any chicagoan will tell you that they bite their lip, keep their head down and muster through the brutal winters so that they can earn the privilege of enjoying the chicago summers. there’s a certain air about chicago in the summer; the beach is mere blocks from downtown, 2 home baseball teams, everyone is outside, and recent graduates migrate to the second city. a few aforementioned summers ago, melissa was that recent graduate. she met aaron who was friends with her sister (who is one of my best friends, hi laura!) and a sweet summer romance quickly unfolded. this might be the appropriate time to say that we ALL saw it coming. amiright?

unlike the all-too-short summers of chicago, their love stuck and they endured the following winter together. and every winter since. this past thanksgiving, aaron, who was “celebrating the holiday with his family in chicago,” surprised melissa by showing up at her childhood doorstep in louisville with a ring and a big question.

melissa, aaron, thank you for having me back to my home-away-from-home to photograph your engagement session, which was a major check off my photo bucket list. i can’t wait for your wedding in louisville this august!!

we began our session at melissa and aaron’s condo, on chicago’s north side, so that we could include their dog, ivy, in some photos. who doesn’t love a sweeping city view from a rooftop?

yes, that’s wrigley field in the distance.

obligatory.

sorry to be weird but, melissa, you have the most amazing eyebrows.