Hello fall, Chicago! Summer was an insanely busy one for me and my team as we photographed 14 weddings between June and Labor Day. I still have a few more weddings left this season, but I finally have time to catch up on some blogging so we are kicking it off with Jason and Melissa’s insanely beautiful luxury backyard wedding in celebrity Chef Rick Bayless’ backyard. So many people asked how this wedding happened at Rick’s. I will briefly explain that this isn’t a venue you can reserve for a wedding, sorry! Jason is the head of school at Chicago Academy for the Arts, and Rick is a donor. Cue their friendship, and Rick offering to host his wedding at his home. It was an incredibly kind gesture that led to a beautiful, intimate summer evening.
Jason and Melissa are so, so loved by their friends and family. It was amazing getting to document that love on their wedding day. Jason and Melissa were long time friends who starting dating shortly before 2020, and a few months into dating Jason was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Melissa stood by his side and helped him make a full recovery. If that ain’t love, y’all. 😠So, without further adieu, scroll to see some photos from their perfect day.
Luxury Backyard Wedding Inspo
Venue and catering: Rick Bayless Private Residence and Frontera Grill
All photos © Arielle Gallione Photography 2023
To book your 2024 wedding, click here.
[…] know I LOVE a good backyard wedding. But this? This was BEYOND. A true black tie backyard […]