Winterlyn Photography LLC

04/27/2026

These are the photographs your family will return to for generations. A legacy I am trusted to preserve, and that is never taken lightly.


Second shooter for: .tog

04/24/2026

Six months until Michelle and Matt say I Do!! The excitement is building up 💛
Makeup
Hair:

04/18/2026

I did not expect my week to include speaking up for other photographers… but here we are.

Hi, if you’re new here, I’m Winterlyn. Chicago wedding photographer, 12+ years in, and very much not here to play about integrity, artistry, or how this industry should operate.

Over the past few days, a lot of you found your way here while things have been unfolding, and honestly, I’m glad you did.

Because this is what I actually do. I photograph weddings with intention, experience, and a very real understanding that these moments are not something you fake, recreate, or pull from someone else’s work. What you see here is mine. What I deliver to my couples is real. And the way I run my business is built on trust, transparency, and showing up exactly as promised.

My approach is a balance of direction and documentation. I’ll guide you when you need it, step back when you don’t, and make sure your day feels like your day, not a production, not a performance.

If you’re here because you care about hiring vendors who are honest, experienced, and actually invested in their craft… you’re in the right place.

And if you’re one of the many new faces, stay a while. I think you’ll like it here 💛 —Winterlyn

Photo by my incredible friend and senior photographer:

04/16/2026

A year ago, I helped bring a vision to life, one that was shaped through collaboration with some of the most talented creatives in this industry, many of whom I’m lucky to also call friends. What we created together was more than a styled shoot; it was an intentional, elevated expression of artistry, design, and shared perspective, later honored with a publication in Chicago Style Weddings

Every detail was thoughtfully considered, every moment composed with purpose, resulting in something that felt refined. Looking back, I’m reminded how powerful it is when the right people come together with a clear and aligned vision. I still can’t believe it’s been a year. 💛

PHOTOGRAPHER:
Chicago Wedding Photographer | Winterlyn Photography
VENUE: Chicago History Museum Events
PLANNER: Chicago Wedding Planner | Sonia Bartzis Events
FLORAL: ᴄʀᴇꜱᴄᴏꜱᴛᴇᴍꜱ
TABLETOP RENTALS:
Tablescapes Event Rentals - Chicago
STATIONERY: Nicole Nechvatal | Chicago Wedding Invitations + Stationery
GOWNS: Grace + Ivory Wedding Dresses
FORMALWEAR: SuitShop | Wedding Suits & Tuxedos
HAIR: Chicago Bridal Hairstylist
MAKEUP: PERLA| Chicago + México Bridal Makeup Artist
JEWELRY: Plum | Delicious Lab Grown Diamond Rings & Fine Jewelry
CAKE: ECG STUDIO
CONTENT CREATOR:
Stephany | Chicago Wedding + Events Content Creator 🤳🏽
MODELS: Guissell Galindo Velazquez, Juan Velazquez

04/13/2026

Your wedding photographs should feel just as beautiful in 50 years as they do today.

I’ve never been the photographer chasing what’s popular in the moment because trends fade. What lasts is intention. It’s elegance. It’s the way you looked at each other when no one else was paying attention.

My approach has always been rooted in preserving what’s real: true-to-life color, refined composition, and emotion that doesn’t need to be exaggerated to be felt.

No heavy filters.
No distractions.
No techniques that take away from what actually matters.

Just photographs that honor your day exactly as it was, beautiful, meaningful, and entirely your own.

If this resonates with you, if this is how you want your wedding to be remembered, then we’ll be the right fit. Because this isn’t just my style…
it’s the standard I bring to every wedding I photograph.

04/12/2026

This was my first designer challenge with Chicago Style Weddings (Moroccan Sunset) and a quiet turning point in my career.

At the time, I was stepping into rooms that required more of me, creatively, professionally, and personally.

The work was beautiful…but what stayed with me most was what it revealed. It pushed me to refine my vision. To raise my standards.
To become more intentional about the kind of experience I wanted to create for my couples.

Growth doesn’t always come with big, obvious moments—sometimes it’s a single day that shifts everything.

I’ll always look back on this one with appreciation. Not just for how it looked, but for where it led me.

And for anyone coming up in this industry, don’t shy away from the rooms that challenge you.

You don’t walk in fully formed. You walk in, you learn, and you rise to meet it. That’s how you build something real.
Magazine: Chicago Style Weddings
Photography: Chicago Wedding Photographer | Winterlyn Photography
Planner: Destination Wedding Planning & Design
Floral: Christine Smith
Cake: ECBG Cake Studio
Stationary: Amore Creative
Calligraphy: Amanda | Chicago Artist, Calligrapher, Designer
Linens & Rentals: Home Textiles. Linen 100%
Rentals: Tablescapes Event Rentals - Chicago

https://www.chicagostyleweddings.com/moroccan-sunset-by-wedicity/

04/10/2026

There’s a difference between filling a space… and refining it.

Every element here was intentional. Clean lines, layered textures, soft candlelight, and just enough detail to let the room breathe.

Nothing excessive. Nothing competing. Just a quiet kind of elegance that doesn’t ask for attention, it naturally holds it.

Beautifully designed and brought to life alongside an incredible planning team Chicago-Based Luxury Event & Wedding Planner

Venue: RPM Private Events
Floral: Fleur - Chicago Event Florist & Lifestyle Boutique

04/08/2026

That crosswalk. Those buildings.
That light.

Downtown Chicago gives wedding photographers something most city simply cannot architecture that frames a Couple like nothing else.

LaSalle Street is one of my favorite portrait locations in the city, and it never gets old.

04/07/2026

Your wedding day doesn’t start at the ceremony, it starts in the bridal suite.

The difference between a calm, effortless morning and one that feels rushed usually comes down to one thing: preparation.

I put together a quick guide on the bridal suite essentials Chicago brides should actually have (and what’s not necessary).
It’s simple, intentional, and makes a bigger impact than you’d think.

Read it here →

What every Chicago bride should have in her bridal suite—expert tips from a luxury wedding photographer for a seamless wedding morning.

04/07/2026

This is why church weddings will always feel different.

They’re places filled with history. Where parents stood, where grandparents once made the same promises, where generations have gathered long before this moment.

And then, in the middle of it all, you.
Starting your own chapter, in a space that’s already held so many love stories before yours.

That kind of legacy?
It never goes out of style. ✨

04/02/2026

I’ve spent so much of this year designing wedding albums, and every single one has a way of pulling me right back into the feeling of that day, the moments, the energy, the people who made it unforgettable.

Michela & Trevor’s is no exception. Their wedding is one I’ll carry with me for a long time. From the moment I met them, the connection between them was undeniable…effortless, grounded, and deeply felt.

There’s something special about seeing a day like theirs come to life in print… not just documented, but preserved in a way that feels as meaningful years from now as it did in the moment. I can’t wait for them to have this in their hands.

04/01/2026

Being part of this industry goes far beyond wedding days.

It’s about showing up for the people behind the scenes, the planners, creatives, and teams who pour just as much into their work as you do.

Moments like this matter. Not because they’re paid… but because they build connection, trust, and community.

And the truth is, how you show up in rooms like this is remembered.

Thank you to Bridget & Becky and the incredible team behind WedWork for inviting me to capture and be part of such a meaningful event. It’s always an honor to be in a room filled with so much talent and intention.

Event photos -
Florals & Design -
Stationery -
Venue -
Headshot photographer -
Content - .co
Catering -
Coffee cart-
DJ -
Bar and totebags -
Beer -
Linens -
Bar specialty glasses(tulip glasses V) -
Hosts/Planners - and @ experience_simplicitee