Merry Christmas!

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a phenomenal Christmas, I sure did! Then again, any holiday with my amazing hubby is wonderful. I can't believe this year is almost over already. It seems like it has blown by quicker than ever. Maybe the great years do that more than others, who knows. I am totally excited for this next year. I have decided to limit the number of weddings I shoot this year to make sure I can give an awesome amount of attention to my awesome clients. I will only be taking on up to seven weddings this year. Two slots have already been filled, so that leaves five openings for the rest of the year. I really think that my wedding clients should get the VIP treatment, which is why I've made the decision to do things this way this year. If you've been thinking about booking with me, give me a call... I'd love to make your wedding one of my final five VIP weddings this year.

As far as senior portraits go, spring is one of the prettiest times to take photos. Call Me or email me to book your session in advance, beat the rush, and get a fifty dollar gift card towards your session as a Christmas gift from me to you.

Ok my friends, have an amazing and happy new year!!! Keep checking back for the latest news, photos, and random stories! Happy new year!!!!

More of Katie's bridals...

Ok- I have so many more than this, and I will definitely try to blog them soon, but these are some of my favorites of Katie's bridals. She is so gorgeous!

Katie & Stephen wedding teaser

Yesterday (Saturday) I had the pleasure of assisting my talented friend Amy Aiello (Amy Aiello Photography)at the wedding of Katie Saul, who I went to high school with. Katie is two years older than I am, so she and I didn't go to school together for too long, but we did do some plays and musicals together, and one thing she would always say was that she was going to marry an Irishman someday. I believed that she would... so I was not the least bit surprised when Amy told me that Katie was getting married to an Irish lad. Apparently their paths crossed many times in Ireland while Katie was living there for a few years, but they didn't meet until katie moved back to Chicago. One night at a bar... there he was, and by her sister's account, Katie was smitten.

I'm so happy for Katie and Stephen, and I hope they have a wonderful honeymoon! I'm also totally grateful to Amy for letting me tag along and snag some great shots. Be sure to check out her site because I know she'll post some pics on her blog and they will look fab! Here's just one for now... I have so many to go through and it will be so hard to narrow them down because katie looked simply stunning... but I must! So goodnight for now, enjoy the teaser... =)

Something cool to share

so I came across this company a while back, and I think that what they do is super creative, and since I love innovative companies, I'm going to share it with you. They're called Threadless, and they print t-shirts with designs submitted by every day people. Which is awesome. You can rate people's designs, and if it's a popular one they will print a limited run of them. I've got a bunch, and love that they're so unique and out of the box.

So anywhoo, they're cool you should check it out. Plus, they're having a nice little sale just in time for Christmas, so why not, right? =) I got a few myself.... hehe


Threadless

Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

Hey people! I hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving... I know that I did. I love getting to spend time with my friends and family. Especially my immediate family because they are hilarious. If you've never met my family, you are missing out on some of the most hysterical dinner (or non-dinner-appropriate) conversations known to man. That is probably due to the fact that my family is a cast of characters... which I love. Funny and genuine people all. So I hope that you had as great of a day as I did, juggling your own families and making your own dinners and memories and traditions.

In fact, I made what may become a new tradition this year. I have never been able to make myself wake up before the sun on black friday and hit the door buster sales. I've always wanted to, but always set my alarm and then sleep right on through it. This year I had my lovely friend Alex spend the night, we woke up a little after 4 am, picked up my youngest sister Devon, and off we went to the mall. We got there a little after five, and people were already leaving with their treasures. Crazy. It really was. Five is as early as I could make myself start though. I know that waking up and being there by four is only an hour difference... but really now. =) Anywhoo, it was really fun and I snagged tons of treasure for my honey as well as other family... and there certainly were deals to be had. If you've never shopped bright and early the day after thanksgiving, you should give it a try next year. It's pretty fun. And you'll save a bunch of money.

well... have a lovely day and have fun shopping!

I can't believe it's already November!!!!

Sorry I haven't written anything in a while, guys! I've been a bit pre-occupied working on my new and greatly improved website, which I will hopefully have done within the month, but then again who knows... =) It will be much snazzier and easier on the eyes as well as choc-full of new stuff.

Soooo... I do have a bunch of photos I haven't blogged... so maybe sometime this week I will post some stuff.

Well my friends, have a lovely (and if you live in Chicago) snowy day!

Product spotlight- Gallery wrapped canvases

I want to start a new feature periodically on my blog where I highlight some of my products and show you examples. This week I want to tell you guys about gallery wrapped canvas prints because I think they are one of the coolest things ever. The reason they are on my mind is because I just got one from my own wedding, and think it is the most beautiful thing in the world and "ooo-ed" and "aww-ed" over it for almost an hour. I still can't stop looking at it.

So- why should you order a gallery-wrap? Here's why--

What is a gallery wrapped canvas?
It is a high quality print on artist canvas.
The canvas is stretched over custom made wood supports.
It is available in any size.
Its depth is 1.25"

What's so cool about gallery-wrapped canvases?
These images stand out boldly without the distraction of a frame
They appear to "float" on your wall.
You don't need a frame for stability; the structure is inside the art.


here's an example of two of my photographs made into a gallery-wrap from Dan & Rachel's engagement session(s).







so- when you book your session, if you pre-order a gallery wrap, you will receive a 10% discount as an incentive to put something amazingly beautiful on your walls at home, and because I am so in love with them that I want you all to be in love with them too! =)

Dan & Rachel's engagement session

Today was so amazingly beautiful, and I have to admit that I almost forgot that it was fall for the early part of the afternoon! I can't believe that it was 80 degrees today... crazy Chicago weather! At any rate, the climate was PERFECT for Dan and Rachel's engagement session, and we had a ton of fun. Well, Rachel and I did. I think Dan had SOME fun. haha. But then again, Dan is a guy so the whole model-for-a-day thing doesn't hold quite the same amount of appeal as it would for most girls. He was a great sport though... which is sweet because it always says a lot about a man's love for his bride when he will endure an hour of something he wouldn't otherwise do without her... =)

At any rate, they are so cute together and I love them a ton. Dan proposed to Rachel over a period of three days. Every day he took her somewhere different, and gave her something sweet and meaningful. Then on the third day he took her to watch the sunrise, and gave her the ring. Which is gorgeous. Like Rachel! I can't wait to photograph their wedding in April... it is going to be amazing.



















































fin!

In Honor of my brother who's about to have baby #2

Here is a picture of my brother Refe when he was a baby. He was such a chubber. That's how he got the nickname Refey Beefy. =) Seriously though, he was such a cute kid... but I was cuter. haha!

oh BABY!

So it's a really good thing that I got some preggo photos of my sister-in-law Susan when I did because that little girl is just about really to pop out! My brother tells me that Susan is having some minor contractions, and that baby #2 could come just about any time now! I was really looking forward to going with them and my niece to a fall fest this saturday, but hey... I think that canceling due to the probable birth of niece #2 is a pretty gooood reason!!!!!

So what I am saying is that fall fest pics will have to wait... but I could be posting new born photos any day now!!! I'm super stoked, you have no idea. yay!

ok... well coming up in the next week... Rachel and Dan's REAL engagement shoot, possibly some senior portraits of my sisters, and who only knows what else. I'm still sick, but life never ceases to speed up, so I might as well go with the flow. I just keep rubbing vicks all over myself and keep on keepin on. HA. I'm not kidding though, which is why that is hilarious.

ps- is vicks supposed to make your skin hot? Oh please God don't let me have an allergic reaction to one of the two things helping me to breathe!

pray for me.... I don't want to be sick any more!

Oi.

There's still time!

Hey there are all you Juniors & Seniors. So you want to get your photos done but you are worried that it's too late now? PSH! Not even close. The month of October is one of the prettiest times to take your photos. Cool outfits, changing leaves, edgier looks... but don't wait any longer. Drop me an email at copperphotography@excite.com if you want to book an october session or give me a call at 630.965.3437. We'll set up your session and take advantage of the awesome change in seasons. I should have some fun examples of fall sessions up soon!

Also- as an added incentive- any sessions done in october will get $50 off. October only though!!

chicken soup

Let me just say that I HATE being sick. YUCK. Seriously. The only thing worse than being sick, is when Nick and I are sick at the same time. Like today. I am a little more sick than he is, but it still stinks because there is no "healthy" spouse to take care of the "sick" spouse. But he's going to stock up on movies, and hopefully soup, and we are going to lounge around all day and hope we're better for work tomorrow. He's such a great hubby! The best any girl could ever ask for. =)

So... if any of you feel pity for us and just can't help but bring us soup, feel free!! =)

Congratulations Rachel & Dan!

Dan is one of Nick's two best friends. They have known each other forever and have one of those friendships that can survive just about anything. They are completely different, but somehow it works. And they are hilarious together.

Rachel is one of my best friends. We've known each other for a much shorter time than Nick and Dan, but I cherish Rachel's friendship very much. She is beautiful and vibrant and sweeter than anything. Some days I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't been there to listen to me.

Now Rachel and Dan are engaged. I'm so serious when I say that having one of your best friends marrying one of your husband's best friends is the greatest thing ever because it's basically a guarantee that you won't lose touch or grow apart. Also, they are just so stinkin cute together that you can't even believe it. =) We all got to hang out tonight, and of course I couldn't resist snapping off some quick photos. We do have a real engagement session planned for a week from now, but this will have to hold me, and them, over!

CONGRATULATIONS RACHEL AND DAN!!!!

the "i love fall fashion" shoot

Once again, here's Alex. Because Alex loves to model, and I love to take photographs. And we both love fall. =)

I love Alex. Even though we are years apart, she is one of my truest and bestest friends in the world! =) Sometimes God just likes to mess with your perceptions of what you best friends should be like... age, gender, race... He'll smash those assumptions and give you just what you need! Also- these photos are in memory of Alex's crooked pinkies, which she's getting fixed tomorrow. RIP crooked pinkies!! haha. I love you Alex!