The Windy City sure lived up to its name for Caitlin and John’s engagement session. Chicago’s gorgeous skyline and bustling downtown made for a fantastic backdrop! Caitlin and John are getting married this coming September at Notre Dame but wanted to have their engagement session in their favorite city. Caitlin lives right next to the riverwalk so it was the perfect place to start our day!

We met at Caitlin’s apartment and then walked down to the river. Caitlin and John looked amazing in their formal outfit and they matched the pastel colors of the city perfectly. 😍

I told John to kiss Caitlin’s hand which made both of them burst out laughing. Genuine moments like that make the best memories (and photos)! ❤️

Taking a stroll on the river. 🛥

Just off to the right was this adorable sitting area for people to relax by the water. It was pretty crowded but luckily we found this cute spot where Caitlin and John could snuggle. These two just melted into one another. So cute! 😊

Love the laughter! 😋

Caitlin really wanted a photo by the Marina City Apartments which are a staple in the Chicago skyline due to their iconic honeycomb shape. Caitlin is a huge fan of the album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, by Wilco which have these apartments on their album cover. The challenge was to find a unique way to pay tribute to the album but also make the moment about Caitlin and John. It took a few minutes and required me to lay in the street but boy was it worth it. So happy with how this came out! 🤩

A short walk later, we stopped to enjoy the view!

These two are so sweet together! ❤️

On our way back, I wanted to incorporate one of the bridges into the session. I had Caitlin and John stay on one side while I ran across to the other. Traffic was pretty heavy and it was hard to hear each other but with a little patience and a lot of funny hand signals, we managed to create 3 beautiful moments! 😍

After a quick outfit change, it was time for the second half of their session. We drove up to Lincoln Park and made our way to the Lily Pond. John had proposed to Caitlin here so it was the perfect place to go on their engagement session.

Since it is named the Lily Pond, I had to use a real lily pad somehow. I found the perfect one in the water and leaned over (carefully) to retrieve it. Caitlin, John and Grace were all looking on nervously as I tried to balance on a rock, not drop the camera, grab this lily pad and not fall in the water, all at the same time. Success! I tucked Caitlin’s ring inside the lily pad which propped it up perfectly for the ring shot. So fun and I love the green hues! ❤️💍

A little snuggling by the water. 🤗

The giggles continued as I had Caitlin and John relax together by the flowering trees. 🌷

For these next shots, I got to play by favorite game… Crouching tiger, hidden photographer. 🤣 I had Caitlin and John stay on the stone path as I crawled through the tall grass to give the appearance like they were standing in a field. Staying low to the ground allowed me to capture that beautiful sunlight, as well as, create an intimate feel for Caitlin and John. As it turns out, I did my job too well as I scared several people that were walking by. Apparently I do look like a wild animal. 🤣

Look at that sunlight! 🤩☀️

We recreated the proposal. 💍🥰

I noticed that you could see Caitlin and John’s reflection in the water below them so we had some fun with the 4 of them. 😉

Last but certainly not least, we made our way to North Ave Beach. The wind was really picking up and the place was packed. Since it was Memorial Day weekend, access to the beach was closed to all vehicles which meant we had to walk a pretty far distance just to get to the entrance. When we finally made it to the beach, the wind was so strong that it almost knocked Grace and I off the boardwalk. We attempted a few different shots but the wind was just too much. However, we still managed to get this gorgeous shot of the skyline as the sunset. And that’s the moment that mattered most! 🙂

To Caitlin and John – Thank you for such a fun day in the city! Grace and I had a blast walking around with you and getting to know you both better. It’s easy to see how much you two truly care for one another. I’m so excited to be on this journey with you and literally can’t wait for September! All my love – S

To see their full session, click here.

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Photography: Sarah Sage Photography LLC