a small, March wedding with only family members in attendance at the Warwick Hotel. While this venue could have held more people, it was a great spot for an intimate wedding. There is lots of natural light and many unique spaces to stage wedding portraits before the wedding. There’s even a very cool fire escape with the hotel sign in the background. One of the nicest aspects of a downtown Chicago wedding is the proximity to other great locations for a first look or bridal party portraits. As an example, for this wedding, we met the bride and groom at the Chicago Cultural Center for their first look.
Chicago Athletic Association | Leslie & Rob’s Downtown Chicago Wedding
In spring, Leslie and Rob tied the knot at the Chicago Athletic Association downtown on Michigan Ave. The building has many attractive options for a bride and groom: it’s a hotel, there’s a cool rooftop bar looking out on Lake Michigan, the architecture has beautiful details, the game room provides a moody look for Groomsmen photos (which includes a fireplace), and the first floor lobby has black and white tiles which provide a totally different look. The ceremony space was very classy with hanging chandeliers. We can’t recommend this unique Chicago wedding location enough! We loved photographing Leslie and Rob’s Chicago Athletic Association wedding!
The Publishing House | Chicago First Look Photography
Christine and Edward stayed at the urban loft bed and breakfast where we photographed their preparation shots and first look. The Publishing House is a cozy space with a library and includes many different looks within the one venue. The exposed brick with greenery and lots of natural light made for a very dreamy, yet contemporary look.
Eden | Christine & Edward’s June Wedding
Christine and Edward’s ceremony and reception were held nearby at Eden, a West Loop restaurant and event space. This intimate venue has cool light fixtures and a textured wood floor in a restaurant space with a rooftop greenhouse. After the ceremony, guests were invited for a cocktail hour on the roof where we set up our photo booth. The interior was converted into the reception hall, with a long table running down the middle of the same room where the bride had previously walked down the aisle. The food and drinks were incredible! We look forward to photographing more Eden Weddings!
Promontory Point | Ashley & Neil’s Summer Wedding
Ashley and Neil were married at Promontory Point on Chicago’s south side near the Museum of Science and Industry. It was a little rainy, so the event was moved inside the building which had wooden ceiling posts and limestone arches. Our favorite part of this venue was the small tower, which made it feel like we were in a castle! It was a lovely place for photographs.
The Dalcy Event Hall | Eunjung & Jason’s Urban Wedding
If you’re looking for an urban feel for your wedding, check out The Dalcy in the West Loop. The event space is connected to Aba restaurant, which we were allowed to use for some of the dress detail shots. The indoor olive trees and natural wood create a California feel right in the middle of Chicago! The Dalcy itself was large, but Eunjung and Jason only used one of the halls for their ceremony.
Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel | Gloria & Sung’s Fall Wedding
Gloria and Sung stayed at the Renaissance Schaumburg with their bridal parties. I captured their first look in this very modern space with natural lighting and loads of greenery. It was a great place to stage bridal party portraits with its fancy interior.
University of Chicago Rockefeller Memorial Chapel | Beautiful Wedding Ceremonies
Eunjung and Brian had their ceremony at the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, an ornate cathedral with detailed architecture. The space makes you feel like you’re in Europe. The exterior has ivy crawling up the stone walls and is surrounded by a canopy of trees that makes you feel you’re someplace magical. When it comes to Chicago wedding photography locations, this one is very special.
South Shore Cultural Center | Dijita & Marcus’ Colorful Wedding
Dijita and Marcus had one of the most exciting multi-cultural weddings I’ve been to with Indian and African American traditions. The South Shore Cultural Center itself was huge, but the couple’s colorful decor made it feel like just the right size for their many guests. Their ceremony looked out on a wintery landscape and their reception felt like it was in a grand ballroom. The second floor of the building had many rooms for the families and wedding party to prepare in, making it one of the most convenient spaces we’ve been to this year.
We hope these spaces give you inspiration as you plan your 2020 weddings!
2019 has been a great year for Studio Soo. We were happy to welcome many clients to our 2,300 sq. ft studio for formal portraits either before or after their wedding day. We expanded our team of photographers and videographers, so we can now offer a wedding video trailer, 3-4 minute highlight video, or an entire documentary film of the wedding day.
And lastly, but most importantly, we made good friendships with our clients sharing in one of the most important days of their lives. It is truly an honor to serve you. We hope 2020 will bring you many joys!
Happy New Year! Thank you for your support!
