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Chicago-based photographer Dawn Roscoe never intended to work in an industry dedicated to “I do.” “I started wedding photography on a whim,” she says. “One of my wedding photographer friends needed a second shooter, and I stepped in. Suddenly I just fell in love with how fun, emotional, and heartfelt it all was.”
We asked Roscoe to share some of her favorite images from over the years — below a look at some of the behind-the-scenes moments that matter most.
“I adore couples who let loose on their wedding day and just go along with whatever happens, which in this instance meant a very windy Chicago day and a temperamental veil. After about an hour of the veil constantly blocking and blowing in the groom’s face, the groom finally succumbed and just let the veil overcome him.”
“Rarely do I get a super-emotional groom on the wedding day, but when I do, it’s really a lovely thing to capture. What really choked me up about this moment was here was a guy getting teary when his future wife was kissing her equally emotional father.”
“This couple was having just a heck of a time cutting the cake and their expressions were priceless. These two were goofy and silly the entire day, and wedding reception was no exception.”
“The bride was having a really tough time getting the ring on the groom’s finger during the wedding ceremony. After a while, the groom started to make everybody laugh with his hilarious expressions and that’s when the bride looked at him and started laughing along with all her family and friends. And the officiant was in on it, too.”
“These two ladies were such lovebirds the entire day and this picture really sums up their heartfelt wedding. It’s one of my favorites because of the light and the location.”
“This couple had punk rock roots and wanted to visit some off-the-beaten-path and gritty locations on their wedding day. I found this graffiti-covered building in Chicago’s industrial corridor, and the couple went bonkers.”
“This image was shot at the University of Chicago campus, which is one of the most beautiful areas in the city for a wedding. Everything was working: the light, the wind, the couple, and the setting.”
“It was a cold, windy day in November along the Chicago lakefront when I shot this picture, and the couple was freezing. After about a half hour of shooting, the couple was ready to call it quits and get back to their warm venue for cocktail hour when I convinced them to do one more shot of them both walking along the lakefront. To this day, this is one of the best images of Chicago that I have in my portfolio.”
“During the couple’s first dance, I snuck out of the reception and shot through the window to capture this image. The couple loved the outdoors and they really wanted me to feature the gorgeous venue in their pictures.”
“The blue sky and lake, the sunset light, and light wind. What more could I ask for?”
Want to see more of Dawn’s work or hire her for your wedding? Visit her site at dawnephoto.com and be sure to follow her on Instagram.
See more inspiring wedding photos:
A Wedding Photographer’s Favorite Behind-the-Scenes Moments
A Wedding Photography Duo Share Their Favorite Moments Behind The Lens
Behind The Lens: A Wedding Photographer’s Favorite Moments