Sally O'Donnell Photography

mmunicating efficiently and clearly with our family members, our planner, and the venue teams. Her attention to detail and creative vision at iconic Chicago locations at the Alder Planetarium skyline, Union Station, The Palmer House, The Art Institute of Chicago, and The University Club of Chicago, were stunning. Both Nick and Sally worked seamlessly as a team, which allowed us to feel calm and fully enjoy our most important day to celebrate our love!!

e day. The photo quality exceeded our expectations, and Sally goes above and beyond to get the perfect shot. We are so grateful and highly recommend them!!!

to scheduling our engagement photos, and all the way through our wedding day (and for months after), Sally and her team have been so incredibly easy to work with. Communication was seamless and the entire process felt effortless on our end  When it came to our wedding day, Sally and Nick were both warm, professional, and made my husband and me feel completely at ease in front of the camera (no small feat for me). We wanted a documentary style approach to our photos— something that would capture all the candid moments of the day while still feeling and looking natural, true to us, and not overly posed. Nick and Sally delivered exactly that. They were also intentional about not pulling us away from meaningful moments of the day to take photos, which allowed us to stay present and fully enjoy every part of our wedding Our engagement session was also relaxed and fun, and that comfort carried straight into the wedding day  Although we booked Sally as our photographer, she and Nick were so much more than that. They were present for every moment of the day and worked seamlessly with our fantastic planners to help keep things moving, help my husband and me communicate before our first look (and locate our vows for us…), provide guidance to our guests, and ensure everything stayed on track (all while never missing a shot) Also have to mention how amazingly well Sally worked with our energetic and occasionally difficult pup, at both our engagement session and on our wedding day We are so excited to see and spend time with them again for our friend’s wedding in July, and we will continue to recommend them to all our friends getting engaged and married. We feel so lucky to have these photos to relive our wedding and cannot recommend them highly enough!!

lly got my vision. The pictures are so incredible (Oct 2025) and I can’t even decide my favorites for the album because so many of them sparkle with authenticity and creativity. Sally and Nick are also just wonderful kind people. I WANTED to hang out with them on my wedding day and so enjoyed their presence. It made me feel calmer. I can’t say enough wonderful things about them. 

Day, both Sally and Nick made us feel comfortable and really helped make our day special. Thank you so much!

y on the wedding day. She was such a support in helping me stay present and reminding me of what was truly important. Everything about working with her was easy. On the wedding day, my husband and I couldn’t have been in better hands than Sally and Nick. They are true professionals who know exactly what they’re doing, how they’re doing it, and when they’re doing it. They probably handled a lot more behind the scenes than I ever realized, but I never would have known — and that’s what made it so easy to trust them completely. We felt confident and cared for the entire day. Not to mention, our photos came out absolutely stunning and so much fun! We’re so grateful for their husband-and-wife duo and the incredible support they brought to our wedding day. The photos were exactly what I envisioned, if not more. Thank you for everything!!!

I knew I wanted someone who could not only capture the details beautifully, but also the emotion and spirit of the day. Sally and Nick did exactly that, and more. Looking through our full album, it was tough to pick favorites—every image felt intentional, timeless, and full of life. Beyond their talent and professionalism, Sally and Nick are wonderful people—they’re kind, relaxed, and fun to be around. My husband and I wanted to feel like ourselves in front of the camera, and we wanted our guests to feel at ease, too—and they made that easy. If you’re looking for a team who will deliver photos you’ll cherish for a lifetime and make you feel completely taken care of along the way, look no further than Sally and Nick. Hiring them was one of the best decisions we made.

worked closely with us to find the perfect location that felt meaningful to us, we ended up shooting in the gardens at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the photos turned out absolutely amazing! Throughout our session, she made us feel relaxed and natural in front of the camera, which really came through in our photos. On our wedding day, Sally was with us from the getting-ready portion through the entire day. She did an incredible job blending into the background and capturing so many beautiful candid and authentic moments. Her husband, Nick, also joined to help capture the guys’ photos and was equally great to work with. The whole wedding party really enjoyed working with them both and they kept the energy positive and fun throughout the entire day! In the end, we received an incredible set of photos that reflect the joy and beauty of the day. Sally’s talent, professionalism, and calming presence made the experience wonderful from start to finish. We’re so grateful to have these memories captured so beautifully and would recommend Sally O’Donnell Photography to anyone looking for a photographer for their big day!

r, got the shots she needed to do and then some. She was so fun and easy to work with everyone just kept saying how impressed they were and the photos OMG they are SO GOOD. And Nick was soo adored by the groomsmen. This duo made our day beyond amazing. My husband and I feel so awkward in front of a camera and Sally and Nick made us feel so comfortable. They are the absolute best. Book them!!

nd! Not only is she great at photography, but also served as an advisor that I could trust in such an important moment in my life that requires a great deal of logistical planning. I have since recommended her to several close friends. Thank you so much Sally!!

laxed and confident on our wedding day. Our photos captured our wedding day beautifully and are timeless. I would absolutely recommend Sally and Nick to any upcoming brides!

edibly fun to work with but also helped make our wedding day feel less stressful, especially when it came with some unexpected logistical challenges! Their ability to capture both posed portraits and authentic candid moments is beyond our expectations. We couldn’t be happier with our photos and will treasure the story they tell forever! We continue to follow their incredible work on social media and love seeing the magic they create for other couples." – Priya & Brian

onal, fun and effortless it is to work with them. I didn’t realize how important a photographer was until after our experience. You are with them as much as you are with your bridal party and family on your wedding day. Their command of the day and the environment they create for taking photos made the wedding photographs one of the easiest and most enjoyable parts of the day. And their photos turned out great!!

cannot recommend these two enough and so grateful we chose them for our day!

ery first phone call. She and Nick are so down to earth and easy to be with. It was so important to me to find a photography team that I genuinely enjoyed being with because your photography team is with you from the time you start getting ready in the morning until the party ends, and we nailed it with Sally and Nick. Sally was readily available for questions throughout the planning process, made a trip to our venue to scope it out before our big day, and even went above and beyond with a special editing request that she made happen overnight. Sally is passionate about capturing the emotions of the day - something that was more important to me than having magazine-worthy photos (which they truly are anyway!). Our photos from both our engagement photo shoot and our wedding day are timeless and stunning and I love them so much. I HIGHLY recommend Sally and Nick - there’s no better team!

n come to life. On the day of, Sally jumped right in and handled all the different personalities involved in our wedding like a pro. She helped keep things on time, worked quickly, and made sure we captured the images we planned for. Even during peak moments of bridal anxiety, I knew Sally had things under control. We never worried that the team was missing a moment, they went above and beyond what we initially asked for. Our digital and film photos blew us away, we could tell that Sally and Nick listened to our priorities and delivered exactly what we hoped for. It was hard to decide which photos to post in this review! I highly recommend working with Sally and Nick, you will always feel like there is a professional in the room. Both her and Nick added to our wedding day in a positive way. I hope to work with them in the future!

of people you would invite to your own wedding. Me and my wife felt like we became friends with them through the process. I had an incident where I couldn't find my bowtie and I thought it might've been in my car still and the reception was going to start in 15 minutes. Sally took my valet ticket and found my bowtie in the car and got it back to me right in time. She truly went above and beyond. We even tried to get both of them to stay for the whole wedding to just party with us the rest of the night because we loved hanging out with them. The photos came out incredible. They are so dope. She really captured exactly what we were looking for and understood our vibes perfectly. 20/10 recommend her!

ertise. To say they did just that would be an understatement. They have a way of showing their experience but also making us feel super comfortable in front of a camera - I highly recommend Sally and Nick for any event, but especially for your wedding!!

s a fantastic surprise (and they got them back in great time). I highly recommend these two to anyone!!

dinner and wedding day. Shooting our engagement photos with Sally at the arboretum and Margie’s ice cream parlor was one of my most memorable parts of the wedding process. She went above and beyond to come all the way to a crowded ice cream parlor on a Tuesday at 10 pm to catch the most perfect night shoot! On our wedding day, Sally & Nick truly captured how beautiful and energetic the night was. The photos came out absolutely stunning and instantly takes me back to how I felt that day. Our biggest issue now is the decision paralysis to decide what photos to frame because they’re all so amazing! If you’re looking for someone fun, laid-back, and super talented, I highly recommend!

ing the wedding planing process. From our first call with Sally, she was incredibly personable, knowledgable, and easy going. Fast forward to our wedding day, Sally was truly the quarterback of the day. It was down pouring the morning of our wedding and Sally quickly sprung into action on a Plan B to shoot the before ceremony pictures at Union station vs outdoor options. She stayed calm and orchestrated the entire wedding party photoshoot so seamlessly. Within a 24 hour period of the wedding ending, Sally delivered our preview photos which were more perfect than we could have imagined. A few months later we got our full wedding album and it brought us to tears. Her and Nick captured the day so beautifully, the perfect mix of candids, details, portrait, family, etc. Looking through the album allowed us to relive the day over and over. We cannot thank Sally and Nick enough! They are the best in the game and make it look so easy!

ere shocked at how difficult it was to find photographers who not only had the technical and creative skills, but also interpersonal skills and personality to allow us to fully enjoy our wedding day. From our very first conversation with Sally & Nick, their unique blend of extraordinary talent and genuine care set them apart in every way. After having the pleasure of working with both Sally & Nick, we can confirm that they embody everything you could ever want and need in a photographer and more! If we haven’t convinced you yet that Sally & Nick are the absolute best… We have listed out just a of the few reasons why they made our wedding so spectacular - 1. A+ Communication & Client-Focused: Extremely easy to work with and went the extra mile to understand and fulfill our vision and expectations, while also always responding to our dozens of questions/requests promptly. 2. Professional & Personable: Friendly, approachable, and an incredible knack for making you feel at ease. Their ability to make not only us, but our wedding guests feel comfortable was truly remarkable. 3. Adaptability & Reliability: We were blown away by their ability to handle unexpected situations with such grace. A few weeks before our wedding, my dad (father of the bride) had a terrible accident and unfortunately couldn’t make the wedding. Sally went above and beyond to provide thoughtful recommendations to ensure my dad still felt included throughout the wedding day – which we will truly be eternally grateful for! 4. Exceptional Skill & Creativity: Genuine passion and dedication to get the perfect shots – to the point where they fully climbed through prickly bushes to get the perfect angle for our wedding party portraits. 5. Unforgettable Experience: Captured each moment with grace and artistry, seamlessly blending into the background while capturing candid, heartfelt shots that truly reflected the joy and love of our wedding day. 6. Memorable Results: Above all, the photos they delivered were nothing short of spectacular! Sally & Nick’s extraordinary talent, dedication, and warm demeanor are unmatched in the industry, and we couldn’t recommend them enough! We cannot thank them both enough for capturing our wedding day perfectly and making it even more memorable!

rtable posing for pictures and directing us in a way that did not feel forced. We didn't use Sally for our engagement pictures, and had our previous wedding photographer drop out on us, so the first time we met Sally and Nick in person was on our wedding day. That did not matter at all to Sally and Nick, they got right in there and made us feel like they had taken our pictures millions of times before! With having to find a new photographer, my husband and I were rushing to find the best fit that was also available in 8 months. We are so so happy that Sally was free our wedding day. We told Sally our story from our previous photographer. She made us feel so comfortable, answered all our questions, and was so responsive to all of our emails. When we received our photos, my husband and I were both in tears. Sally and Nick were able to capture every special moment of our wedding day. Don't hesitate to book Sally and Nick!!

seemed to be 3 steps ahead of everything that was going on. I had a special ceremony prior to my wedding, and they were so wonderful about accommodating it and really paying extra care to my culture and traditions. I could speak all day about how much I loved working with Sally. She is just a wonderful photographer and even more wonderful human being.

- she had a great plan for the day and understood my vision. On the wedding day (April 2024), Sally provided great energy and made taking pictures so easy and fun! Her confidence was a calming influence on what, needless to say, is a stressful day. My husband and his groomsmen raved about Nick. He even helped get everyone organized when transportation and planner-related issues arose. The photographs came out so beautifully. Sally and Nick went above and beyond, capturing unique angles. Sally and Nick were a major reason why our wedding day was so special - we love them!

uality of their work, and integrate seamlessly with your event. When we first spoke to Sally and Nick on the phone, we wound up talking to them for over an hour because of great conversation and their genuine interest in us as a couple. I tell everyone I know to work with Sally and Nick because I feel everyone should get to experience the magic they bring.

omfortable and have fun behind the camera. Nick was the last person my Dad and I saw before going down the aisle and I'll always remember his words of encouragement. The photos themselves are truly amazing! They captured so many beautiful and special moments we will cherish forever. We requested lots of candids and black and whites and they followed through perfectly. Sally and Nick are very talented photographers and overall great people. You'd be very lucky to have them on your special day.

y together, ensuring every moment was captured beautifully. The photos they produced are nothing short of stunning and wonderfully captured the joy and love of our special day. Thank you both for creating lasting memories for myself and my family. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for exceptional wedding photographers!

ur wedding. We quickly got a preview of our photos and looking through the full album brought back so many great memories. We could not recommend Sally enough!

a plethora of different photo styles from us to group to landscape and a great mix of color and black and white. We were truly lucky to work with them on our wedding day and couldn't recommend them enough!

day, even when it turned cold and rainy, and I think Sally is a huge reason for this. She even helped me correctly put on my veil when no one else could 😂. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend to anyone wanting classic photos that they will love forever. ❤️

er vendors and answered any questions we had through out the process. Her and Nick’s calm and positive demeanor truly made our day the best day ever. My partner, myself, and our family members aren’t the most photo-inclined and they made the process easy and feel so authentic to us! We have a wonderful amount of posed and candid pictures. They truly captured so many emotions of our our wedding day: joy, tears, laughter, and probably too many beverages. Our pictures are absolutely gorgeous! We cannot stop looking through them and are thrilled to have them for years to come as a family memory/relic. Thank you Sally and Nick for being a part of our special day and making it the best day ever! BOOK THEM!

all the way from Seattle, but when the forecast predicted rain on our original date, Sally was very understanding and flexible with rescheduling. It ended up being one of the best decisions we made. Sally took the time to talk with me before the shoot to plan out the route and specific spots and angles I wanted to be taken. Her attention to detail and creativity really shone through during the shoot itself. She was patient and made me feel comfortable throughout the entire process. I also appreciated how reachable Sally was. She made sure all the accessibility with all venues and how she kept checking on the references I sent her while we were shooting. It showed me that she truly cares about her clients and wants to deliver the best possible results. She sent us the preview right next day and they was above and beyond! They were stunning photos that I will treasure for years to come. I highly highly recommend Sally for anyone looking for a talented and professional photographer in Chicago. Just one of the best experience I had with photographer. I also know she travels as well. Thank you again, Sally!

us feel so comfortable and at ease. Her photos are stunning and make your event truly come to life. She captured the spirit and emotion of our wedding day perfectly. We are so lucky to have worked with Sally and we will treasure these photos for years to come.

d she went above and beyond what we could have imagined. The saddest moment of our wedding day was when Sally and Nick had to leave for the evening because they both felt like family. We could not have asked for a better person to capture our wedding!

iately made us feel at ease. Sally rolled with our requests throughout the day, was accommodating, helped give us direction, but also let us just be and captured beautiful moments. So happy we went with Sally - would absolutely work with her again!!

ant and fun, both natural and classic, and everything I could've ever wanted!! She and Nick are so beyond talented. Looking through our wedding photos (which we received SUPER quick!!) we felt like we were reliving the best day ever. She truly captured the energy of the room and she didn't miss a thing!! She and Nick have this amazing ability to capture every magical moment so naturally. Every single photo was perfect! Everyone who has seen our photos are FLOORED saying they've never seen such gorgeous wedding photos! Working with Sally was a dream from the start. She made us comfortable, she was super focused on the vision we had for our photos and made sure she had a list of the people and shots that were important to us to be captured. She took all of the stress off my plate and made sure everything was handled. Beyond that, she has this super calming, fun vibe about her that just made her so fun to be around. She really is an amazing person to have by your side on your big day!! I cannot recommend Sally highly enough!!

nd feel like. She is a fantastic listener and is wildly talented, her passions shine through her work (a great follow on insta for wedding inspo)! Sally and Nick made our wedding day feel absolutely seamless. Together they took the time to connect with the wedding party, family members, and even wrangled a few children. Guests could not stop raving about Sally and Nick! We were FLOORED when we received our sneak peek photos in under a week. Quite literally the photos she created were absolute magic. From the candids to the editorial style of black & white, each photo was gorgeous, capturing our day in the most perfect light. We loved working with the Sally O'Donnell team! I can not recommend them enough!

ut the day. They were also so professional and were able to direct the bridal party/family in group photos with ease. Our parents and friends all commented on how professional and "on top of it" our photographers were. Our photos are a perfect balance of timeless and elegant that you'd want for your more formal portraits and family shots, but also candid and intimate for all those action/moment scenes. Looking through our photos when we first got them back (which was SO QUICK, I've had friends receive their albums back after almost 4 months and Sally sent back the entire album with so many beautiful pictures in just barely over a month!!) made me feel like I was reliving our wedding day. She is truly an artist and I'm so grateful for her capturing our day with authenticity and beauty. I'm literally smiling as I'm writing this review, thinking of our photos! If you're going to splurge on anything for your wedding I HIGHLY recommend hiring Sally, she is seriously the best!!

ng process and was able to provide such valuable feedback on our timeline. The photos came back better than I could have even imagined. We love looking through them and showing them off to everyone. Nick was amazing and I couldn't believe all of the fantastic shots that he took of my husband and his friends. Sally and Nick are the literal dream team. It felt like we were spending the day with two old friends. I know we will look back on these photos for years to come and just smile at how perfect they are. I can't recommend Sally and Nick enough.

we really cared about in our meeting prior to the wedding! can't recommend her highly enough!

days!), so our wedding day was our first time actually working with Sally. Leading up to the wedding, she was so helpful and supportive as we navigated through postponing our wedding twice and dealing with any and all changes thanks to COVID. When we look back on the day, we can confidently say that a large part of the reason it was so incredible was because of Sally and Nick. They were warm, professional, kind, personable, and so easy to be around. They made us, our families, and our friends feel so comfortable - which was quite the feat considering we took outdoor pictures on a 90+ degree day with high humidity in Chicago! They helped make the entire day run so smoothly, and everything felt so seamless. Our friends are still talking about Sally and Nick and how they were some of the best photographers they have ever worked with as a member of a bridal party! On top of all of this, the photos are truly stunning. They capture the pure joy and fun of the day so perfectly. We are having a hard time picking which photos are our favorites! -- a great problem to have :) I strongly recommend working with Sally for your wedding, we could not be happier that we did!

She is reasonably priced, her work product speaks for itself, and she made me (the bride) - who was not super eager about being the center of attention - feel comfortable in front of the camera. She captured all the moments we planned, but her candid shots are definitely our favorites. She captures the joy and excitement of our small event. She also was supportive and gave great feedback of the photo ideas and was ready to roll with some unconventional shots (i.e. going to a local ice cream shop). We cannot recommend her enough. She also got our photos back to us in a very reasonable time, if not faster than I could have hoped, especially given how many weddings were happening in 2021. Thank you, Sally!