Ever since I became a Chicago wedding photographer nearly six years ago, I have dreamed about shooting a wedding at The Armour House at Lake Forest Academy. It’s always given me “Italian villa but surprise! it’s actually not in Italy it’s in Illinois!!” vibes, so when Alex reached out about shooting her and Nick’s wedding there, I was already excited. And then I met these two for their engagement session the winter before their special day, and it made me even a hundred times more excited. They’re such a fun and amazing couple, and I feel so lucky to have been a part of their wedding.

It was an absolute dream of a day, from their venue that was stunning from every angle, to their ceremony that was both intimate and funny (98% of what Nick says cracks me up so it only made sense), to the intention they put into making sure their guests had fun by surprising them with a magician during cocktail hour, pour-your-own dessert shots, and a face painter during the reception. And don’t even get me started on their iconic looks for the day! Alex’s bridal gloves and pearl dress + veil!??? Nick’s black tux with the ivory bow tie!?? Not to mention the fact that their signature drink was an espresso martini: 10/10 wedding day across the board.

Check out the rest of this blog to read the kind review they left for me, to find links and info on the rest of their vendor team, and of course to see some photo highlights of their day!

We hired Marissa to photograph our summer 2022 wedding and it was one of the best decisions we made for a laundry list of reasons. Photo was very important to me and I researched dozens of photographers in the Chicago area before deciding on Marissa. She is extremely friendly, calm and professional, and of course is amazingly talented with a gorgeous portfolio to prove it. She shot both our engagement session and wedding and I will cherish the photos forever! She is truly someone who you want by your side on your wedding day as she did a great job of helping calm my nerves and keep the day organized and flowing smoothly. Even when there were last minute changes in the timeline we were still able to get all the photos I wanted and more. Even our families and wedding party commented on how fun and organized Marissa was and of course everyone loves the photos. Marissa also does a great job leading up to the wedding in staying in consistent communication with you and making sure that she understands exactly what photos you want on the wedding day. I would not hesitate to hire Marissa again for future photography needs! She is a true gem in every way!

Photographer: Marissa Kelly Photography

Venue and Catering: The Armour House

Planning: The Simply Elegant Group

Dress: Sarah Seven 

Florals: Lake Forest Flowers

Hair and Makeup: Rare Bird Beauties