AJ Abelman Photography

grapher. From there, she took so much of her time to get to know us and make us feel seen. You can tell how special AJ is because when we finally met her, it felt like we had been friends forever. We had so much fun during our engagement photo session, and the photos turned out amazing. It made us even more excited for the wedding. Leading up to the wedding, we expressed our worries and concerns surrounding the day to AJ. She instantly knew what to say to calm us down and helped take charge to ensure our day was perfect. Her bubbly personality makes such a positive impact on the day, whether it's calming cranky family members during photos or truly celebrating your special day with you. AJ went above and beyond on the wedding day itself by helping with wedding day nerves and emotions, shuttling us between locations while playing hype up music, guiding us through the chaos of a wedding day, and crying happy tears with us through the ceremony. That just goes to show how you need AJ because of the impact she has on your wedding day! Now let's get to the important part (although you should hire her for her personality alone), her amazing photos. AJ's incredible vision for photography can be seen in all of her work. When we looked through our photos for the first time, we couldn't believe how it felt like we were back on that day because of how beautifully she captured it. She got all the photos we wanted and more. You can truly see the quality of her work in the photos and editing. Our photos from AJ stand out in such a positive way when we look at the quality and work in wedding photos we see from others on social media. There are many great photographers out there, but none truly compare to AJ. You will not regret hiring this queen!!

er. I am the more extroverted of my partnership and AJ did an incredible job making my partner feel at ease during our engagement shoot and our first look. She knows exactly what to say to get a nice photo that doesn’t read like “I’m being forced to take pictures”. From Day 1 (honestly, even before we hired AJ), we knew what to expect. She is communicative and easy to get a hold of. After a brief “get to know you” session, she builds three personalized packages based on what you’re looking for (and the names of each package are the best part…just you wait). Engagement Shoot: Our engagement shoot was so fun! AJ gave us a few suggestions and we ended up taking photos in and near the Montrose Bird Sanctuary. Talk about a GORGEOUS spot for photos. AJ is a great conversation maker and makes those who are less comfortable taking photos feel at ease. Her direction during our session made for spectacular photos (which we used for our save the dates and got lots of compliments on). We got sneak peeks within a day or two and the full gallery was high quality. Wedding Day: The package we selected was for 10 hours of service. AJ showed up early to where I was getting ready. Her second shooter was with my partner. Both of them were lovely during the day and brought positive, calm vibes for the duration of the day. The combination of posed and candid “getting ready” shots were well balanced. Our first look was at Garfield Park Conservatory and she and her second shooter did a great job communicating with each other so that my partner and I didn’t accidentally cross paths until it was “go time”. AJ is a great people wrangler - she made sure that our shots at Garfield Park were just us and communicated with other guests to make these shots happen. When we got to our venue, AJ and her second shooter got through our family portraits with haste so that my partner and I could relax before our ceremony. I was blown away by our sneak peeks, which we got several days after our wedding. Hiring AJ will be one of the best decisions you make for your big day.

s for us to choose from, categorizing them with references to the show. Our experience only went up from there. Once we signed our contract, AJ put together a welcome package with all sorts of goodies in it and she was in touch with us throughout the entire process. She is hyper organized and had us fill out questionnaires to make sure she got every detail. Our meeting with AJ before the wedding was not only amazing to hammer out all of the details of what we were looking for, but she also gave us some great general wedding planning advice! She is such a warm human and since she was getting married a few months ahead of us, she had great insight as a recent bride herself. Not only did AJ and her second photographer Hadassa give us fabulous pictures we will cherish forever, they made our wedding day such a blast! As a couple who are both camera shy, AJ made sure to give us time to warm up to the camera as we were getting ready. We were so busy chatting and laughing we hardly realized she was already putting together amazing shots of our day. AJ ran our schedule like clockwork, working closely with our wedding coordinator and herding our wedding party effortlessly across multiple locations in the city. When we got our album back, we were truly blown away. It was so special to look back not only on the pictures of us as a couple, but seeing the wedding from our guests' perspective as well. She really captured the overall vibe of the day and made sure to commemorate every detail. We cannot recommend AJ enough, if you are looking for a wedding photographer to take your day to the next level she's the one!

perfect photography package for us, complete with a custom name that honored our love story. She shot our engagement photos and wedding photos, and both experiences were incredible. She navigated all dynamics with ease, and we got multiple compliments during the wedding about how wonderful she was to work with. We love our photos, too! She made us feel confident and at ease, and this shows up in the gorgeous photos she took. She captured all our special moments, and we will treasure our photos forever. She is the BEST photographer!! When you hire her, you are hiring someone who is going to make sure you have an amazing experience, and amazing photos. Cannot recommend more highly.

we both tend to act a bit camera shy, our personalities shone through in all of the photos and we loved sharing them with our friends and family. Although AJ was not able to be present on our wedding day due to an emergency, we felt confident with the backup plan we had previously discussed, and AJ put the plan into action smoothly and efficiently. Her colleagues, Hadassah and Thais, seamlessly integrated themselves into our big day and we felt comfortable in front of the cameras. Our portraits and family shots turned out beautifully, and we were super impressed with our candids, casual shots, and action shots which were the types of photos that drew us in to AJ Abelman to begin with. All of the edited photos were delivered swiftly after the shoots, and throughout the process it was a joy to have AJ as part of our wedding team. We would not hesitate to do another photo shoot with AJ again in the future!

gagement shoot to the wedding day. I loved her assertiveness yet playfulness, and got down to business when it was time to go. Our photos are so colorful and vibrant- so real, so us. Just what we wanted. I can’t tell you how many compliments we received about our album! We have great memories with AJ and can’t wait to work with her again.

rtship, to a care package upon booking, to holding my hand in the elevator before the first look, AJ knows customer service. And, OF COURSE, her photos are stunning. AJ is personable, hilarious, and great at her job. Now if only I could find a way to be her friend in real life... :)

m of, because you can’t conceive of how an event photographer could bring so much to your life. She is a sensation, I think in part because she truly, genuinely loves what she does for a living. She was so communicative, and sought to understand both of us as human beings in order to inform her work. She was kind and generous throughout the whole process, offering us support way beyond what a photographer would normally (advice for the wedding week and day, other vendor recommendations, etc). She took care to satisfy our priorities while also helping us better understand what we wanted from her on our wedding day. And most of all, she took wonderful photos. We and our guests have truly never looked better. BOOK AJ ABLEMAN IMMEDIATELY, YOU WON’T REGRET IT.

e no brainer - setting up a time to chat through the details was a breeze and felt like catching up with an old friend. We had to post-pone twice due to COVID and both times AJ was there to reschedule with ease! AJ was ALWAYS just a quick message away with any questions leading up to our big day and never ever made us feel like a hassle or inconvenience. Her kindness,warmth and experience never went unnoticed. Honestly? She will be your biggest hype woman when you need it and just as important - she’ll be a calming friend when you need someone to tell you it’ll all fall into place! On the day of, AJ was prompt, cheerful and ready to go. Her second shooter, Hadassah, was also an absolute DREAM to work with. We set up a schedule prior to and she made sure we stuck to it and that everything ran smoothly from her arrival, to getting ready photos, the first look, wedding party photos and family photos. She works with a sense of purpose while remaining absolutely hilarious and always showing her genuine kindness. AJ finds the natural beauty in every single person they may not have realized they even had. She puts you at ease - no photo ever feels forced. As someone who has always been a little unconfident and never felt photogenic - I can say with 100% honesty - that changed with AJ. AJ knew what those extra special moments throughout the day would be seemingly before they even happened - and the evidence is in the photos. My husband and I look back on photos often and still have a hard time to deciding which prints to order because every single photo is truly and honestly perfect. Every single family member and friend is in absolute awe of our photos and how perfectly captured our evening was. We cannot extend our thanks and appreciation enough as the memories she’s captured and given to us are more than we could ever ask for. Love you, AJ!!!

d. Her ability to direct our photos with a large wedding party and families was truly masterful. I have members of my party who are planning to book her for their own weddings after she made such an incredible impression. She treated my husband and I with so much care on our day and the weeks leading up to it. AJ's energy is so infectious, and I will always be grateful that she was able to play such an important role in our day. Book her!!

ful as well. I was worried photos were going to feel awkward and forced but AJ made them fun and even got my husband out of his shell. He felt and looked like a freakin GQ model. AJ took her time to learn about our goals for the photos of our day. She got to know us and provided custom packages to make sure we got it. I never felt like another client, I felt like my wedding was incredibly important to her. She is a beautiful soul and does INCREDIBLE PHOTOS! Just book her.

ortant in those tough weeks before your wedding. She is genuinely so excited to be part of your day and feels like the same energy as a sister being excited for your wedding! 2. She gives (and takes) direction. We spent plenty of time ahead of the wedding ensuring we were on the same page with our priorities for pictures. She made sure that these priorities happened! AJ can command a room or disappear depending on what you need her to do! 3. AJ is caring. AJ wants to know what to look out for in your wedding (ex. any tough relationships), asks for pronouns and names, and genuinely cares that your day goes perfectly - and she’ll do everything she can to help! I had a couple of tragedies around my wedding and AJ was not awkward or uncomfortable-she just kept working through and going with the flow. 4. She knows how to hire a second! We loved our second photographer and were so grateful that she was such an incredible balance and energy to AJ. 5. Maybe the most important - our pictures are gorgeous. I love every single picture and that is NOT normal. There’s always one I don’t like….not with AJ. Thank you AJ and everyone give AJ your money.

ic, AJ was the vendor who helped us through the process of rescheduling our wedding the most. When she was unfortunately injured and unable to be there in person for our wedding she provided us with an expert team of photographers who were just as lovely as she! We've received our sneak peaks (less than a week after our wedding day) and I can't stop staring at them. The joy of the day has been captured perfectly and we can't wait to see the rest. Bottom line: if you're considering hiring AJ, do it!!! It's the best choice.

er getting engaged. Our initial zoom call really sealed the deal. She was personable, fun, loud (much needed for our giant wedding party), and clearly cared very deeply about her clients. Our engagement shoot was just perfect and we knew we had made the right decision for our big day. My husband, Connor, and I both felt very comfortable and our photos reflect that. We unfortunately made the choice to postpone our wedding by a year due to COVID, and while we were very disappointed, AJ worked with us to make sure everything went smoothly. AJ was great about providing resources and responding to my many questions leading up to our wedding day. And then on the wedding day she was just a DREAM. She effortlessly wrangled our large and complicated families, while also somehow keeping our rowdy wedding party in-line. Our friends and family absolutely adored her and we all had a blast while taking photos. Meanwhile, I knew we were always on track with the timeline because AJ and her second shooter, Hadassah, were just on top of it. Hadassah also did an amazing job and we were so lucky to have her there!!! Throughout the day, AJ kept my anxiety at ease. When our venue was behind on the timeline, she jumped in to make sure things were moving. When I obviously done with photos, she made me take a break so that I didn’t get too worn out. Our day would not have run as smoothly as it did without her there. Not to mention, our photos turned out so amazing! I know we will cherish them for years to come. And we can’t wait to hire AJ for any future photos! AJ was worth every single penny and then some. We stretched our budget solely to fit her into our day, and there is not a single regret. THANK YOU, AJ!!!!!!!

s through shoots in both the rain (our engagement shoot) and the freezing cold (our 20 degree wedding) and delivered the most beautiful photos that we can't stop going through. You would never know that we had less-than-ideal conditions because AJ and her team genuinely care and give proper attention to detail to ensure everything is absolutely perfect. When we were both at our wit's end in the cold, AJ kept us in great spirits to push us through to the end. She captured all of the classic poses, but also got the greatest candids. Her photos truly captured the essence of our day (both visually and in spirit), and we are so grateful to have had her as part of our wedding. She puts you as the couple first, protects you from the nonsense, and is such a genuinely kind and thoughtful human. We could not be happier with our decision to go with AJ, and we will cherish her photos forever.

r first conversation in 2018. We went through 3 postponements because of covid, and finally got married in the fall of 2021. AJ worked with us the entire time, patiently and graciously, until we finally had our wedding day. This review is way overdue, but I knew I had to share with everyone how amazing our experience was with AJ from start to finish! We had engagement photos taken a full year before our original wedding date, and my husband and I had so much fun during the shoot. We felt comfortable with AJ, even my husband who is not the most comfortable in front of the camera! The photos turned out so amazing. AJ can capture your love, which is unique for every couple, so beautifully in her photography. Safe to say we weren't worried about how our wedding photos were gonna turn out after the engagement shoot! The engagement photos alone were so good one of my closest friends booked AJ for her wedding too! Fast forward to wedding day, literally a couple years later, AJ worked with us on details we probably won't even think about during planning so we don't have to worry about them that day. She was on time (meaning early!) to set up, she stuck to our timeline which I planned every minute of, and kept us on track for the day (without stressing us out which is very important to me). Having AJ with us the entire day was like hanging out with a friend, instead of being followed and having your photos taken. She captured the little details I probably wouldn't remember later, and we were so happy to see them in our photos! I stalked my email until I got the notification that our wedding photos were ready, obviously, and AJ definitely did NOT disappoint. Looking back on our photos from that day still makes me cry, and we're so glad we booked AJ for what is probably gonna be one of the best and biggest days in our lives. We are SO grateful for AJ, her talent, and also her love for her job and her clients! If you want someone who actually cares about you, your wedding day, and your photos - AJ is the one! She books up quick, so you better get to it!!!!

ant to me that we worked with someone who a) shared our values, which AJ very vocally does; b) could capture our mid-January wedding in a way that was still bright and colorful and beautiful despite the 4:30pm sunset; c) get good dance floor and candid photos on top of not-stiff-or-awkward formal/group portraits. AJ *absolutely* delivered on ALL of that and was a joy to work with. Photography was one of the most important services for me personally, since photos are something tangible we hold on to even once the whirlwind day itself is over; I spent so much time searching across every imaginable platform for the perfect match until I came across AJ. When I tell you that we had the lights OFF except for some uplighting on the dance floor, and yet EVERY dance floor photo came out looking like we were partying in a fully lit ballroom--it's incredible! Not blurry or messy, not exclusively black and white, none of the "typical" low-quality low-light dance floor photos I was worried about--instead, they all came out super clear and beautiful because AJ is just THAT GOOD at what she does!! We did a first look and party/family portraits before the ceremony to take advantage of the daylight we had, and every single one came out looking so bright and beautiful. AJ worked so well with everyone involved, so we were all at ease and looking natural and happy even in the posed group shots, and she also caught so many wonderful candid moments. The final shots were a mix of beautiful dramatic black-and-white and gorgeous vivid full-color. One of my favorite pictures is one she got in a split-second moment when my husband and I were smiling at each other as we walked back down the aisle post-ceremony. Someone else was taking video at a different angle, so I've seen that even though it was truly the shortest moment, AJ still managed to capture it and make it look so beautiful. It's a photo that illustrates the little moments we had throughout the day--exactly the kind of moments that would be forgotten without such amazing photos from someone of AJ's skill and experience. We ended up needing her for an additional 30 minutes at the end of the night to capture some dancefloor moments since dinner speeches went long, and she was very flexible, accommodating, and up-front about the extra charge fro extra time. (Totally worth it--the dancing had some of my favorite photos of the night.) tl;dr: AJ is an extremely skilled expert and I am SO glad we were lucky enough to book her for our wedding. She's fabulous year-round, but I especially endorse her ability to capture the magic of weddings even in the dead of the Chicago winter. It was a delight to work with such a wonderful, inclusive, talented photographer.

is a reflection of her amazing personality. She’s very experienced, organized and creative, and she truly brings out the best in everyone around her. Her positivity and genuine love for her work and clients is truly incredible.

ot pushed out an additional year and AJ was more than accommodating to us. We had actually shopped around for a photographer before meeting AJ and none of them seemed to fit us. Once we found AJ’s page we had a feeling she would be much more open minded then our previous encounters with other photographers. AJ was quick to respond to our inquiry and we knew from the moment we talked on the phone, received a customized proposal, and finally met in person that AJ was the photographer for us. Her open heart, kind soul, and outstanding photography skills are hard to put into words. She knew exactly how to make us feel comfortable, relaxed, and laugh. Our engagement session was one for the books; it was on one of the hottest evenings of the summer. AJ kept us laughing and smiling through the unbearable heat and our pictures turned out phenomenal. Leading up to our big day AJ checked in with us more then once. AJ’s professionalism, guidance and support made things so much easier on us. Knowing that I would more then likely cry on our wedding day she even offered to hold my handkerchief in between photos. I don't know if that is normal or not but for AJ it is because she genuinely cares about her clients and their happiness. AJ’s team member, Hadassah also took outstanding photos and really knew how to capture what we wanted. Her personality also meshed well with our crew and she even offered a hand to hold our dress trains. AJ and her team don’t photograph all of their clients the same, which is what we also really appreciated. AJ addressed all of our wishes and concerns prior to our big day so there weren’t any hiccups along the way. Our pictures came out beautifully and truly captured our day. We can’t wait to order prints and albums. Some of our family has already ordered prints and they are amazed at the quality. We feel so lucky to have met and found AJ. We truly cannot thank her enough for being our photographer. Lets be honest, AJ just really knows her stuff and when it comes to being a kind human being that loves capturing love AJ is your person.

ecuring it! I knew I absolutely NEEDED her to shoot my wedding. AJ makes the wedding experience so easy. She gets to know you as a couple so she can capture your special day in a way that you want. AJ has questionnaires and virtual meeting sessions to ensure that on the day of the wedding everything you want has been captured. This meant that on the day of the wedding, I did not have to worry one bit. AJ and her team went above and beyond and I am astonished by the quality and quantity of beautiful, candid photos captured. AJ even knew when we needed some time alone or time to take a break from everything. She scheduled this time into our timeline and thank goodness! We were able to get time alone as a married couple as our guests enjoyed a cocktail hour. These photos are some of my favorites because we are so happy and relieved to be married. The entire photography process felt like I was dealing with my best friends. Both AJ and her second shooter seamlessly worked well with our wedding party. They directed the crowd and made sure to get the specific photos we wanted. Then they also just let us do our thing and captured some of the most genuine, candid photos of us with all our loved ones. I cannot choose which photos are my favorites. They are just THAT good! Lastly, I need to add that AJ got to know us so well and she was able to suggest unique photo opportunities that fit our personalities. My husband and I are high school sweethearts that met in the skateboarding crowd. AJ suggested my husband do a skate trick over me on the day of the wedding. Now, yes that does sound crazy, but with AJ there it was an easy “yes let's do this.” And now I have this awesome, unique photo of my husband skating over me that was the talk of the wedding and obviously one of my husband’s favorites. AJ is the one of the most down to earth and genuinely happy people you could hire for your wedding. She is legit your biggest hype person and will make you feel so beautiful and confident on your special day. We also love AJ’s work so much we had her take our engagement photos. Again, AJ suggested a photoshoot that fit our personalities completely. We took beautiful outdoor photos in the woods, photos outside of our new house, and photos with our three fur babies. I am so grateful AJ takes the time to get to know you to make sure she captures the photos you didn’t even know you wanted! Not only did AJ deliver the best engagement and wedding photos ever, but she did so after suffering a medical emergency weeks prior to our wedding. AJ had her mom drive her to our wedding due to not being able to drive. I MEAN THE COMMITMENT! Get yourself a photographer that will go above and beyond by hiring AJ Abelman right this second!!

and the look - and we have hundreds upon hundreds of photos to look back on and enjoy! AJ has a real magic about her - she has a way to pull organic and real poses out of you and makes the entire process super fun. AJ and her team are professional and reliable, and I’m so thankful she was recommended to me. I’m passing my fantastic experience forward and recommending AJ Abelman Photography to all of you! Don’t hesitate, go with AJ!

s the easiest choice we had to make! From our first consult, we felt so comfortable talking to Aj and throughout the process Aj proved to be so supportive and knowledgeable. Seriously poor Aj would get the most random Qs from us and always in a timely manner get back to us! On our wedding day - Aj absolutely held it down!!!! Aj was so organized and progressional, while at the same time being so compassionate and friendly that everyone felt so comfortable! We had a slight mishap with our transportation and the entire bridal party started to get nervous but not Aj! Aj jumped to the rescue, while being so calm, as if this happens every wedding. We felt so at ease because of how Aj was handling it ( keep in mind - this definitely didn’t fall under Ajs responsibilities to figure out). Due to Aj, it was all sorted out and we remained on schedule and everything went on perfectly! After the wedding I asked Aj if that kinda thing happens all the time and Aj responded “nope, that is not normal” - the situation could of really threw off our day but because of Aj it was all sorted and we never even realized how much of an issue it could of been! Not only is Ajs work incredible, but the ability to foster a friendly but professional environment and maintain a chaotic wedding schedule is unmatched! One of the biggest things people talked about after the wedding was how much they loved Aj and since receiving some of our sneak peak photos we continue to get compliments on Aj weeks after our wedding! We will cherish and appreciate our wedding photos always.

the wedding is over, she is the woman for the job! We couldn’t be happier to have her and her team be a part of our day. She has such a wonderful, positive energy and makes you feel (and look) like models at your wedding. She is extremely talented and took such stunning and incredible photographs. When we first saw the photos we were awestruck and continue to be so obsessed, pouring over them again and again. We cannot thank AJ enough for capturing such wonderful memories that we will cherish forever!

and my wife. She constantly checked in with us throughout her time with us, made sure we were happy and satisfied with the shots and poses we were in. She was also a major source of emotional support during the chaos and busyness of the day. I can say with the utmost certainty that she played one of the biggest roles in making our day absolutely PERFECT. She even put me at ease when having to manage not only my own emotions but also the drama that some family members bring. I would hire her again and again and again. Thank you AJ, Love the Reule's.

sband and I had an absolute blast working with her. She has a way of making everyone around her feel great, and it really shows in the photos! Our bridal party still talks about her to this day and we got married 2 months ago. We are definitely not people who take photos of ourselves often and the experience of having our pictures taken all day could have been very awkward, but she totally removes the awkward factor with her fun and welcoming personality. Hire her and we promise you will not regret it! She's a 10/10 for us.

e what really stood out to me throughout this whole process. Her network of second shooters is also top notch. Simply put, you know you're in good hands when you're working with AJ. She was incredibly responsive to any and all inquiries that we had, went above and beyond to ensure that she got the right shots from the right angles, sent us sample photos immediately after every shoot. We could not have asked for a better wedding photographer. I would very, very enthusiastically recommend AJ to anyone and everyone I know who needs a wedding photographer who takes good photos and takes the headaches out of the process. Great photographer, great human being.

ergy and creative eye. AJ isn’t just a wedding photographer. She is your biggest hype woman with an amazing eye for photos and has a vision outside of the typical “posed photos.” I won’t give away her secret yet (duh, this is why you should hire her!) but she has a special way of bringing out the real version of the couple and capturing the most epic photos. She made everyone in our wedding party feel so comfortable. Having the ability to bring out the best in us and capturing our true personalities is a gift, it’s not something that can be taught. We experienced our own challenges with a COVID wedding and AJ graciously worked with us at every turn. She captured both our intimate family only ceremony in April 2021 and our wedding celebration with all of our guests in July 2021 and we couldn’t be more thrilled with her work. She was even out on the dance floor taking photos of with guests and dancing her way through it, truly the best energy! Think of it this way—you spend 10+ hours with your photographer. You want someone that can read the room, hype you up, and truly capture the essence of you as a couple. Bonus if you become friends with your photographer, which is exactly what happened with AJ, she is the best! After your wedding day, the biggest thing you have is memories and photos and you want someone who will deliver photos that will bring you back to some of the most special moments in your life. As I said, stop everything you’re doing and hire AJ, you won’t regret it!

reminders. Her positive and laid back demeanor was just what we were looking for. On the day of the wedding, she was so organized and made all of the stress of the wedding just fall away. She acted essentially as our wedding planner, helping with a lot of the logistics that fell outside of just photography, which we are very grateful for. Ultimately, in our book, she is the best wedding photographer in Chicago, and you should definitely hire her! On another note, AJ isn’t just an exceptional professional, but also one of the coolest people we know. The entire night we felt like we were just hanging out with a friend and that is because AJ is literally the kindest and funniest person we had the pleasure of meeting during this entire process. If you want to gain a badass friend while planning our wedding, hire AJ. Also – we need to shout out Jenni, AJ’s second shooter. They were so cool and funny all the above also applies to them. We were very grateful to have both AJ and Jenni photographing our wedding!

been swooning at our photos and want to print everything! I followed AJ on Instagram for awhile after getting engaged, so impressed, and was finally able to book her for our wedding after postponing due to COVID. One thing I love about AJ is HER excitement for YOUR day. AJ photographs I don’t know how many amazing couples and always shows up for each of them equally — excited to count down to your big day, fun to talk to, happy to help and passionate about her career — for me, this is something that stood out for AJ from other photographers. Having amazing photos from our wedding is the best investment we made. Our photos are what I keep looking back at for constant memories, that bring me back to the conversations had, love exchanged, vibes of the venue and beats of the DJ. After booking AJ, through after our wedding, we still agree that hiring her was the best wedding planning decision we made. How can we book her to hang out again, LOL? More on the photos — AJ knows all the best spots to shoot around the city, makes you feel natural (how about whispering about ice cream for some candid, laughing shots? Yum), and has a signature style that if you love following her on Instagram you’ll love having for your own photos. We received so many compliments from our family and bridal party the day of as well, having seen AJ in action. She is not afraid to speak up politely to ensure that people in (and not in) the photos move so that the shot is perfect. Once receiving our full gallery one of our parents asked “how we had time to take all of these amazing, beautiful pictures” — a hard working, bad ass photographer is how! Last but absolutely not least, AJ is an awesome human who cares deeply about inclusivity and representation for all people and couples in and out of the wedding industry. It is refreshing to work with someone who stands up for their values as a business owner. Honestly just save your time reading other reviews and hire AJ now. If she’s not available on your date, reschedule your date so you can work with her. We heart AJ!!!

than AJ. I think the best way to sum up what she meant to us was simply saying she was a full partner with us. Throughout A PANDEMIC, she was responsive to our questions and needs and always ready to offer her considerable expertise when asked. She was invaluable in terms of ensuring everyone was safe, healthy, and comfortable. And throughout - she was a joyful, energetic and heartwarming person. If you want a professional who will work to make sure you get your dream wedding and photos; will capture moments and not just poses; and will truly brighten your wedding (and life!), AJ's your gal.

ent is undeniable.   I received good advice when selecting a photographer "Make sure you really like them - because you will spend a lot of time with them on your wedding day".  It was great advice and after a short video call with AJ - we were completely sold.  She went above and beyond making sure the day was perfectly captured - which it was.   My dad  says he can't even look at the wedding photos without crying...JOB WELL DONE.  We love you AJ and look forward to continue supporting you years to come.  Leigh Anne & Chad

ted. She handled (and managed to woo) our large, loud and overly joyous wedding party with ease. Beyond that AJ genuinely cares about her clients and goes all out to make her photos and your wedding day special. I cannot recommend her highly enough!

ement session a few times because of weather and I was really bummed out, but she told us to be patient and it would be worth the wait.. and it was! We had a beautiful Spring day and the pictures turned out amazing. I think a lot of photographers would've just done the shoot to get it over with, but not AJ! She was willing to reschedule for the perfect day so she could get the best shots. We were thrilled with the photos. THANK YOU AJ!

ssic and timeless, or contemporary and colorful (or anything in between!). You truly get so much more than just a wedding photographer when you hire her. First of all, we got our (gorgeous) full wedding gallery in UNDER A MONTH, PEOPLE. Before that, AJ sent our sneak peeks first thing on the morning after our wedding. That is utterly unheard of from a wedding photographer--take it from my friends who got married way before me and are still waiting on their pictures. My friends and family are just as obsessed with my photos as I am--they can't stop calling and texting me to tell me what a fantastic job AJ did. Furthermore, my bridesmaids keep telling me how much fun they had with AJ--she had us laughing and smiling all day long. She is extremely detail-oriented, organized, professional, and personable. She somehow took two people who are decently awkward in front of a camera and made us look like naturals. Not only am I over-the-moon about the pictures themselves--but the actual wedding gallery is SO organized, with sections that bookmark the entire day. I cannot express how happy I am with AJ and can't recommend her enough! Thank you so much, AJ!!!

en gave us a few previews the next day to hold us over while she edited, though that didn’t take her long. The photos turned out beautifully and captured our love so well! She is kind and inclusive and funny and we cannot wait for her to shoot our wedding! 10/10 would recommend her!!

ed. Every time I go to someone else’s wedding and they’re taking their large family photos after their ceremony I find myself saying ‘AJ did this so much better’. She was so efficient and had the attention of every single person in the room. You will NEVER regret hiring AJ for any of your photographing needs and I can’t wait to continue to use her services whenever we choose to grow our family. Do yourself, and your wedding, a favor and see if she has availability for your big day!

ccommodating with our schedules to set up our engagement photos. We told her we wanted our engagements photos to showcase Chicago, but didn't have set locations in mind. She took us all around the Loop and took incredible pictures in places I hadn't thought of. AJ was the MVP of all our vendors on the day of the wedding. She easily managed our large wedding party (18 people) and large families, all while making sure we were having the best day possible. Her calm and joyful demeanor put everyone at ease. She turned around the edited photos so quickly for both our engagement and wedding photos.The photos are beautiful photos and we will treasure them forever. We would 1000% recommend AJ for any and all photography needs you have.

shots but really truly facilitating beautiful moments throughout the day. Her energy is incredible and the end results are AMAZING. She does such a killer job of posing folks for beautiful but natural portrait shots and also capturing live moments. If I could change one thing about my own wedding it would be that I had found out about AJ and hired her to do our pictures! For real, stop looking and hire her, it will be the best decision of your wedding planning process.

ng aligned with our wedding priorities. She also carefully picked her second photographer to be someone who would match well with us. I can not recommend her enough!

e high pressures of a wedding and patience of families asking for more photos. She was extremely efficient with our family photos and made sure to have nothing drag out that day. AJ took care of us as couple and was so creative with the layout of each photo. Would highly recommend working with this amazing photographer

be how wonderful she is as a photographer and as a person. Before we even started searching for photographers, my husband and I both agreed that we weren’t looking forward to this part of the wedding. We fully understood the value of having a great photographer, but both felt uncomfortable at the idea of taking pictures. However, AJ has an incredible ability of making you feel relaxed and comfortable. She brings a sense of energy and excitement that 1) makes you feel at ease and 2) makes you feel special. These are two things that every couple should feel during their wedding planning and AJ managed to make us feel that way even with things unrelated to photography. She became another member of the wedding party, a cheerleader when we needed some extra encouragement, a source of relief when she sensed we needed a break. These aren’t thing you think of when hiring a photographer. These aren’t even qualifications that necessarily make someone a great photographer. These are all things that are unique to AJ’s personality that make her an exceptional person and, as a result, an even better photographer. Her pictures are stunning. They evoked real emotions. The first time we saw ourselves through AJ’s lens, we couldn’t stop looking at the pictures and haven’t stopped since. AJ works hard for you. Like climb into thick, tall (probably tick-filled) prairie grass to get the perfect shot kind of hard for you. She provides her clients with tremendous customer service all while making the experience personal with thoughtful touches. She's extremely professional and organized and was so respectful and kind to our wedding guests. We absolutely love AJ and her insane talents! Do yourself a favor and reach out to her if you’re looking for a photographer. Once you do, you’ll immediately be taken care of. AJ loves her job and it’s evident in everything she does for her clients. Thank you, AJ! Love Ryann & Bo

e made both experiences stress free, natural feeling, and truly enjoyable to be involved in. Her light hearted but firm way to address a room of friends and family made sure we got all the photos we wanted and more, plus we were able to truly enjoy our day without anything feeling staged. I would highly recommend her for any moment that you want captured in the most sincere way possible. I know I will be calling her again for any future photo needs we have!

al day with immense enthusiasm - LOOK NO FURTHER. AJ is truly the whole deal and I will tell ALL BRIDES EVERYWHERE that they will be forever thankful that they used her services. She is organized, focused, enjoyable to be around and not to mention her photographs are GORGEOUS. I literally cry tears of joy when I look at our wedding photos because they so perfectly captured our day and they are just brilliantly composed. It is my pleasure to recommend someone so highly - who deserves it so much.