Chicago Wedding Photographer
Over fifteen years. Hundreds of weddings. Every ceremony, every celebration, every moment between.
Based in Chicago
Chicago has one of the largest and most vibrant South Asian communities in the United States. The weddings here are big, layered, and full of culture. A typical multi-day Hindu or Sikh wedding in Chicagoland might begin with a mehndi at home in Schaumburg, a Garba at a temple in Bartlett or Itasca, a ceremony at a mandir in Aurora or Palatine, and a reception for five hundred guests at a downtown hotel. I have photographed all of it, many times over, and I never take any of it for granted.
Venues
Downtown Chicago
The Palmer House Hilton, The Drake, and the InterContinental Chicago on the Magnificent Mile are three of the most photographed venues in the city and for good reason. Each one has its own distinct character. The Palmer House's Empire Room and grand lobby staircase are magnificent for large receptions. The Drake's ballrooms have a quieter, more intimate elegance. The InterContinental's ornate historic building photographs beautifully in any light.
The Hilton Chicago on Michigan Avenue is one of the most popular venues for large Indian receptions in the city, with its Grand Ballroom accommodating the kind of guest lists that South Asian weddings require. I have photographed dozens of weddings here. The AON Grand Ballroom is another downtown favourite, its ceiling height and light quality are extraordinary.
The Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers in Streeterville sits right on the Chicago River, and the outdoor spaces there give you access to some of the best skyline views in the city. The Marriott Downtown is another well-used venue for Indian weddings, particularly for multi-day events where families want to keep everything in one place.
Chicago Suburbs
Most of Chicagoland's Indian wedding community is spread across the western and northwestern suburbs, Schaumburg, Naperville, Oak Brook, Lombard, Itasca, Bartlett, Rosemont, and the venues in these areas have evolved to serve that community well.
The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel handles the largest multi-day celebrations in the suburbs. The Westin Chicago Northwest, The Westin Chicago Lombard, and The Westin Chicago North Shore are all well-appointed for Indian weddings with strong catering and generous event space. The Chicago Marriott Schaumburg, Chicago Marriott Naperville, Chicago Marriott Northwest, Chicago Marriott Oak Brook, and Chicago Marriott Southwest at Burr Ridge all offer the reliability and scale that large South Asian weddings require.
For banquet-style receptions, Ashyana Banquets, Pearl Banquet and Conference Center in Roselle, Waterford Banquets, and The Stonegate Conference and Banquet Centre are among the most frequently used venues for Indian weddings in the suburbs. Drury Lane Theatre in Oak Brook is a more unusual and visually distinctive choice for ceremonies, with its dramatic stage and lighting setup.
The Hilton Rosemont at Chicago O'Hare, DoubleTree by Hilton Oak Brook, Embassy Suites Naperville, Hyatt Lodge Oak Brook, Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, and Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort have all hosted Indian weddings I have photographed.
Temples, Mandirs and Gurdwaras
Hindu and Sikh ceremonies in Chicago are typically held at dedicated religious venues before the reception. I have photographed ceremonies at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, the Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Temple Midwest, the Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple ISSO in Itasca, the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple, the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, and Manav Seva Mandir, among others.
For Sikh weddings, the Palatine Gurdwara, Sikh Religious Society of Chicago, is one of the most commonly used venues in the area. The anand karaj there is always a privilege to document.
Iconic Chicago Locations
Beyond the hotel and banquet venues, Chicago itself is the backdrop. I have photographed at the Field Museum, along the lakefront, in Grant Park, at the Milwaukee Art Museum across the border in Wisconsin, and at dozens of locations across the city and suburbs. Chicago's architecture, light, and geography give every wedding something the suburbs alone cannot.
Wedding stories
A selection of Chicago-area weddings, each one a different scale, a different community, a different set of venues.
Laxmi and Suraj — Telugu Hindu, four days across mehndi, haldi, ceremony and reception at the Hilton Chicago. View story →
Shwayta and Gaurav — Hindu, sangeet, ceremony and reception at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers on the riverwalk in Streeterville. View story →
Seema and Daksesh — Gujarati Hindu, ceremony at Drury Lane Theatre, garba at Manav Seva Mandir, reception at the Westin Chicago Lombard. View story →
Roshani and Parshva — Gujarati Hindu, sangeet, garba, ceremony and reception at Pearl Banquets in Roselle. View story →
Hetal and Mihir — Gujarati Hindu, mehndi at home in Glenview, garba at the ISSO temple in Itasca, ceremony at BAPS Mandir in Bartlett, reception at The Meadows Club. View story →
I am based in Chicago and available for weddings across Chicagoland and the surrounding region. For weddings outside Chicago, in Michigan, St Louis, Indianapolis, or further afield, travel is straightforward and the cost of flying a Chicago-based photographer to your city is often comparable to hiring locally, without the compromise on quality.
If you are planning an Indian or South Asian wedding in Chicago or anywhere in the midwest, I would love to hear about your celebrations.
