A couple kiss one another for their engagement photos while inside of a record store in Chicago

Engagement Photos in a Chicago Bar | Kelly and Greg

& STUDIO

Bloomington IL Photographer

Close up photo of a dog looking at the camera, behind the dog is another dog that is next to it's owner

For Kelly and Greg’s engagement session in Chicago they made a point to include things that are important to them and their relationship into their photos. This was a special session for Kelly and Greg, but also one that’s near and dear to me as well! Kelly’s actually my BFF and cousin, and I’m SO excited to be her MOH for her wedding day! This made photographing her and Greg’s engagement session so wonderful and a TON of fun.

A couple kiss on the couch of their Chicago apartment while taking engagement photos as they hold their 3 dogs who all stare at the camera

At Home Engagement Photos

We began Kelly and Greg’s engagement session by capturing photos of them in the comfort of their own home in Chicago. They wanted to capture themselves in their own space, in their casual clothes (Greg’s awesome shirt is courtesy of Relish for those wondering), and most importantly with their three puppers Penny, Riley, and Bowie! It’s things like this that I love and always recommend my couples try to incorporate into their sessions. These things that make you and your relationship unique are special and are worth documenting. Once we were finished in their home Kelly, Greg, and I made our way out into the city for the rest of their engagement session!

A couple sit together and smile while feeding their 3 dogs treats in their Chicago apartment while taking engagement photos

Close up photo of a woman wearing an engagement ring holding her partners arm that is wrapped around her

A couple sit on the couch of their Chicago apartment with two dogs while taking engagement photos

Close up photo of a dog sitting on a couch with another dog and their two owners

A man sits on a couch and wraps his arms around a woman who leans against him and smiles

A man sits on the floor and leans into a woman who is sitting on the couch behind him as they both look to the left

Black and white photo of a couple looking at the camera, the woman is sitting on the couch behind the man who is sitting on the floor

A man sits on the floor in front of a woman who sits on a couch and wraps her arms around him as they both look to the left

A couple kiss one another while sitting on a couch in their Chicago apartment while taking their engagement photos

A couple sit back to back on a windowsill in their Chicago apartment while taking engagement photos

Black and white photo of a man whispering in a woman's ear as they stand outside in their backyard

A couple hold hands and look at one another while standing in their backyard of their home

Vinyl records with the word "Rock" written on them separate sections of a record store

Off to the Record Store

Our first stop was at Beverly Phono Mart, a record store in Chicago which was SO fitting for Kelly and Greg’s engagement session as it ties into another aspect of their incredible relationship, their shared appreciation for all things music! Kelly is a pop punk aficionado and could tell you literally anything about the genre, Greg is a drummer and music lover, and finally this love of music is actually what brought these two together in the first place.

They also had their first of two outfit changes for their session, one for each location. This added even more variety to their album in addition to the multiple locations they chose. Planning out your outfits is a very important part of planning your engagement session. If you aren’t sure on where to start check out my article on the topic! After some time walking around the record shop and checking out the vinyl together Kelly, Greg, and I made our way out to head over to our second stop.

A wall of vinyl records in a record store in Chicago

A couple wearing colorful headphones face back to back while looking at records in a Chicago record shop while taking engagement photos

Black and white photo of a couple looking through records together in a Chicago record store while they take engagement photos

A man looks through records in a Chicago record store while a woman looks at him as they take their engagement photos

Black and white photo of a couple kissing one another while looking through records in a vinyl shop in Chicago while taking engagement photos

A couple stand across from one another while looking at records in a vinyl shop in Chicago during their engagement photos

A man wraps his arm around a woman as they look at a vinyl together while taking engagement photos in a Chicago record store

A woman looks at the camera while a man next to her looks at the vinyl in front of them while the two stand in a Chicago record store

Black and white photo of a woman smiling while a man kisses her cheek while inside of a record store in Chicago

Close up photo of a purple record being played on a turntable

Close up photo of a woman's hands looking through a display of vinyl records

Photo of pinball machines lining the wall of a brick bar in Chicago

Engagement Photos in a Chicago Bar

Rock Island Public House was the next stop for their engagement session in Chicago, a craft beer bar with a ton of charm to it. A large part of that charm comes from the vintage pinball machines that line the wall of the building, the favorite of which for Kelly and Greg is the Playboy machine. This final stop is a common hang out spot for Kelly and Greg, tying back to the whole theme of their engagement session being centered around what makes their relationship special to them. The two shared some drinks, played a bit of pinball, and posed throughout the bar, which was just about the perfect way to end their session.

A man sits on a barstool and looks at the camera while resting his arm on the bar

A couple kiss one another while holding their drinks as they sit at a bar in Chicago

While taking their engagement photos at a bar in Chicago a couple look at one another while sipping their drinks as they sit at the bar

A couple kiss while sitting together in front of a window in a Chicago bar while having their engagement photos taken

A woman holds a man's arm as they sit together at a table in a Chicago bar while engagement photos are taken of them

A couple smile at one another while sitting together at a table in a Chicago bar and have their engagement photos taken

A couple sit together at a table in a bar of Chicago, the woman is holding her drink while the man has his on the table as they have their engagement photos taken

A couple stand outside of a bar in Chicago and embrace while making the "rock and roll horns" gesture towards the camera and smiling

A couple kiss one another while standing outside the front door of a brick bar in Chicago

A couple stand outside the front door of a bar in Chicago and smile at the camera that's taking their engagement photos

A couple in a bar in Chicago play pinball together while having their engagement photos taken

A woman leans on a man's shoulder while he plays pinball in a bar of Chicago while having their engagement photos taken

I’m so happy to have been able to photograph Kelly and Greg’s engagement session, and I seriously CANNOT wait to be a part of their wedding day! If you’d like to see more of my work check out my blog, and if you’re ready to book me for your engagement session and wedding day be sure to send me an inquiry through my contact page!