Jessi + Walter's Lake of The Woods Wedding

Walter recently sent me a message and asked if I could blog their wedding as a Christmas present for his wife of over two years now, Jessi. How sweet is that?! It has been really fun to reminisce on their wedding, especially because it is one of the weddings that started inspiring me to begin shooting weddings again after taking a break for a couple years.

Walter + Jessi met while working at Texas Roadhouse, got engaged in July 2017, planned an intimate beautiful wedding at Lake of the Woods in Mahomet, IL in ~3 months, and got married on October 27th, 2017. From the moment I met these two at their engagement session, it was obvious they love each other relentlessly. They know their priorities, and they value them dearly. Family is definitely one of those, and it is a really endearing trait of theirs. They fiercely love their families, especially little Khloe. She came to the engagement photos too, and we snapped some photos of all of them playing, blowing bubbles, and walking around the park. Khloe is a huge part of their world, as you will see in the photos from their wedding day. Jessi and Walter held her at the altar and it was the sweetest thing.

A few photos from Jessi and Walter’s engagement session in Urbana, IL.

Jessi, Jessi’s mother, Khloe, her three bridesmaids, and a couple friends got ready for the day at Jessi’s childhood home. Getting ready in nostalgic and sentimental spaces is extra special, I think.

As guests began to arrive, hugs and smiles were everywhere. It was a cold October day, but they had plenty of blankets for their guests to cozy up with. They had many lovely handmade decorations, an instax photo guest book, and even a bucket of Hershey’s kisses. Meanwhile, Jessi was in her dad’s truck awaiting the aisle. Both Jessi’s mother and father walked her down the aisle, as she held Khloe in her arms.

Walter’s father played saxophone during the ceremony. You could hear that he was putting his heart and soul into it, and it was beautiful. Many happy tears were shed by their friends and family.

After the ceremony and some celebrating in the park on that lovely autumn day, we went back to Champaign. They rented an adorable bed and breakfast near downtown, and we went there to take some photos in the historic neighborhood. They went to dinner afterward to continue celebrating with their loved ones.

It was SO fun working with Jessi and Walter, and I’m excited to photograph their family in the future. For some ~bonus~ Jessi and Walter photos, scroll down to see a few shots from the Bluestem Hall open house, where these two modeled. It’s always a joy being around them, and they have a way of making everyone they surround themselves with feel loved.

I’m so glad I know you, Jessi and Walter. Your love is inspiring and contagious. Thanks for having me photograph your wedding back in 2017. And Merry Christmas, Jessi! Such a sweet and thoughtful gift that Walter thought of. And thank you Walter for the idea of doing some throwback wedding blog posts—since I just started blogging this year, there are many weddings I’d love to share on this platform that I photographed in the past.

I hope all of you have an incredible holiday! Savor these moments with your loved ones, eat what you want, laugh a lot. And if the holidays are hard for you, that is OKAY, too! Treat yourself to something that makes you happy and allow yourself some self-care. You are loved, and there is great hope in a fresh, new year. I’m personally very excited for 2020 for a variety of reasons, and being a full-time freelance photographer again is a big one. 🧡Thanks for reading, and always feel free to reach out with any questions, friends! Xoxo

Kaitlin + Pete's Urbana, IL Wedding

Kaitlin + Pete are one (or two?) of a kind. They both grew up in the small town of Braidwood, IL and have known each other for ten years. They aren’t your average high school sweethearts — in fact, they didn’t really spend much time together until after high school. But once they got to know each other, they became a bit like magnets; no matter what life scenarios they were in throughout those years, they were always drawn back to each other. And thank goodness they were, because they make a damn good team. You know how some people just kinda feel like home? That’s Kait + Pete. They also happen to be some of Patrick and I’s best buds, and I’m forever grateful for their friendship.

Pete + Kait in Cannon Beach, OR a few years ago

Their wedding day was relaxed, beautiful and full of laughter — just like them. Their laid-back attitudes spread throughout the day starting with everyone getting ready together in their sweet, cozy apartment in Champaign. There were lawn chairs and music outside for those who wanted to hang out the morning of this crisp October morning, and friends + family bustling about inside to prepare for the fun.

Their ceremony was held at Riggs Beer Company — intimate with family, close friends, and even Kaitlin’s two family pups, Remy and Bella. Afterward, everyone gathered together for a champagne toast and yummy snacks from Just Bee Acai.

After post-ceremony celebrations, lots of hugs, and some time to relax, we went to Busey Woods for a few photos. I always feel like a little walk through the woods or wherever between the ceremony and reception is rejuvenating, and nice for the newlyweds to have a few moments away.

Their reception was held at Broadway Food Hall, where more than a hundred of their people were arriving to celebrate. Dinner, speeches, and dancing followed — the dance floor was consistently full all night, and a DJ started playing after a couple hours to keep the party going.

If you’re within walking distance to Bunny’s after dancing all night, it is definitely worth doing. So, a group of us headed over there for a last drink and maybe some fried pickles.

What an amazing day this was. Congratulations to Kaitlin + Pete Dell’Aquila. Thanks for making the world brighter, and thanks for having me photograph your wedding. Love you guys <3

Ceremony Venue: Riggs Beer Company

Pre-reception snack fuel: Just Bee Acai

Reception Venue + Dinner: Broadway Food Hall

Kaitlin’s Dress: Dreamers and Lovers

Pete’s Suit: Michelle’s Bridal and Tuxedo

Decorations: Made by Kaitlin

Hair: Kate Rosel

Flowers: Flowers by Kristine

Desserts: Hopscotch

DJ: Keiron Ochoa aka DJ Matrix

Morgan + Tyler's Midwest Wedding

Morgan and Tyler Roy are incredible humans with giant, loving hearts. It is truly an absolute honor to photograph each and every wedding, and the fact people choose me to capture their days still humbles me constantly. But this wedding was even more near and dear to my heart, as Morgan and I have known each other since our ages were single digits. It’s only right that I dig up an old photo or two of us, right? You’ll have to scroll to the bottom to see that ;)

I didn’t meet Tyler until we took their engagement photos in the cute small town of Lerna last fall. (Fun fact: Lerna has the world’s FASTEST pop machine. Thank you Morgan for that tidbit.) I felt such happiness within the first minute of meeting Tyler. He and Morgan just fit together. They treat each other with respect, are constantly laughing and making jokes, and it is just apparent they not only love each other, but love being around each other. They wear huge and contagious smiles—they’re best friends.

One of their engagement photos last fall!

Onto the wedding! Their day started out with the ladies hangin’ in Effingham sipping mimosas while getting ready, and the dudes chillin’ at the reception venue in Shelbyville eating Dairy Queen and helping each other with ties. I stayed with the ladies while my dear friend Emma (+second shooter) went to document the guys. Morgan’s mama, Lori, helped me with the detail shots while the bridesmaids continued with makeup.

Morgan’s MOH, Nikki, doing bridal makeup the morning of the wedding.

Morgan’s grandmother, whom everyone lovingly calls Dot, sewed something blue into the bottom of Morgan’s dress.

Morgan Street in Shelbyville — what are the odds?

Their first look was on the balcony of the reception venue in Shelbyville. From here, we loaded onto the bus and headed out to take bridal party photos.

Their ceremony was held at The Vineyard Church in Sullivan, IL. They added personal touches with their decor, much of it handmade, both in the entryway of the church and the room itself. They exchanged self-written vows, and the ceremony was full of tears and laughter.

After the ceremony, many hugs, and family photos, we got back on the bus and started celebrating on the way to a couple more photo locations.

The reception space, Shelbyville Event Center, was decorated elegantly with eucalyptus, white roses, baby’s breath, wooden elements, handlettering, floating candles, and framed photos. They walked into the party to the Chicago Bulls Intro song, which is fitting considering Tyler is a passionate basketball player. They had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni, and other southern comfort foods that I’m sure everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Especially the macaroni — woahhh. They had a donut wall that Tyler’s grandpa built along with donut holes and a cake that they cut soon after walking into the reception. Shoutout to the MOH, Tyler’s brother, and Best Man — your speeches ruled. Dancing followed, and the vibes were high—the newlyweds had smiles on their faces all evening, and they weren’t the only ones.

Morgan + Tyler Roy, everyone. They freakin’ rule. Here are the vendors that helped make their day awesome:

Ceremony Venue: The Vineyard Church in Sullivan

Reception Venue: Shelbyville Events Center

Florals: Blooms on Spruce

Videography: Blue Willow

Photography: Anna Longworth Photography

Assistant Photographer: Emmaline Loren Photo

DJ: Ryan Ideus

Brides dress, bridesmaid dresses, tuxes: Michelle’s Bridal

Hair: Emma Kull at Stylez Hair Salon

Makeup: Nikki Renshaw, MOH and Jaycie Roy, sister of the groom.

Wedding Coordinator: Brittany Tavenner with Best Bet Events & Shelbyville Events Center

Cake: Ashley Gorman

Rings: Flora Gems

Donuts: Yoder’s

aaaand if you’ve made it this far, as promised, some really dorky photos of Morgan and I, circa 2010ish.

Thank you, sincerely, for reading. Please feel free to share if you feel so compelled — and as always, any questions are welcome!

xo, anna

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY // My Long and Winding Road to Mental Wellness

Mental Health Awareness // Trigger warning: OCD, self harm, eating disorders.

Every single person that advocates for destigmatizing mental health issues is a step in the right direction. I feel it is my duty and responsibility to be open about my experiences, which I have never fully really done — and to be honest, it is hard to recall a lot of details because I believe my brain has subconsciously dug them very deep into my memory.  I’m being more open about this than what makes me comfortable, but it is 110% worth it if it encourages even one person to reach out and get help, feel unashamed about their mental health issues, or helps anyone in any way.

My battle with mental health issues started around 4th grade. I remember laying in my twin bed in my childhood room in St. Joseph, IL — my dresser was to the right of the window facing the backyard. Each night I would have to get up out of bed and touch the corner of the dresser at least three times. There were rules: I had to be thinking about a certain thing while I touched the dresser. If I didn’t, I had to get back into bed, get back out, and touch it again. The same went for the light switch. My parents began to notice, probably because they heard my bedroom light go on and off several times at night. The number 3 was significant for me, and I’m still unsure why — but I tended to do things in threes. I had many odd habits far beyond the stereotypical hand washing and re-checking to make sure doors were locked, though those were included in my routine as well. I remember abiding by the “step on a crack — break your mothers back!” bullshit saying and spending recesses at St. Joseph Grade School looking at the concrete below my feet to ensure I wouldn’t step on a crack out of fear I would put my mother in danger. Ridiculous, right? It was such a real fear to me that I couldn’t help but prioritize it. 

In 6th grade, we were assigned to read The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. This was a fucking STRUGGLE for me. Generally, I’m a fast reader. But my obsessive compulsive tendencies and my out-of-touch-with-reality fears sent me spiraling down. 

Usually with OCD, there’s an underlying fear of something that will happen if you don’t obey the compulsions. My fears changed throughout the years, but this was my first: my ultimate fear was that I wouldn’t get into heaven. (This in itself is problematic for a variety of reasons, but I’ll carry on…)

I was absolutely terrified that Brian, the main character in The Hatchet, was going to suck me into the story, abuse me, and I would be stuck in the book forever and not be able to re-enter reality and ultimately, wouldn’t be able to get into heaven. This fear gripped me SO hard that it would take me 5 times as long to read a chapter than everyone else. My teacher even let me go into the hall to read alone one time, thinking that being alone would help. But no — I would still force myself to have to think a certain thing while reading, and then have to read a sentence a minimum of three times. How was I supposed to retain any information about the book (or any book, at this point) when I was so distracted by my fears?

Me at my birthday party, sometime in grade school.

I would have liked to ask my parents to recall some of these events, as they probably remember better than me — but I’m writing this on Mental Health Awareness day and am going to do my best to recall on my own for the sake of publishing today, with a few texts to my mama to gather some details. My parents have always been my number one fans, and would do anything to help me. I think for a few years, all of us were just so confused as to what my deal was and we all chalked it up to being a quirky kid. 

I opened up to my parents about how I felt, and obviously they were extremely concerned as this was not normal behavior for anyone, let alone a 6th grader. They scheduled an appointment with a psychiatrist for me at The Pavilion in Champaign. 

This psychiatrist was extremely dry, and I would kind of come to resent him later in my pre-teen/teen life. (Note: he never did anything wrong, I just felt that he didn’t give a shit and that no one can get to know me by talking to me 5 minutes every few months. This is not how all mental health professionals are and most care very deeply.) 

He diagnosed me with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which, to his credit, was definitely an accurate diagnosis.

Obsessively obeying these compulsions left me mentally exhausted, and so jealous of all the kids at school that didn’t have these issues. Combined with the pressures of fitting in, being “cool,” and getting good grades — I was miserable. 

My history teacher assigned a project one week, and it involved field trips to a local cemetery. The project was going to the cemetery, examining what was said on the graves, and putting a piece of paper on the graves and shading lightly with pencils over the raised stone writing so that we had a copy of what was on the graves to take back to school with us. I don’t quite remember exactly what the point of this was, but I remember this was very dark for me. I was filled with jealousy for the people in the graves — they just got to sleep and be unconscious. I was so tired and all I wanted was to escape my own head, to rest. And they had eternal rest. I didn’t necessarily want to die, I just didn’t want to be awake. And those feelings would resurface periodically well into my early 20s. My parents ended up calling me in sick for the remainder of the days the class took the field trip to the cemetery. Any parent that has a kid talking about being jealous of dead people must be horrified. I went back to the psychiatrist and was prescribed Prozac.

As anyone who has taken any sort of drug for mental health problems knows, it can take MONTHS for these drugs to start working. I was very discouraged that I was still having these thoughts and turned these feelings into anger. I was angry this was happening to me, I was angry the psychiatrist pretended to know my mind even though he barely talked to me and asked the most basic questions such as “how does that make you feel?” And “do you ever want to hurt yourself or others?” Well, Dr., it makes me feel fucking awful! Finally, Prozac seemed to kick in and work for the remainder-ish of my grade school years.

Throughout these years, I switched counselors quite a few times. Only one counselor in my preteen years really reached me, and it was an older woman that practiced out of the second floor of her home. I had some great breakthrough with my OCD with her, but stopped going once high school started.

Cross country in grade school.

Unfortunately, weight gain is a side effect for some people on Prozac. I was always a really skinny kid with no body image issues. When 7th-8th grade hit, I was filled with them. I wanted my hair to be stick straight like all the popular girls, but it was curly. I wanted Hollister jeans so that I could have the cool design on the butt pocket. I wanted to have perfectly clear skin and was devastated by my acne. And most of all: I developed the deep and harmful desire to be skinny. In 5th and 6th grade I ran cross country and was pretty good at it. I was slender, yet ate pretty much whatever I wanted in moderation. I remember the year I stopped doing cross country, someone made a comment that they could tell I stopped running because of how I looked. This went straight to my heart and I will never forget it.

Looking back, I was never “fat.” And even if I was, so what? Around freshman year of high school, I was definitely starting to binge and restrict food. I was so mad at my body and my self. I hated myself. I hated that I wasn’t a cool girl, that I never got asked to wear a stupid football jersey at the football games, that I despised who I saw in the mirror, that I was so jealous of the girls who looked what I thought to be “ideal.” I was hyper emotional and didn’t deal with it well, and it came out in shitty ways. I know many high schoolers go through a rebellious stage much like this, and I was certainly one of them. My poor parents still grimace when freshman-year-of-high-school-Anna is brought up. I colored my hair pink with sharpies (lol) which led to me dyeing it a very dark brown/almost black. I began listening to bands like The Used, Silverstein, Hawthorne Heights, etc., (which by the way, I still enjoy, so NO judgment to this kinda music because it will always have a place in my heart) and dressing in dark colors. I was really into the cyber world of MySpace and Flickr, often feeling like some of my online friends were more relatable than the ones I had in real life. I was deeply insecure.

I learned what self-harm was, and was curious about it. I started telling myself that if I ate over a certain amount of calories, I deserved to feel pain, and maybe the pain would stop me from over-eating again. I used sharp items to cut myself occasionally — my goal was NOT to kill myself, and never was. My goal was to punish myself for being a “glutton” and a “waste of space.” I had an eating disorder, and it consumed nearly every thought.

I obsessively counted my calories. I requested that my mom buy the “Smart Ones” meals at the grocery store because they were 270 calories a serving and I would eat them for dinner. I still have several notebooks filled with calorie-counting pages. And I mean SEVERAL. So many pages filled with my calorie intakes for the day, often ending in a binge of some sort and a hate-note to myself about how fat and terrible I was. In art class, a sweet friend of mine always brought snacks in. I remember I would always eat them and be SO upset because they were 130 calories a serving and I wasn’t sure how many servings I had, and that would derail my calorie intake for the day and often result in a “fuck it” binge. There were times I would eat too much at dinner and immediately go running for miles in attempts to reverse the “damage” I had done. My ultimate fear had gone from fear of not going to heaven to fear of being fat.

These battles inside my brain were causing havoc everywhere in my life. I got in trouble at school, I mouthed off to teachers, I was sent to the school counselor for a yelling fight, I fought with my parents when they didn’t deserve it. One evening I remember threatening to run away and left the house. My dad drove to find me and once I decided to get in the truck, I bawled. He told me that him and my mom had considered taking me back to The Pavilion right then and there, but decided against it and I went home and just cried. God bless my parents, they are such freaking troopers for dealing with me with such grace and love all of these years.

Walking on the stage at graduation to receive the Gary Butler Award.

I’m not sure what switch turned or how I was able to begin to cope, but the latter years of high school were a 180 for me. Well, more like a 160, but they were much better. I think a lot of that is attributed to my love of art. I discovered photography, I was drawing, I was listening to music and becoming inspired rather than becoming angry. I started taking self portraits since I didn’t have anyone else to photograph, and that aided in a self-confidence boost. I lost some weight from getting some of my binging/restricting under control as well as running a bit more (though I was still just as obsessed with calorie counting,) and people started asking me to photograph THEM. My school agenda became filled with photoshoots after school of anyone who wanted to be photographed. By the time I graduated high school, I received the award for the student with the most improved GPA from freshman to senior year. I remember my dad crying tears of happiness when my name was surprisingly called and I walked across the stage in my graduation gown to receive the award, and feeling proud.

A collection of my art from my senior year in high school. Most pieces were heavily inspired by music.

My parents and I on high school graduation day, 2011.

After high school, I went to college, as many 18 year olds do. I went to SIUC for business management. I absolutely hated my first semester. So much, that I actually dropped two classes and ultimately dropped out after one semester. To be completely honest, one of the main reasons I wanted to go to SIUC is because I knew I would be forced to walk around a bunch from class to class and I could keep to myself and hide my eating disorder. I would go to the dining hall and eat carrots, celery, and an ice cream cone. If I overdid it on portions, I would come back to the dorm and run on the treadmill if the gym was open, or do jumping jacks in my room if it wasn’t. I was obsessed with pro-anorexia Tumblr blogs and made many “friends” in the internet world of Tumblr. I followed “thinspiration” to discourage me from eating. I tried my damnedest to throw up in the dorm bathroom if I overate / binged, which I often did. This was a horribly unhealthy cycle. I had friends at school, but I started ignoring them so that I could be isolated and alone with my eating disorder. Ultimately, this led to a deep, deep depression. One day I felt so desperate that I went to the student health center and tried to get an appointment with a counselor. They were concerned I was suicidal, so they got me in to talk to someone ASAP. I guess I felt a little better afterward, but mostly I just felt stupid. Stupid that I let myself get this way. Was I pretending? Was I just over dramatic? Was I crazy? 

I decided to move back home with my parents and attend community college at Parkland after the first fall semester in 2011. Looking back, I am SO glad I did this. I needed my family for support, I wasn’t stable enough to be on my own.

I started going to my favorite therapist I ever had, here in Champaign-Urbana. She helped me work through many thoughts and feelings I had, especially with my relationship to food. She empowered me and showed me that mental health struggles are nothing to be ashamed of.

I went to Parkland for two semesters before deciding to drop out of college all together to pursue my photography business. A lot of self-realizations happened that year, from late 2011 to 2013. I started to find myself. I still wasn’t confident, but I was learning. I made friends with fellow creative people in the community, went on countless photoshoots, and spent time with like-minded people. My photography business was going really well, and I felt fleeting feelings of happiness. 

Playing with self portraits in one of my favorite abandoned areas to take photos at.

Once I moved out of my parents house to Champaign, more depression and disordered eating crept back in hard. Sure, on the outside I was doing awesome. I was really busy with photography, but on my own at the end of the day — I was deeply sad. I would cry myself to sleep very often. I was depressed for a variety of reasons — I felt that I wasn’t good enough to be loved, no one cared about me, I didn’t have any real friends (I did), and I hated my body. I look back at old journals and read entries that were pretty dark and unhappy. I wrote a lot about not wanting to live, but not wanting to die. I think this is a very common thought process with depression, and if you have ever felt this: you are not alone. It will get better. And I am living proof that it does. I remember my dad came into town one day and we sat in my apartment living room and we had a heart to heart. My parents were my ultimate constant throughout everything—my parents and art. And they always will be.

One thing that I felt severe guilt about is that I was so anxious and depressed — but why? I had a solid middle class upbringing, the best family I could ask for, and everything I needed. What was wrong with me? Was I just a weak and pathetic loser? The answer is obviously no, and guilt is not the answer. Chemical imbalances are real and valid and scientifically proven over and over again.

The next few years were a rollercoaster as well. Panic attacks. I started having full-blown panic attacks when I lived alone in Denver, and continued when I lived in Richmond for the short time I was there. I knew panic attacks ran in my family, but when you’re having one — it feels like you’re dying. It is hard to even describe what they are like, but when they started to creep in, I would start to feel like I was falling through a black hole and my body was falling apart and I had to hold it together in order not to just die. I would roll up in a tight ball in bed and cry. I would call my parents in desperation as they talked me through it. I would listen to Explosions in the Sky because sometimes, that was the only thing that would calm me down. I believe I had panic attacks then not only due to chemical imbalances and the fact I was off of any anxiety / depression medication, but my life was also in a very rough spot that I was subconsciously always on high alert, resulting in panic. Thanks to my family and friends who counseled me through this and learning that I won’t in fact die from a panic attack, I learned to deal with them more healthily.

Fast forward—I moved back to Champaign and went through some really tough shit again, and it was such a learning experience. Once I started healing from traumatic experiences of the previous couple of years, I began to find real confidence and realized that I loved myself for the first time in my life. I am a strong, kind, creative, and ambitious badass.


What is important is that I GOT THROUGH THAT SHIT and I am genuinely and honestly happy now. I don’t take that for granted. This doesn’t mean I don’t have sad days or even off weeks — I definitely do. Sure, I still can’t help but subconsciously count calories sometimes, and I am by no means “cured” of OCD or a poor relationship with food. I still give in to compulsions every once in a while and I still get upset when I eat too much, but I don’t let it control my life. I currently take Zoloft every day and have for about 3 years. I am not ashamed of that, and I am so grateful it helps stabilize my thoughts. I don’t plan on getting off of it any time soon, either. One day I believe I will be able to, but don’t feel it is necessary now.

This is getting crazy long once again, but my point is: mental health is IMPORTANT. Destigmatizing mental health is IMPORTANT. Encouraging humans in general to get the help they deserve is IMPORTANT. Mental health is damn near as important as physical health, and nobody should be ashamed to get help. I know you have heard this before, but getting help is a sign of strength. If any of you are struggling and don’t know where to turn, I am always here for you. So many people are. I am not a professional, but am happy to help find professionals that will fit your needs or just lend an ear. 

And all this to say, absolutely all the hardships I have ever encountered make me who I am, and for that I am grateful.  They led me to where I am now — and that alone makes it all worth it. You can get through this — we can get through this!

A note about body image: I hope that using the term “fat” did not offend anyone, that was not my intention at all — it was honestly just what I thought and felt at the time. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being fat, skinny, or any size — appearance is a deeply troubling societal pressure put on all of us and it is bullshit. I am trying VERY hard to unlearn a lot of what I knew and thought growing up. Appearances aren’t everything or anything even, and you deserve to love yourself and be confident NO MATTER WHAT. I am passionate about body positivity and believe you can be fat and healthy as well as skinny and healthy as well as average and healthy. And when it comes down to it, we need to stop caring about size and weight at all. It is a very hard thing to learn to think differently about, but I am really trying. 

My favorite people: my family and my fiancé, Patrick.

And one more shoutout to my freaking amazing parents, Ellen and Warren. My brother Michael, too. And last but not least, my future husband Patrick. I am absolutely obsessed with them and am honored to call them my best friends. They are my constant in the adventure of navigating life, and my compass in the wickedest of storms. 

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ // 1-800-273-8255

https://www.mentalhealth.gov/get-help/immediate-help // 1-877-726-4727

Barcelona + Lisbon

One day earlier this summer, Patrick and I were looking at our calendars and realized August was delightfully empty. We decided to make our house available on Airbnb for the month and see what rented, then try to travel during those dates. Thankfully we got some rentals and started looking for flights. Renting out our home on Airbnb has (for the most part) been awesome and totally helps justify the cost of travel. Plus it forces us to keep our home really clean!

Patrick came across a super reasonable flight from Chicago to Barcelona, so we snagged them. Obviously there are endless possibilities for traveling to multiple cities while in Europe, and we definitely considered a variety of places. We chose Lisbon, Portugal—the contrast between Barcelona and Lisbon made for a great variation of experiences during our 10-day trip. We had a layover in Charlotte, but the rest was about as convenient of a flight time as international travel can get — leave the U.S. around 9:00pm, drink a couple glasses of free wine on the flight, and sleep as much as possible until landing.

Patrick and I taking Patchouli over to his vacation home with our pal Kimmy before heading to the airport. The worst part of traveling via plane is parting with this silly boy!

Once we landed, we hit the ground running. It was mid-morning in Barcelona, 3:00am back home. We took the Aerobus from the Barcelona airport to the City Centre and walked to our Airbnb from there. I highly recommend the Aerobus — it was super easy, clean, and cheap. It was €5.90 one way, so about $6.50 a person.

Our Airbnb was in Gràcia, which we would later come to find was our favorite neighborhood in the city by a landslide. There were lots of great areas — but this one felt the most our vibe. We had the sweetest Airbnb host, Ceci, who provided wonderful recommendations. Her apartment was one of the cutest places I have ever stayed, it felt very much like home.

Airbnb in Barcelona

Super old rickety elevator to get to our fourth floor Airbnb. It was fascinating.

Barcelona Airbnb, looking out onto the balcony

After settling in and changing clothes to try to trick our bodies onto our new schedule, we needed coffee (or a cocktail?) desperately. Patrick’s best bud and now one of my dear friends met up with us here — Johnny! We were so happy to have him along for the first leg of the trip. We stopped at a place called Cafe Adonis which was right around the corner from our new temporary home. After an Aperol Spritz and some beet hummus, we decided to get the touristy stuff out of the way. Though touristy, these places were absolutely magnificent. Antoni Gaudí is a famous architect — his buildings encompass Barcelona. There are several around the city, and they are hard to miss. Their whimsically wavy style feels somewhere between a real-life gingerbread house and medieval times. His most famous work is La Sagrada Familia, an unfinished basilica that will forever be under construction. You can pay for a tour of the inside, but we opted to admire its’ beauty from the outside and move on. Though if you do want to tour the inside, I recommend getting tickets online beforehand because it seemed they were sold out for the day when we arrived.

Park Güell was another fascinating spot that seemed like a never-ending jungle in a city. We walked many steps to get to the top and continued for miles around the park— running on adrenaline and excitement at this point. You can pay to get into the inner part of the park, but there are miles of walkways around the park that are free to explore and still display a lot of Gaudí’s vision. Anytime nature can be intertwined with a city, I am stoked. (Gaudí architecture pictured below, from left to right + top to bottom: Sagrada Familia, one of the many structures in Park Güell, Patrick in Park Güell, and Casa Milà.)

Realizing we had walked over 11 miles this day, we agreed that we deserved a gooood meal. Our friend Justine recommended Cañete. This was hands down one of our best meals of the trip, where we ordered several tapas to share. Paella is a staple in Spain; usually consisting of rice, seafood, and spices. It kinda reminds me of jambalaya. Conceptually, it isn’t my idea of favorite foods but I am almost always down to try any kind of food. It was definitely good and we ate every last grain, but not something that is about to become a staple in my diet. John and Patrick were taking advantage of how amazing the sangria is in Spain, but usually I find it a bit too sweet to order a whole one so I just take sips of Patrick’s. (I do that with a lot of things. I’m sure he loves it.)

After some gelato (soft serve, so not the real hand-scooped stuff but we needed a sweet treat and it was still delicious), we walked our tired feet back to the Airbnb where we left the bedroom window open and let the breeze blow in all night. Despite hearing it would be a very hot time of the year to visit Barcelona, it was a bit unseasonably cool for us — and though sweaty at times, it most always felt temperate.

The next day was for straight chillllling. What’s more relaxing than laying in the sand until you’re so hot you can’t stand it, running into the refreshing ocean water, and then falling asleep on your towel with a beer half buried in the sand beside you? This is what we did.

Our Airbnb host recommended heading to Playa Ocata since it is a little further from the city and less crowded/touristy. We trusted her and headed to the train station where we got tickets to. Playa Ocata for about $5 a person, one way. The train line was directly parallel to the beach, so it was fascinating looking out the crowded train window to see the ocean right there.

After some time in the sunshine and a few beers later, we walked up barefoot to a little restaurant on the beach for a snack. There are several spots to have a sit-down meal while putting your feet in the sand in this area.

We took the train back to the city and walked by a pretty little park called Parc de l'Estació del Nord. It would be a sweet spot for a picnic, if you have the time.

After going to our Airbnb to shower and attempt to look halfway decent, we went to a place called El Nacional which was basically a bougie food hall, it reminded me of Denver Central Market. It was super pretty, though, and the food was good. A bit overpriced, but sometimes ya gotta.

At dinner, we decided to plan out the next day. We all went into this trip with an open mindset and very little planning at all. Often times this is my favorite way to travel, it makes it way less stressful and it is so fun to stumble upon gems while exploring. We searched online and once we realized the horseback tour of the mountains was unavailable, we decided to take a cable car up to the Montserrat Monastery. I’m usually not into the whole tour guide deal, but we were convinced by the fact that it was about $55 a person and included transportation to the cable car, cable car ride, and lunch at a local restaurant in the mountains. This was about a 7 hour commitment and it was so beyond worth the money. I’ll attach a link to the tour we booked here. We met our guide, Mark, at their central office in the city. Mark was basically the Spanish Patrick, by the way —

We got into a nice, air-conditioned van and headed toward the mountains. There were about 8 other tourists from Canada, Australia, The Virgin Islands, and Romania. Once we got to the cable car, we beat the line and were able to hop right on. It was about 10 minutes to the top, and it was eerily incredible because of the dense fog.

Mark gave us a brief history and was open to any questions we had. He was super knowledgable but not over bearing at all. We were about 4,050 feet high at the Montserrat Monastery. I won’t bore you with all the history we learned about this place, but it truly was fascinating so here’s a link if you want to read more. The view from the top is unbelievable — we got so lucky and got to witness both dense incredible fog as well as clear blue skies, and all the beauty in between.

We had about two hours to explore on our own, and there were a few great options to consider: paying respects to the Black Madonna of Montserrat, shopping at their market, roaming around the grounds, visiting the art museum that houses work from many Catalonian artists as well as Dalí, Picasso, Monet (woah), or hiking. Of course we chose to hike! It was a bit of a climb, but very worth it. The view was breathtaking, and there were monuments and sculptures along the way.

Once we reconvened, we took the cable car back down and the van was waiting for us. We rode about 10 minutes to another side of the mountain and ate at a Catalan restaurant called L’illa. There, we chatted with the group and shared a few bottles of wine before heading back down the mountain and into Barcelona.

View from nearby the restaurant, L’illa.

We met back up with Johnny after taking a moment to chill at our Airbnb, then found a couple spots for drinks. Our host told us about some festivals happening, but we had no idea how big of a deal it was. We just so happened to be staying in Gràcia during the Fiesta de Gràcia, and it was the wildest street party I have ever witnessed. The neighbors take great pride in decorating their streets for the festival, and all sort of ribbons/installations/banners were running above each street. There were makeshift bars slinging drinks every few meters, and stages set up with a variety of live music.

Our last full day of our first leg of the trip had come, and it was jam packed. After coffee, we met John at The Owl. (This was our code name for the meeting spot between our Airbnb and his hotel, where a massive Owl was always watching from the top of a building…hahaha.)

We wanted to walk to the beach closest to the city, so we had a few miles of exploring ahead of us. We walked through Parc de la Ciutadella, which was kind of like Central Park in NYC. Not nearly as magnificent or large, but lovely nonetheless.

We walked to Platja de Sant Sebastià, the city beach where there were tall buildings, lots of shops, and lots of people. This is where we probably saw the most modern architecture, as well. We decided to rent Birds and ride around which somehow felt so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but laugh out loud while flying by on my little scooter. We zipped up by the super fancy W hotel where there was a totally empty area — perfect for Birding at full speed. We hung out up there for a bit before we realized our Birds were chirping due to being out of the allowed zone. We rode around some more until we stumbled upon another cable car. Not really knowing where it went, we rode across the street to check it out. It was the Telerifico del Puerto cable car leading up to Castell de Montjuïc. We locked up our Birds and stood in line for quite a while to get onto the cable car, but it was very worth it.

At the top, you could eat, drink, hike, wander, whatever. It was like a playland. We immediately got gelato, and the boys double fisted beers while I double fisted rosé wine. We chilled for a bit before starting our trek up the hill to the castle. The Montjuïc Castle is an old military fortress, originally built in the 1600s and later destroyed / later built again in the 1700s. We saw perfectly hedged landscaping, people practicing archery, and views that really made you imagine what it would be like to be there during a battle. Kinda eerie, but really interesting.

We didn’t end up using our cable car return ride because we walked all the way down the hill, taking a ton of little turns and stumbling upon the super fancy Miramar hotel, where we considered having a drink but decided it was way too fancy for us. Once we were back in the Gothic Quarter, we went to a cool place called La Tasca del Corral — a divey looking place with meats hanging from the ceiling, cheap drinks, and good music. Wayyy more our speed. We ordered a dish that was sausage on fire, and we were responsible for making sure it finished cooking through. Though entertaining, I wasn’t a huge fan. Though I was a fan of the sangria that came out in an old clay jug.

For dinner, John scouted out a place called El Salón. We sat outside in what looked like a courtyard in the middle of a castle. There were tall stone buildings surrounding us, and it felt so medieval. We were in the Gothic Quarter, after all. We ordered some suuuper good food to share, including risotto, shrimp linguine, burrata with ham, and baked brie.

The next morning we had an early flight to Lisbon. Since it was so early, we splurged on their version of Uber, which is called Cabify. It’s mostly like Uber, except the cars are all actual cabs and you have the option to pay cash or through the app. We had all good experiences with it. We landed in Lisbon as it was still morning, and our Airbnb host offered to pick us up. Our Airbnb wasn’t available for a couple hours, so we found a breakfast spot nearby and then literally laid on a park bench and almost fell asleep — haha. The park across the street from our temporary Lisbon home was called Jardim Botto Machado. There was even a little bar/cafe stand in the middle of it, along with playground and equipment and my personal favorite, a DOG PARK. We would’ve started exploring but we had our carry on with us and with the cobblestone roads and lots of hills, that wouldn’t have been fun — so we people (and dog) watched for a while.

Once we checked in, we took a much needed nap. Lisbon is an hour behind Barcelona, so luckily we gained an hour and taking a nap didn’t set us back too much. I usually try to avoid naps / sleeping too much when traveling because I want to soak in as much as possible, but sometimes you need to listen to your body and let it take a little rest.

Once we had a little more in our tanks, we were off to wander around on foot. We stayed in Alfama, which is one of Lisbon’s oldest areas.

After roaming around all day, we went for an early happy hour / dinner at Noobai. Situated on the top of a hill and having a rooftop, this place was stunning. We got super lucky, since we were total early birds I’m sure, and got the table in the corner with the best view overlooking the water and Lisbon’s skyline.

We had the charcuterie spread of our dreams, along with a few drinks. I ordered what I think is possibly my new favorite drink, a caipirinha. I have tried them in the states a couple times, but it isn’t a customary cocktail at typical American bars. It is made with cachaça (Brazillian liquor) , sugar, and lime. I mean, a looottt of lime. I opt for no sugar because I love the tartness. You should definitely try it.

We were a few miles from our Airbnb but opted to walk so that we could people watch and see more of the city. We stopped in at a super funky bar/restaurant across the street from our place called Santa Clara Dos Cogumelos — a self-proclaimed mushroom sanctuary. They have drinks, desserts, and almost all their food made with mushrooms. It was honestly pretty freakin’ awesome, even if a bit weird.

The next day was for Belém — the museum + monuments district. It’s pretty far from Alfama, and after a day of walking, we opted for an Uber. Uber is all over in Lisbon — unlike Barcelona, where it goes back and forth between being banned and not.

The Padrão dos Descobrimentos is a fascinating monument that honors Portugal’s “Age of Discovery” in the 15th-16th centuries.

Belém Tower is very close by, and a stroll along this boardwalk will afford you sights of several historic monuments.

Conveniently located right by the water and in view of the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, we took a break and ordered a bottle of rosé at 11:00am because why not? Espaço Espelho d'Água was a nice little oasis where you can drink wine, people watch, look out at the water, and even view some art that was hanging on the walls inside.

The museums (and famous tarts) were across the road — there’s a huge pedestrian bridge to get across. We were told we couldn’t leave Lisbon without trying pastel de natas, so we had to stop at Pastéis de Belém — a famous bakery. It reminded me of Cafe du Monde in that there’s a huge line, but it goes very fast and is very worth it. These Portuguese custard tarts are sprinkled with powdered sugar and super delicious. I’m more of a chocolate and/or fruit dessert kinda person, so I’m not the biggest fan of custard tart type things, but I would happily eat another right this second if I was able.

Patrick noticed that there was a pop-up Banksy exhibit, so that was immediately on our to-do list. First, we hit the MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology.) It was a small but modern, and had some neat exhibits. There was a video installation as you walk past the ticket desk that was pretty interesting, as you walk through a designed corridor to experience the different films being shown at once.

Outside of MAAT, overlooking the water

The Banksy pop-up at Cordoaria Nacional was incredible. Though not endorsed by Banksy, because obviously he isn’t about self promotion, the exhibit was very well done. It made me feel like shit for being such a consumer, which is definitely the goal. I don’t mind the inspiration boost to be a better person. The political work he does is always brilliant, and it’s awesome to even be alive at the same time as such an influential artist as him. The only crappy part about this museum was that you LITERALLY EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP. This blew my mind, as that is literally the name of a documentary made by Banksy. People were buying Banksy memorabilia and though I understand that the museum needs to make money, it was still very strange to see that. Haha!

We had a quick lunch at the LX Factory, which is like a miniature neighborhood fin a historical industrial complex filled with restaurants, bars, and little shops / art exhibits.

Next was the Convento do Carmo, an archaeological ruins museum that used to be a Catholic convent that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755. The skeleton still stands, and when you’re inside looking up at the sky, it is crazy to think about the history of where you’re standing. Additionally, there is a museum in the back with lots of historical artifacts, including two actual mummies. The tickets to get into the ruins / museum were about 5€, so not a bad price at all to see something truly unique.

Our sweet Barcelona Airbnb host, Ceci, recommended a few spots in Lisbon. I totally trust her judgment, as she seems to have very similar interests to us. She mentioned a bar called Pensão Amor. This bar was fabulous. It is dimly lit, and kind of a mix between burlesque, erotica, and the theme of love. There were several rooms, some with a library full of erotica books and others with poles for dancing. Sounds a little more intense than it actually was, it was super chill and the bartenders knew how to make a damn good drink. It was very romantic with plush furniture and lots of quirky art all around.

Now that we had a small buzz, we were feeling like adventurous eaters. We wanted some seafood. We walked around the area of our new favorite Lisbon bar, and found Sol & Pesca. It is not a typical order for either of us to get sardines as an appetizer, but there was literally a wall in the tiny, cozy restaurant filled with sardine cans, so we gave it a shot. Placed upon a crostini and topped with tomatoes, olive oil, and chives, this was honestly so good. We couldn’t had three of them, I’m sure. Side note: On our way back to the U.S., I watched Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations episode on Lisbon and he ate here, loved it, and sat super close to the table we were at. RIP Anthony, a true legend and big inspiration to me.

Walking through Lisbon at dusk

Our last full day in Lisbon was full of changes and surprises, and ultimately ended up incredible. We started out by going to our neighborhood market in Alfama, that happens every Tuesday and Saturday. It is a massive market that has people selling antiques, vintage clothing, art, etc. We couldn’t decide between going to the beach and going to Sintra, but we decided on beaching it since it was closer. We got a train ticket to Praia da Conceição, a beach in Cascais. Once we arrived, it was an absolute sea of people. We were so hungry and desperate to eat that we went to a below-mediocre restaurant. After taking a couple bites, paying, and escaping as quickly as possible, our beach day wasn’t off to a great start.

We laid on the crowded beach for a little bit, dipped our toes in the ICE cold water, and decided that we should venture to our other considered plan: Sintra. Sintra is a small town in the foothills of the Sintra Mountains. Distinguished by colorful buildings, detailed tilework, and many palaces, this felt almost dream-like.

The Pena Palace was remarkable, but our vision was a bit clouded by how damn busy it was. Like seriously, maybe the most crowded tourist area I have ever seen. It is totally worth seeing because it is so unique, but I highly recommend going super early in the morning. We were there on a weekday afternoon and it was still just insanely busy. Maybe I was just hangry or maybe I’m a hypocrite because I obviously take a shit ton of photos, but people posing and having full blown photoshoots in front of these historical markers irked me.

Pena Palace

BUT, once we saw what we needed to see, we took the less-traveled option and walked down the massive hillside. There weren’t many other walkers, and it is kind of like being hot-boxed by the exhaust of tour buses, but I’m glad we took the 40 minute stroll down to Quinta da Regaleira, a massive palace surrounded by forests, wells, plants, and more. The grounds were absolutely stunning. The women we met the night before while getting gelato were from Chicago, and they told us about the Initiatic Well. We waited in line for 45 minutes or so, but it was kinda nice to take a breather. Once inside, it was an eerie spiral of stairs around the 88-feet-deep well — but neat to see. I didn’t look up much of the history beforehand, so I was coming up with all sorts of possibilities for why this existed in my head. Most were pretty grim, haha. Turns out, it wasn’t really used for a well — but for secret ceremonial purposes.

Initiatic Well

We walked back to the city of Sintra and hopped on a train to take us back to Lisbon. Sintra itself was pretty cute, and if we had more time, I would’ve liked to explore more and have a meal. It seemed much more peaceful than the crowded palaces from earlier.

Super hungry, we searched some spots online. We decided upon Cantinho do Avillez which was exactly what we needed. The bartender made the most perfect caipirinha, Patrick got a gin + tonic, and we got seated after a very short wait. It turns out the chef is pretty famous, and this was yet another spot that Anthony Bourdain featured on his Lisbon episode. I swear this was one of the best meals of our lives. We shared mushroom risotto, a pork chop, and their famous hazelnut dessert — consisting of hazelnut ice cream, hazelnut foam, topped with hazelnuts. I am too lazy to copy/paste the drooling emoji, but this was a perfect dessert.

The next day, we flew back to Barcelona. We booked our Lisbon flight inside of our Barcelona flight because it made the most sense financially, as the flight we got from Chicago to Barcelona was such a great deal. If we would have done it over again, we probably would have stayed one more day in Lisbon and just returned to Barcelona for the day before flying home. Our second Barcelona Airbnb wasn’t as nice as the first and was pretty far away from the areas we fell in love with the first leg of the trip, but it was totally fine. We had a pretty chill day and just walked around the city some more after landing.

Our last full day was one of the best. We started out going to a cute coffee shop that Patrick’s sister Bridget recommended, called The Hidden Cafe. A couple weeks prior, while we were still in the U.S., I planned a surprise sailboating excursion for Patrick and I. I kept it a secret almost the whole time, but I blew it when we were having coffee and I mentioned how far away we were from the pier. Haha! Didn’t matter at this point — now we could navigate how to get there together. I booked this on Airbnb experiences, which I totally recommend. We met our guide and fellow travelers at the pier and embarked on our journey. Our captain, Mark, lived on his sailboat with his girlfriend. They were fascinating and it was awesome hearing what they had to say.

They provided beer and snacks, which is always a perk. We chatted with other travelers and just basked in the sun and the fact that we were on a freaking sailboat in the Mediterranean Sea. I hiiighly recommend this experience, as it was everything we needed and more. I’ll link it here!

Once we were out in the open, we were given the option to jump off the boat into the warm, salty sea. This was a totally surreal moment that I will treasure forever.

Afterward, we stopped at the beach to lay out for just a little more sunshine. You’re allowed to be topless, and I’m pretty sure just straight up naked if you want, and I absolutely took my top off for a bit. It’s oddly liberating, I highly recommend it. #freethenipple. We then hopped on Bird’s again and scootered around, ending up back in our favorite neighborhood of Gracia. We found a cute tapas bar, La Pepita, and reminisced about everything we had done.

The next day, we packed up our things and went to the airport to fly back home, rich in new experiences and a pretty solid tan.

We were away just long enough to start missing home, and we were ready to get back to our pup and a routine. This adventure was such a blessing, and I am endlessly lucky I get to travel with my best friend + love of my life.

If you made it this far, you are probably either my mom, Patrick, or Colleen, who I’m going to ask to proofread for me. JK, but for real, thanks for reading and please feel free to ask any questions.

Xoxo,

Anna

Deniz + Joe's Morton Arboretum Wedding

It’s the weekend! I’m off to photograph the wedding of my dear friend Morgan from middle/high school in about an hour. The weather is perfect and it is gonna rock.

I guess this is my first “official” blog post? But hey—I have a wedding fresh off the press and I’m excited to share!

Deniz reached out to me earlier this summer. She connected with the words on my website, and felt we would be a good photographer/bride match. And woah, we totally were. I happened to be in Chicago, where she lives, when we decided to work together. We made a last minute coffee date at Heritage Bicycles and I got reeeal excited to photograph her and Joe.

Deniz and Joe got married at Morton Arboretum on August 11th. It was a rainy morning, and last minute decisions needed to be made whether they could still have the ceremony outside or not. I certainly advocated for keeping it outside because outside ceremonies are my total favorite, even with a few sprinkles.

Thankfully the rain cleared, the ceremony chairs were wiped down, and the show was still on.

Deniz got ready in what looked like a room in a castle. Stunning windows, concrete interior, nice lighting. Her mother and aunt helped her put on her wedding dress, which was an absolutely stunning piece of art from Pronovias Barcelona. It fit her like a glove and had the most romantic lacy details. It was a special moment, as Deniz’s family traveled from Istanbul, Turkey — where Deniz is from — to be at the wedding. Her mother even brought a few things to incorporate into the wedding all the way from Turkey — including a veil and lavender satchels. They found it funny that the “train” of a dress is called a train. And it made me realize that they are totally right and it is, in fact, really weird that it’s called a train. A “tail” makes way more sense and sounds cooler. Ha!

Deniz and I proceeded to take some bridal portraits outside the building, where there was a very Game of Thrones-ish looking door. Speaking of GOT, I really freaking miss it. Something about the fact that fall is approaching and temperatures are (hopefully) going to start dropping makes me want to drink red wine and watch it all over again. Love you, Jon Snow.

When Joe was in his suit and ready to see his beautiful bride, the two met in front of the aforementioned door, surrounded by trees and nature in the stunning Thornhill area of Morton Arboretum. They instantly embraced and were awestruck by one another. First looks are one of my favorite moments in a wedding day — it is like a big refreshing deep breath for everyone. It is a reminder why all of this is happening: love.

We then wandered around the forest-y wonderland of trees and plants and flowers and took probably 1,000 photos because the possibilities are just endless at this beautiful place. As we were walking out to the meadow, Joe mentioned how thankful they are they had their wedding this way. At first they considered more of an elopement-style wedding with no frills, but ended up throwing this amazing kick-ass party in a lovely place. I, along with them, am really glad they did.

Their ceremony was held in the Fragrance Garden, a super intimate spot surrounded by greenery and plants. Palo santo was burned throughout the whole ceremony, which I thought was just so awesome. Patrick and I often burn palo santo in our home because it reminds us of a campfire and smells sooo good.

The joy on everyone’s face made me smile behind my lens. After the ceremony, Deniz and Joe exited as all their friends and family blew bubbles in celebration.

No one wasted time getting the party started, guests lines up to embrace and congratulate their dear newlywed friends. After cocktail hour, dinner, and speeches, they had their first dances. Deniz and her father shared a first dance with Joe and his mother. I think pairing both dances together is super sweet and probably less pressure, ha! Joe and Deniz slayed it on the dance floor for their first dance together.

Once the formal dances ended, everyone headed outside to the terrace that overlooks a massive freshly manicured meadow. Deniz and Joe’s friend DJ’d the whole night and I’ll be honest, it is the first wedding I went to that played exclusively deep house music. But holy shit, it was amazing. I may be mistaken, but I think I heard some Nicolas Jaar in there — one of my favorite artists. Everyone was dancing and it was seriously so fun to photograph.

Deniz introduced me to a Turkish tradition, similar to a bouquet toss. The bride’s friends write their names on the bottom of her shoes. Whomever’s name rubs off by the end of the night is supposedly gonna get married. They say this works for everyone who doesn’t use permanent marker. I signed Deniz’s shoe and I’m just gonna assume my name is rubbed off because she was killing it on the dance floor and also because I am actually getting married next year. Haha!

Once the sun had fully set and the full moon was out in all its’ glory, Deniz, Joe, and their friends took off their shoes and ran to the meadow to dance. It felt magical, even as an outsider documenting it. I was tempted to take my shoes off and dance as well.

These two were so surrounded by love the entire day. I am truly honored to have the privilege to document days like this. Thanks, Deniz and Joe, for choosing me to be your photographer. 💛

Below are a few more photos from their day! Thanks a million for reading / looking.

Venue: Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois

Bouquet: Lauren Roberts

DJ: Alice Iguchi

Sound + Lights: Critical Sound

Dress: Pronovias

Table Arrangements: The bride herself!

Fine, I'l Blog — & Here's Why.

Hey friends! I have considered blogging for years, but never made the decision to go for it because it seems kind of daunting to me. Not to mention pretty time consuming — but after 8 years of having my own business, I’m just gonna do it. I think in my head, I felt super stubborn and didn’t want to “give in” to the process of blogging. But after thinking and evaluating, I realized I just created that wall for myself and I am ready to break it down. Woooo!

I believe this will help display a more up-to-date and realistic look on what and how I shoot. Instagram is definitely more of a highlight reel, and I want to show more variety of what it is I shoot and how a day in the life goes. I think from a clients perspective, it helps to see a display of an entire day of photography to get a real feel for how I work as a photographer. I will blog each wedding, as well as other things — not gonna promise I’ll blog every session, but I’m gonna do my best. I’ll add some personal things in here every once in a while, too :)

This is a way vulnerable thing for me, but what better time to do somethin’ scary than now. Afterall, it is Friday the 13th with a full moon for the first time in thirteen years. Heck yeah!

So here’s to a super short and simple first blog post, with a wedding coming atcha real soon. And here’s a couple phone photos from our recent vacation because a blog post just wouldn’t be complete without some pictures. Maybe I’ll even do a full blog post on our vacation with recommendations and photos and other stuff, mostly just so I can archive it somewhere other than a hard drive and phone note pad.

As always, please feel free to ask any questions.

xoxo,

anna

Patrick and I on our last day in Barcelona, drinking beers on a sailboat.

Why do I like alleys so much?

If I lived in Barcelona, I would 100% get a scooter.

Charcuterie board of my freaking dreams in Lisbon.