Schlitz Audubon Wedding Photography:  David & Ryan!

It was a perfect day for Schlitz Audubon wedding photography:  warming sunshine for the outdoor ceremony in this unbelievable park and a spring rain in the evening to put a fresh shine on the nature surrounding the raucous party.  From birds of prey to a drag queen to an Irish hora (more on that later), David and Ryan thought of every way to make their wedding an unforgettable experience.  But, underlying the glitz of a day where no detail was left untouched, the most memorable aspect of the day was the way Ryan looked at David and the way David’s entire face constantly smiled at Ryan.

These two are so happy together.  That happiness spread to everyone who was there.  We were all beaming as bright as that sun to be able to celebrate David and Ryan marrying each other.

An intimate crowd witnessed two friends officiate the ceremony for David and Ryan.  That is a certain way to really make the ceremony experience speak to and for the heart of a couple.  To hear the familiar voice of a close friend officially uniting them in marriage added a special emotional poignancy to a perfect wedding ceremony.  Well, it was perfect once Ryan broke out in song beautifully belting Elton John’s “Your Song”.

At the reception everyone was greeted by amazing flowers by Impressions by Esther.  Hors d’oeuvres by Gracious Events evolved into an array of stations of delicious food.   After David & Ryan’s first dance set the tone for the evening, the floor was turned over to Lola Madison, one of Chicago’s top drag queens, who promptly pulled David and Ryan back to the dance floor and blew the room away.  The entertainment for rest of the night was in the capable hands of Rod Tuffcurls and The Bench Press, a truly gifted band.

We would be remiss to not mention the really wonderful toasts that were made by parents and lifelong friends.  The fact that this wedding couldn’t have happened so recently was lost on no one.  That context fueled some of the fierce and tender pride that crept up in the words spoken during the ceremony and reception.

This is a world where David and Ryan can be. We are so happy for them!

There’s that whole face smile of David’s.

There’s that look Ryan couldn’t help giving David all day.

A unity cocktail!  What a brilliant idea!

Lola Madison was unbelievable.  Everyone’s jaws hit the ground when she got going.

We’ve never had a day of Schlitz Audubon wedding photography where the first photos of the just the couple together happened near the end of the reception.  But, that ended up being the perfect time for David and Ryan.  We tried a bit throughout the day to do some photos of just the two of them, but it never quite happened.  Then, as soon as the rain let up but before it died completely, they came together for the only moments of beauty we could have ever needed.