Tatiana & Patryk


Tatiana and Pat first reached out to me to capture their engagement photos here in Salt Lake City, Utah. They currently live in Chicago but were planning a trip to Utah so it seemed like it was a perfect fit. However, due to a last-minute change in plans, their trip ended up getting canceled. Luckily, just a few short months later I would be in Chicago documenting another couple's wedding! So essentially it was a blessing in disguise. So off I went to Chicago to not only capture Maggie & Wes' wedding but to now document Tatiana and Patryck's Winter engagement photos in Downtown Chicago.


Tatiana & Patryck's Winter Engagement Photos in downtown chicago


When making the plans on when we would actually shoot their engagement session, we just so happened to decide on the one day in the year that Chicago celebrates St. Patrick's Day. I'm talking the whole nine yards here. People everywhere, the Chicago River is turned green and reservations need to be made just to get into bars. Why we decided on this day, I have no idea but I was up for the challenge.


To make this journey a bit easier, we started their engagement session a bit earlier than usual. Just outside of Downtown Chicago, there is a beautiful neighborhood called Fulton Market. It's an area known for its amazing restaurants, bars, and coffee shops and is home to some of Tatiana and Pat's favorite eateries. It's also away from all of the hustle and bustle of the St. Patrick's Day craziness, so starting here was just perfect. Our first pit stop was Bar Siena. We started here taking a few photos of the engaged couple before making our way downstairs to Bombo Bar. Yes, that's really what it's called. Here they make shakes, gelato, and doughnuts from scratch which of course we had to snag a few. Next, we headed to Tatiana and Pat's favorite BBQ place, Green Street Smoked Meats. While we didn't grab any BBQ (bummer), we did enjoy a few drinks at the bar! Pat and I even shared a shot of Malort which is apparently a very exclusive shot that you can get in the Illinois area. My review: Not as bad as I thought it was going to be! (but still not great lol)


Engagement Photos at the Garfield Park Conservatory


To conclude their engagement session, we went to the Garfield Park Conservatory. Now, if you're ever in Chicago I highly recommend checking out this gorgeous conservatory. It's here that you are surrounded by beautiful flora and greenery and it's actually one of the largest botanical gardens in the nation. 10/10 would definitely recommend it. While our time at the Garfield Park Conservatory was short, we were able to get some beautiful photos that I completely fell in love with. Tatiana and Pat even did a quick outfit change to switch up the look for their engagement photos. This is always a great idea if you're looking to get the look of separate photoshoots in one!


Considering this was Tatiana and Pat's first time being photographed, they moved swiftly and naturally in front of the camera. Getting to document these two and this moment in their lives is always a blessing and I am forever grateful to them for giving me this opportunity!


permit information


Keep in mind that if you do want to take photos at the Garfield Park Conservatory, whether for your engagement photos or wedding, you will need a permit. First, you will need to pay $35 for an application fee to shoot here. You will also need to pay an additional  $45/hour. You can read more about the permit fees here. There is also a fee to visit the Garfield Park Conservatory and you have to make reservations online ahead of time.


If you loved reading about these Winter Engagement Photos in Downtown Chicago, then maybe you should check out this blog here!


Photos By Gayle does more than just take photos of people. Rather, it is capturing moments of LOVE and HAPPINESS. Singing to the skies, dancing in a field, and smiles that hurt because they’re so big. There is nothing else I would rather be doing than photographing these unique details that make you and your significant other a couple. If these photos from Tatiana & Patryck's session puts a spark in you, you know where to click <——— right there!