New Blogsite Launched!

Hi folks!  I've been focusing and putting my energy towards my passion, Coach House Pictures for the past 2 weeks.  And my goal was to merge the 2 platforms (blog + website) together to help create a more cohesive brand.  I also wanted one place to direct clients, bloggers, and friends to come and connect as well.  So after much thought I finally found a blogsite platform that seamlessly has everything I was looking for!  I was a bit scared and hesitant at first because it runs on Wordpress (I'm still feeling my way around) but the more and more I use it I find it to be as equally user friendly as blogger is. Joe and I are passionate about getting our photo business to flourish and re branding our site is just one of the steps we feel will help us take that next step in the right direction.  

With a heavy heart I have decided to step away from posting on this blog (for now) so I can focus my energy and time to blogging over at the Coach House Pictures blog.  On the new blog I  will still be posting about inspirations but with more of a focus on the business of photography and of course our photography as well. 

I feel like I am leaving my first baby, because I've worked hard and passionately for the past few years  to build and grow this blog to where is it today.  But at the same time I am over the moon excited to focus my energy on what I love to do and share and connect with a great supportive online community!  I love what I have built here and I am not deleting this blog, I am simply stepping away for a while to dedicate more of my time to CHP.  I'd love to stay connected with you!  To help me do this as well I've already added a friends list on my sidebar so we can continue to exchange ideas, thoughts, and inspirations.  You can also connect with me through twitter, facebook, and Instagram @coachhousepictures.  

I want to give a BIG thanks to Theresa, Leah, Tori, and Lauren for inspiring me to focus and follow my heart! You ladies are inspirational and I am so glad you are in my life! 

xo,

~Liz 

Leaving the City!

I'm taking the day off to go and enjoy the early summer like weather we've been blessed with this week! Joe and I are packing a picnic and heading to Lake Geneva, a quaint little town about 1-1/2 hour drive from the city!  I'll post photos of our day and share with you next week!  Enjoy your weekend peeps!!

2011 Highlights

Exciting News!!

I'm still in the crazy ( I can't believe this is happening) and madly in love with my fiance mode!  Ahhh!!!
I'm so excited to be sharing this moment here with you now!  Let me tell you how it all happened.  Joe has been going to his parents house for the past few weeks to work on my Christmas gift.  He was making this beautiful white washed chest in which to present me with the ring that he designed for me.  I was stunned and surprised to say the least!  The opening of the chest was very dramatic as it happened on Christmas day at around 11pm. The light was shining down on the opened ring alongside a lovely landscape of lovely moss, air & succulent plants.  Joe recited a poem that he had written before he asked me if I would marry him.  By then of course I was crying, laughing, in shock, and just exploding with joyful emotion as I replied with a YES, yes, yes!! It's been a lot of excitement to take in as I also turned the big 30 the day after on the 26th!  I couldn't think of a better way to spend my special day by spreading the good news to my family and friends and now to all my blog friends!  AAhhhh... I going to bask in these good feelings for a bit longer.  So please excuse my absence in the meantime :)

Home for the Holidays: Photo Session

 

Over the weekend Joe and I spent Saturday afternoon capturing my friend Jill and her family in their beautiful home.  Jill works as a photo stylist, so I was even more excited to see how she had decorated this year for the holidays.  We had so much fun photographing her and the family decorating the tree, drinking lots of coffee and just spending the afternoon together.  The hard part for me was picking out my favorites to share with you today.  Happy Holidays!

Save the Date Engagement Session

Joe and I finished editing our last engagement session last night.  We followed the soon to be newlyweds Zain and Jim around the Old Town and Lincoln Park neighborhoods in Chicago to capture their fun and over the moon (for each other) spirit.  The couple wanted to use their engagement session as their save the dates, so we helped them to spell it out for there guests in a fun and creative way.  I can't wait to see how the bride to be puts all these together into a slide show for family and friends.  The toughest part will be for sure picking out the best ones :)  Congrats to Zain and Jim and thanks for letting Joe and I capture these love awesome moments!

Coach House Pictures

Photo Booth Pics

Hello!  Just popping in real quick to share with you a few of my favorite photo booth snapshots the guests at our last wedding captured!  I worked with the bride Renee to create a fun backdrop using her pretty fall wedding colors of orange, chocolate brown and cream.  We created a few chalkboard frames for guests to write or draw messages for the newlyweds.  We had a blast going through all the many images. Our first photo booth was a hit!!  I can't wait for the next one we get to put together!
I'm off to finish editing an engagement session Joe and I shot in Chicago last weekend....more of that to come soon :)

Busy like a Bee...

Hi dear friends!  Remember me? I wanted to show you what I've been up to this last week. Joe and I launched Coach House Pictures the website (yippee)! We are still working on adding more samples to the gallery pages, like of the wedding we shot for Renee and Chris last weekend!  We had a blast capturing their special day. Head on over and check out our new site!  I'd love to hear your rants & raves about it!  Oh and while you're there Facebook friend our fan page too :)  Your the best friends a photo gal could ever ask for!

Engagement Session- Annie & Steve

I finished my editing late last night and couldn't wait to share my favorites with you this morning!  Yippee! Here they are!  Joe and I had so much fun running around the Old Town neighborhood to capture these shots.  Love and Fall were both in the air, mixed in with some great light!  What more could we have asked for? Thanks Annie & Steve for a great afternoon!

Photography: Coach House Pictures

Flowers: A New Leaf

Weekend Stretch!

Good Saturday morning to you in blog land!  With my morning coffee in hand I'm spending a beautiful fall morning editing an engagement shoot Joe and I worked on last Sunday with this lovely couple!  Annie and Steve made our night, with there sweet looks and gestures.  We followed them around in there Old Town Chicago neighborhood.  Fall was in the air and love was following closely behind :)
After our session we ended up going out for Thai food, my fav!  And talking about there wedding coming up in January.  Thanks Annie and Steve for letting us capture such sweet moments!

Photography: Coach House Pictures
Flowers: A New Leaf

The Barnes Family

Just a quick sneak peek at what Coach House Pictures has been up to!  As I announced a few weeks ago, this is our new photography adventure that Joe and I have been growing.  We had so much fun photographing the Barnes family!  There boys are so energetic and lively!  We loved following them around there Bucktown neighborhood (which just happens to be ours too) and capturing them in the moment. Here are a few of my favorite shots.  Check out our blog to see the full posting of this photo session. Happy Monday and a great start to your week!

Photography: Coach House Pictures

Two Years & Many Many More!

Today i'm happily sharing 2 years of living life with my best friend.  It was only 2 years ago when we met up for a game of tennis, had lunch at Sultans Market, and strolled through the Renegade Handmade craft fair. We ended the long day by sharing a bottle of wine while lol-ing at The Office. I knew after our first date that I had found someone special. Fast forward to today and I'm still the happiest girl in the Midwest :)

 Coach House Pictures

Introducing: Coach House Pictures

Happy holiday to you today on this beautiful (fallish feeling) Chicago day!  I have exciting news that I can finally share with you.  Joe and I are taking on a new creative adventure together known as Coach House Pictures.  I just wrapped editing photos from our first couples photo shoot last weekend.  Below are a few of my favorite photos from the shoot, to view the complete session and to learn more about our business stop by our blog :)  We are open for business and would love to capture your story.