I have a soft spot for small weddings because I love the warm fuzzy feeling of an intimate event.  Everything about Tim and Jenni's wedding is about the close circle of families and friends starting with their attendance at the Wayside Chapel at Palos Park.  It is one of the most charming little church I have been to and only seat up to 72 which was the perfect size.  The ground was breath taking with secret garden feel pathways and mature trees.  Unfortunately it started raining right after the ceremony and we could not do many portraits there.  However the sun peaked through once we got to the reception site of the Public Landing of Lockport.  Lucky for us the Public Landing is located in a beautiful historic building and had an elegant court yard which was perfect for wedding portraits.  I could not be happier with the outcome.  The advantage of a small wedding party is that we get to relax and just have fun.  We do not need to spend much time looking for people, trying to keep group together, or trying to get everyone to look at the camera with open eyes.  The expressions captured are more genuine and I get to spend more time on the bride/groom photos.  I bet you can not tell these images were taken at one of the hottest days of the year with very very very high humidity.  Tim and Jenni simply looked so happy. 

We cooled off immediately once we got inside the upstairs loft with wood beam ceilings and brick walls.  This place is definitely not your typical banquet hall. It was actually the former Gaylord building back in 1877.  A guest was so sweet to hand me an ice water to whom I am still grateful for til this day. Everyone was greeted with classic wedding tunes from Affordable Soundz DJ and the Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Scallops being passed around were to die for.  The party was kicked off with tearful speeches and a special first dance song from the grandmother's youth.  The father of the bride was one of the most memorable dads I have met.  He was so full of love and did not hold back on showing it.  There were kisses flying around all night and it was such a great sight to see.  I feel emotions are magnified with a small group.  All the guests had a chance to chat with the newlywed instead of just saying congratulations. I feel like Tim and Jenni truly got a chance to enjoyed their families and shared the day with them.