The Haight Wedding

“The stage is a magic circle where only the most real things happen…A truer and more real place does not exist in all the universe” P.S. Baber, Cassie Draws the Universe

You’ll unlikely to find a more accurate quote to describe both the love that Keri and Brad share, that so closely ties into how and where they met. While both were working on the play “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, Brad—mesmerized by his soon-to-be-wife Keri— asked her out. What began as two people partnered together for stunts and dances in a musical, blossomed into a love that encompassed two souls.

A few years later, and Brad asked Keri for her hand in marriage at the same place their love started—the stage. At the end of a performance of “Noah”, Brad asked for Keri’s hand in marriage. An enthusiastic “yes” from Keri led to us being asked to do their engagement pictures at Lords Park in Elgin, IL, in early Autumn 2021.

Four months after that fantastic shoot , we gathered together again with the sweethearts to capture their gorgeous late-Winter Sunday wedding at The Haight—a location that seems to have almost been explicitly-built for these two thespians.

The day started with my assistant Lynzi heading upstairs to grab some getting-ready shots with Keri and her tribe, while I caught up with Brad and his fellow shenanigators to get the prerequisite “Blue Steel” shots of the guys. ?

A packed wedding (these kids have a small village of support) was short, tender, beautiful, and completely encapsulated the love they share. As vows were spoken, rings exchanged, and the first kiss took place, a wave of love poured over the room, overwhelming everyone with smiles, tears of joy, and applause akin to a standing ovation at a Broadway musical.

Before we “allowed” (?) Keri and Brad to head over to their brunch/reception, we took some time to grab shots of the lovebirds with various family members. The combination of serious and silly images only added to an already gloriously-positive day…with more to come!

Uproarious laughter combined with heart-melting smiles punctuated each of the speeches given by Keri’s maid-of-honor/sister, Darby, Brad’s best man/dad, Dale, and Brad himself. And in Brad style, we even got a mic drop…sans the drop! ?

A phenomenal brunch was followed up with Keri and Brad leading everyone into an adjoining room for their first dance as husband and wife. To Lukas Graham’s “Love Someone”, Keri and Brad combined slow dance moves with patterns and steps from one of their favorite dances, West Coast Swing—a dance with which they share the same passion as they do for the stage.

While family, friends, and other guests started to dance, I was able to take Keri and Brad to the roof of the Haight to get some shots. We were blessed not only with a snow-free day (before), but the sun also was out in full force, providing us to get some stellar images of the two overlooking Elgin from the top of The Haight. We then dashed inside, and got shots of the kids at various locations inside, before sending them back to the reception so they could properly celebrate their love with their family, stage friends, and dance friends.

The reception was a blast. A various mix of wedding standards and West Coast Swing -type songs played by April Prince, kept the dance floor filled by both Keri and Brad’s “Westie” dancers, and those that wanted to just get on the floor and shake a few tailfeathers! The only downside to the reception? It had to end at some point. But what a party! You’d be hard-pressed to find another wedding with such a tidal wave of joy and good times.

I believe it was Shakespeare who wrote (in “The Tempest”), “I would not wish any companion in the world but you.” Words that epitomize Keri and Brad’s love.