Chicago Wedding Photography | Destination Wedding Photographers

Wedding Photography Gallery Canvas | Go Big When You Go Home

Corlis Gray — Sat, 26 May 2012 15:47:51 +0000

Chicago Wedding Photographers | Downers Grove Photography | Destination Weddings

“What size should I order my canvas?” We get asked this question numerous times throughout the year, and the answer is always the same. As large as your budget will allow. There is nothing worse than choosing your favorite wedding pictures, placing a canvas order, taking it home and hanging it on a big wall, then having a sudden feeling of disappointment. ”It’s too small!”

A properly sized canvas can enhance your beautiful photographs and immerse you into the picture while also bringing back those wonderful feelings of the wedding day. All while beautifying the home you and your husband share.

To give you an idea of what a print will look like once you get it home, we’ve created this awesome wall cluster example. You’ll notice that the traditional print sizes just don’t do your wedding photography justice once they’re put on the wall.

If your in the process of planning your wedding, would like Corlis and Megan to capture your wedding, or just would like to talk, please fill out our easy contact form or email us at info@chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com

Chicago Wedding Photography Testimonial | Kari + Brent

Corlis Gray — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:17:00 +0000

Chicago Illinois Wedding Photographers | Destination Wedding Photography | Downers Grove Illinois Photographers

Thank you Kari and Brent for these wonderful words!!! We simply LOVE our clients!

Editorial Feature Be U Weddings | Lexie + Rich

Corlis Gray — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:40:24 +0000

Great big thanks to Be U Weddings for this wonderful editorial feature of Lexie and Rich’s wedding! We truly had an awesome time spending the day with this amazing couple on their wedding day! You can view the full article here: Be U Weddings Be U Weddings is a fantastic bridal blog featuring a wealth of information and some stunning wedding photography! Be sure to check it out!

If you’d like Chicago wedding photographers Corlis and Megan Gray to capture your wedding memories, you can contact them with the simple contact form at the top or bottom of this post, or simply email them at info@chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com

We look forward to hearing from you!!

Top 5 Wedding Makeup Tips | Chicago Wedding Photographers | Gray Photography

Corlis Gray — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:45:44 +0000

All brides want to have flawless skin and a healthy glow on their wedding day, but sometimes that desire to look like the cover of a magazine can lead to some bad decisions when it comes to your wedding makeup. Here is a list that we compiled of our top 5 tips for beautiful wedding makeup.

Wedding Makeup Tip 1

Hire a professional. To some this may sound like a no-brainer, but for more budget conscious brides, here are a few reasons to hire a professional makeup artist.

1. SKIN PREP – This is an important step for great makeup application. A professional artist’s ability to properly prep the skin for makeup is one of the secrets to a flawless face.

2. CONTOURING - When you are photographed, you do so two-dimensionally. Professional makeup artists create highlights and shadows to make you appear three-dimensional for your wedding photography. This technique is called contouring. This same technique is used to enhance facial features by bringing certain features out, creating a sense of balance, and adding definition to makeup with color.

3. APPLICATION – Getting the face camera-ready does not mean you have to cake on the makeup. Makeup artists know how and what to apply to make sure you look your best. Simply put, professionally applied makeup will help complete the look you spent so many months pulling together. Just a simple application of makeup that takes into consideration your unique features can have surprising effects. Combining the talent, skill, training, and experience of a professional makeup artist with those of a professional photographer is what produces the amazing results you want in your wedding photographs.

4. PRODUCTS/TOOLS – You may know the “how-to” when it comes to makeup but if you do not have the proper products and tools to achieve the look you desire, it will not matter. A proper contour requires at least two or three different shades of foundation. At $40 or so a pop, you’ve dropped $120 just on foundation. Add the eye shadows, primers, blush, mascara, eyebrow color, lip color, and, of course, the right brushes, and you’ve racked up quite a bill. Yes, you may be left with a bag full of fun new products to play with, but the reality is you’ll never apply your makeup on an everyday basis the way you would for wedding photography. Makeup artists have all the products ready to go, and they can cost less than the price of those three foundations alone.

5. LIGHTEN THE LOAD – There really is no way to explain to a bride the amount of stress that awaits her the day of her wedding. The way you look can make or break the way you feel on your wedding day. If you are self conscious about your hair and makeup, it will read in your photography and to your guests. Trust me, you won’t regret the hour of pampering for a full day of looking fabulous. Your hair and makeup should be the least of your worries, and if you hire a professional you will be left in good hands.

Wedding Makeup Tip 2

Mineral makeup looks fantastic in person, but from a photography stand point, it is a no-no. We have seen situations where mineral makeup on a wedding day can actually give you a neon orange glow, or make you have a milky white tone, and make you look oily in photographs. We have seen many great reviews for Makeup For Ever HD. Check this link for more info and reviews: http://www.amazon.com/MAKE-UP-FOR-EVER-Foundation/dp/B001D0CWQG

Wedding Makeup Tip 3

Tan at least 2 days in advance. If your going to get a spray tan for your wedding day, do it at least 2 days before the event. The second day it will darken and by the third day it will have settled. This should prevent any potential blotchiness.

Wedding Makeup Tip 4

Try not to stress too much (we know…easier said than done!). Stress may cause impurities on your skin. If you have some impurities, do not pick at them as it makes them worse! Also, put a clean pillowcase on every night and drink plenty of water (avoid sugars, excess milk, and carbonated beverages). Your body and skin reflects what you eat, so get plenty of veggies and fruits.

Wedding Makeup Tip 5

Keep an open line of communication between you and your makeup artist. Tell your make-up artist what you like or dislike about make-up. This will open up a great conversation about your comfort with make-up. Share with your make-up artist the colors that are in your wedding, and the style of your wedding dress.

That’s it! Keep these tips and tricks in mind and your skin will be as beautiful as you imagined it for your wedding day and your photographs will match!

Wedding Regent Ballroom Savoy | Kate + Jordan | Sneak Peek

Corlis Gray — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:05:13 +0000

Chicago Wedding Photography | Destination Weddings | Chicago Wedding Photographers

Here is a sneak peek at Kate and Jordan’s lovely wedding that took place at Rantoul Lutheran Church, portraits at Lake of the Woods Park, and the reception at Regent Ballroom in Savoy. These two are so down to earth and in love. We just had an amazing time getting to know them!

If you would like to have Corlis and Megan join you for your wedding. Fill out the super easy contact form at the top, or you can just email us at info@chicagoillinois-weddingphotography.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Editorial Feature Adore With Delight | Amy + Chad

Corlis Gray — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:02:56 +0000

Special thanks to Adore with Delight for this awesome editorial feature!!! We love the color swatches that they created from Amy and Chad’s beautiful Seneca’s Oak Ridge wedding. To see more of these and other great wedding ideas, check out: Adore With Delight

If you would like to see more of Amy and Chad’s beautiful Chciago wedding photography go to: Seneca’s Oak Ridge Wedding Photographers

Beautiful Starved Rock Utica Wedding | Anna + Ben | Sneak Peek

Corlis Gray — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:19:24 +0000

Chicago Wedding Photographers | Starved Rock Wedding | Downers Grove Photographer

Anna and Ben’s (BenAnna…lol) wedding was truly a romantic affair. Since they’re outdoorsy people, Starved Rock Lodge was the perfect setting for their vintage inspired rustic wedding. We truly love every detail that Anna worked so hard on. Here is a sneak peek at their awesome wedding in Utica, IL.

If you would like Corlis and Megan to capture your wedding, please contact us by filling out our simple wedding photography contact form in the menu or under this post.

Photographer: Gray Photography
Florist: Mary’s Special Touch
DJ: Get Up and Dance
Officiant: Jane Schomas (Get Up and Dance)
Wedding Day Specialists: Invitations, Etc.
Cake: Maureen “Mo” Stabler, Starved Rock Onsite Baker
Bride’s Dress: Cara Mia (style “Hailey”)
Bride’s Dress Shop: The Perfect Dress, Toms River NJ
Bridesmaid Dresses: Jordan Fashions
Flower Girl Dresses: Kid’s Kouture
Shoes: Colorifics
Bride’s Jewelry: Ti Adoro Bridal
Tuxes: Mens Wearhouse
Catering: Starved Rock Catering
Photo Booth: Flash Foto
Cookie Favors: M & M Specialties
Hair and Makeup for Bride and (some) Bridesmaids: Head Hunter Salon & Day Spa

Editorial Feature Sassy Chicago Bride | Mike + Corey

Corlis Gray — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:23:04 +0000

Check it out! Sassy Chicago Bride featured Mike and Corey’s amazing Seneca’s Oak Ridge wedding! Special thanks to the Wedding Guide Chicago team for this awesome editorial feature! To see more go to: Sassy Chicago Bride

To see more of Mike and Corey’s beautiful wedding photography click here: Seneca’s Oak Ridge Wedding Photographers

Dragonfly Studios Newborn Photography | Guest Post

Corlis Gray — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:50:04 +0000

Special thanks to Amy Lantz from Dragonfly Studios Chicago for this wonderful guest post about newborn photography! You can see more of her awesome work here: www.dragonflystudiosphotography.com

What is it that weddings and welcoming a new baby into your life have in common? They are both major life changes that most people hire a photographer for– but they cannot be recreated later if the images don’t make your heart sing. Many people want newborn photography, but the cost often dictates the photographer they decide to trust with the task of capturing their brand new little one and preserving those early days with your for when all the adrenaline, frequent sleep interruptions and whirlwind of visitors leave your memory of that magical time a wee bit blurry. I remember searching for a photographer for my wedding– I wanted the best, because I would never hire another wedding photographer… makes sense, right? Yet when my first little one was born, I didn’t hire anyone to capture her with all her newness– little back wrinkles that disappear so quickly, soft baby fuzz, pouty little lips and just how deliciously squishy she was. Do I regret it? Absolutely. I didn’t regret it until recently however, because I didn’t hire a custom photographer for my 2nd, or 3rd babies either– it didn’t seem like it was in the budget, we were new to town and my husband was deployed or getting ready to deploy… I had loads of reasons for not finding someone to photograph our newest family member. Now? Yes, I regret it. Even with my own photography business, I never really understood the importance until my 4th little one arrived and I had another photographer capture him (because really, in that first week being hunched over a beanbag trying to pose him was much less attractive to me than say, a nap!). Now I get it. I have images of him that remind me just how tiny he was– and none of those with my other kids. Sure, I have the pictures of daddy holding them in the hospital, them being held by siblings, laying in the crib, etc… but none of those snapshots really captured the little newborn details that custom photography does.

When considering a newborn photographer, cost is understandably an issue– but maybe it shouldn’t be the most important one. You need to love your photographer’s style, because the results from your session will be what you use to remember this time in your life when your little tiny baby is scoring his first soccer goal or driving away in her first car. Your photographer needs to be someone with a personality you mesh with– you will be spending at least an hour or 2 sitting in the same room as your newborn is photographed, there may as well be the opportunity for good conversation! Your photographer should be someone that operates legally… business license, pays taxes, insurance, does everything on the up & up. Why is that so important? If they are running their business professionally and above board, they are invested in providing a high standard of quality– both in products and in ethics (you have to be committed to it when you watch the bulk of session income go to the tax man, the insurance man and the business licensing office!).

When searching for a photographer to document this unforgettable time in your life, I try to encourage people to choose the right photographer for them based on the photographer’s style, the products & packages they offer, and their personality, rather than just their cost. There will always be expensive photographers and cheap photographers, but what is most important is that you love your photographer’s work– because that is what you will have to remember this fleeting time by.

www.dragonflystudiosphotography.com

Editorial Feature Be U Weddings | Karianne + Justin

Corlis Gray — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:10:24 +0000

We are so honored to have one of our amazing weddings featured on Chicago’s Be U Weddings Blogazine! We truly loved spending time getting to know Karianne and Justin more intimately. To see more of this awesome article click here: Be U Weddings

To see more of Karianne and Justin’s wedding click here: Joliet Renaissance Wedding Photographers