Have I ever mentioned how much I love my iPhone?  I love my little i-baby so much that I don’t think I can ever live without it again.  I recently got into a fairly heated (but all for fun) debate over which device is better…the iPhone or the Blackberry.  It wasn’t an apples to apples (PUN…get it eh???? *wink wink*) comparison, but I think I won the debate nonetheless!

The hubby and I took a week long vacation trip with our dearest friends to Chicago recently for our high school friend’s wedding (more photos to come).  And without our iPhones and our map apps, we would have wandered endlessly for hours on unfamiliar Chicago streets.  We also carried our phones and used them as our primary cameras for the trip.  And here you go…our Chicago vacation…by way of our iPhones!  Enjoy!

We stayed up the whole night the night before we left for the airport so we decided to treat ourselves on the flight and upgrade!

The hubby has never sat in first class before. Can you tell?

We stayed in the Financial District and it was eerily quiet on the day we arrived. Reminded me of Gotham City.

One of the first things we did was go for Chicago style pizza. It was the hubs' first time and the verdict? He no likey!

The famous Millenium Park. I won't lie, the faces scare me a little.

But the bean was awesome!

Navy Pier...a little underwhelming but I got this awesome shot of the ferris wheel!

The view from the Willis Tower (formerly known as The Sears Tower)

The glass box hung from the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower. Freakin' scary! I was shaking as I took this.

We met up with our friends at the John Hancock tower for some drinks. The dirty martini was my choice that night.

My high school girls! I'm pretty sure we all sat here on our last trip together to Chicago more than four years ago.

The EL station. Oh how I wish Seattle had a subway system!

A Seattle girl in Chicago has to have her morning coffee. The latte from Cafe DeLuca in Bucktown.

After coffee? Tacos!!! At Big Star in Bucktown.

And since we're on the topic of food, Chick-Fil-A should really come to Seattle!

I'm not sure what was happening here!

Would it be a true trip to Chitown without visiting the King of Bball himself?

We're not sure why there was a 3 story high statue of Marilyn outside of the NBC tower. But it was fun!

We also took the opportunity to meet up with fellow Chicagoan and good friend, Bessie! We did a photoshoot with her and there's more pictures to come!

Ann Sather's cinnamon rolls!

On the wedding day, all the guests rode a school bus to the wedding venue from downtown!

Also on the wedding day, the bride herself gave me Macarons for my birthday! Her wedding day was on my birthday and it was so sweet of her for her to have remembered out of all that was going on that day!

A breath of fresh air! The wedding was beautiful!

Happy wife, happy life! Traveling with the hubby makes me smile from ear to ear!

There you have it!  Chris and I had so much fun in the windy city.  We hope to come back one day but for now, we’re back to the grind that’s called life.  Oy!  Happy Sunday, everyone!

When Cindi and I decided we wanted to do photography for-realsies together, one big factor was “think of all the cool people we’ll meet!”  And we definitely have had the opportunity to meet some of the most awesome folks we wouldn’t have otherwise.  Not just our couples and families, but their friends, families, dogs, cats, butchers, caterers, nannies, dentists, chimney sweeps… everyone.

The prospective client meeting is one of the funnest (yes, I’m making that a legit word) parts of our job.  It’s also one that tests the nerves more-so than others.  It’s like a blind date really.  Our first chance to really get to know each other without resting in the warmth of the email safety bubble.

A lot of people look at this as the job interview — and really, it is; a hire or not hire decision will be made — but we like to think of it as a little bit more than that.  Job interviews make us think of measuring capabilities, competence, and the ability to deliver on demands.  All very important, but it can’t stop there.  Finding a capable photographer is the easier first step, finding one you can trust can be the more challenging key.

Sasabune, one of our fave sushi spots, specializes in omakase (from Japanese 任す, entrust). Your dining experience is placed in the hands of the chef. He gets to flex his creative muscle, while you get to enjoy innovation and surprise.

When we say “trust,” we don’t mean someone who won’t con you.  We just simply mean someone who fits you and understands your unique style/vision for your day so that they can (and will) be as thoughtful about your day as you will be.  At the end of the day, that’s what we need to make sure we’ve captured — your story, the important little details you’ve poured a little bit of yourself into, the essence of your personalities revealed in the fleeting candid moments, and the emotion created by all the important loved ones you’ve surrounded yourself with.

It’s tough.  While most of your day will be carefully orchestrated, we believe that it’s the in-between moments that ultimately define the day as yours.  This is where you just have to you lose control and have to trust that your photographer understands what it is that you will treasure for years to come.  While you can plan and define the formal posed portraits that you need, it’s ultimately up to the photographer to know where the beauty is hidden in the unscripted, and be there to capture it.

Being there for reactions can be challenging. You never know who may say what, and how it'll go over.

The ideal photographer is different for everybody.  Regardless of who yours is, our advice in searching for one:  Find someone that’ll enable you to step back and will deliver what you didn’t even think to ask for.

We first met Shannon+Kevin when we shot our first wedding.  You might remember SaraLeigh+Ryan from our old blog where Shannon+Kevin attended as guests.  When they contacted us about their own wedding, Chris and I were so thrilled and we wanted to make sure their special day was captured the way I would want it to be captured if it were my own wedding day.

It was probably one of the best Fridays we’ve had in Seattle.  The weather was a perfect high 70′s and as soon as the sun started to set, the party started to get livelier.  I love a wedding where all of the guests feel the music and all they want is to have a great time.  If you’re also one of those people, this was the place to be on a Friday night!  The best part was being on the dance floor with Shannon+Kevin’s parents!  At one point, Shannon’s dad took my camera and started to shoot some photos of me on the dance floor.  :)  Chris and I had SO much fun at their wedding and we wish that the newlywed continue to live their life with the same happiness and joy they felt on their wedding day.

Shannon+Kevin, it was such a pleasure to have been a part of your special day.  We hope you enjoy your slideshow and that it helps you relive some of the happiest moments!

Slideshow below, or over here in HD.