Congratulations on your engagement!😍 Now that you’re starting to plan your wedding day in Chicago though, you’re going to start to realize just how many things go into planning a wedding in the city. Between finding a venue, creating a timeline, planning a family photo list, and SO much more, the list just goes on and on!! Lucky for you, I'm here to help answer these planning questions one blog post at a time so that you can create the Chicago wedding of your dreams! Today we’re discussing 8 of my favorite iconic locations throughout the city of Chicago that are perfect for your wedding portraits. Let’s get into them!!

A bride and groom stand next to one anther and smile while standing on a bridge in Chicago during their wedding portraits

Iconic Locations Throughout Chicago for Wedding Portraits

Whether you live in Chicago or not, it’s no secret that the Windy City is filled to the BRIM with iconic locations perfect for wedding portraits. It’s important then when deciding on your location that you keep in mind the style and feel you are looking to capture in your portraits. Are you looking for something where the entire skyline of Chicago is your backdrop, or are you wanting something a little more natural but still with that iconic Chicago feeling to it? There are no wrong answers here, but it will help you decide on which of these 8 locations best fit YOU and YOUR vision!!

1. Wrigley Building

Starting off the list with class!🤩 The Wrigley Building is one of my favorite spots in Chicago to capture some truly iconic wedding portraits. Found on the Magnificent Mile, the Wrigley Building gives you some truly breathtaking backdrops for your portraits. Between the skyscrapers of Chicago, the Chicago River directly below the building, and the gorgeous gold doors of the Wrigley Building that are stunning any time of year, this spot pretty much embodies the feeling of the city of Chicago. It’s important to note that this spot is very popular, especially on Saturdays. If you do plan on having your wedding portraits done here be sure to plan some buffer time into your timeline to plan for travel time AND potential waiting time as other groups finish their photos in the space.

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom kissing in front of the buildings of Chicago, the right is of the groom hugging the bride from behind as she smiles back at him

2. North Avenue Beach

Next up we have THE go to beachfront for wedding portraits featuring the iconic Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan, North Avenue Beach! There’s a reason North Ave Beach is so popular, not only for wedding portraits, but also for engagement sessions, and proposals. The views of the Chicago skyline here are second to none, and that combined with the lake views as well as how much space is available to work with here make this an easy choice for wedding party portraits!! It is one of the more popular locations in the city on average, so be sure to plan in a little buffer time here as well.

A bride and groom smile at one another and touch their foreheads together while taking wedding portraits at Chicago's North Avenue Beach

3. Art Institute of Chicago

For couples looking for more artful and unique wedding portraits, the iconic Art Institute of Chicago has you covered! While you do need to purchase tickets for entry ahead of time, the beautiful thing about the Art Institute (aside from the art itself), is that there’s no permit required to take photos here! The only thing they ask is that your photos do not disrupt the other patrons that are present in the building. Another huge benefit of the Art Institute is the gardens which are directly outside and are also available for you to use during your wedding portraits!

The biggest drawback of the Art Institute is that it makes travel difficult due to its location. This is a difficult thing to deal with in general in Chicago, which is why I recommend traveling with your wedding party using a wedding party bus or trolley service. That way a professional can handle the travel and parking arrangements while you focus on enjoying yourself with your favorite people!!

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom sitting next to one another on a stone staircase, the right is a close up of the couple holding a flower bouquet

4. Lurie Garden

Now that we’ve finished looking at The Art Institute let’s quickly cross Monroe Street over to our next location, the Lurie Garden! The Lurie Garden offers a unique combination of styles for your wedding portraits, combining the beauty of the gardens themselves with the iconic skyscrapers of Chicago that surround the park. This creates such an incredible feeling for your portraits and gives them that sort of ‘best of both worlds’ feeling that is hard to come by in Chicago. While no permit is required for portraits to be taken at the Lurie Garden, they do require that you do not block any pathways nor ask other guests to not use certain walkways while you are taking photos there.

A bride and groom kiss while in Millennium Park with the buildings of Chicago behind them during their wedding portraits

5. Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool

On the complete other end of the spectrum from a lot of the locations we’ve seen so far is Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool! While a photo permit is required for the location, taking portraits at the Lily Pool is SO worth it!! The pool is found within Lincoln Park and is a true oasis of nature within the city of Chicago. It honestly doesn’t even feel like you’re in the city anymore! While the iconic Chicago skyline may be hardly visible from this location, the Lily Pool itself is iconic in its own right and a wonderful option for your wedding portraits!✨

A bride and groom in traditional Hindu wedding attire stand next to one another while holding hands at the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool in Chicago for their wedding portraits

6. Lincoln Park Nature Boardwalk

Within Lincoln Park, and just south of the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, you’ll find the Nature Boardwalk which is another iconic location for wedding portraits in Chicago for a number of reasons. First, the nature boardwalk offers a mixture of natural beauty with the Chicago skyline, which creates a beautiful setting for your portraits. The Nature Boardwalk is also home to the honeycomb, which is an iconic spot in its own right and SO much fun to work with for portraits! Keep in mind that like the Lily Pool, the Nature Boardwalk requires a permit for you to take portraits there. In addition, it is a very popular spot in Chicago, so it's a good idea to plan in some buffer time if you’re taking portraits here!

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom kissing as the man holds the bride in the air, the right is of them holding hands while the bride looks over her shoulder to the camera

7. Chicago Riverwalk

Next up on our list of wedding portrait locations we have the always lovely Chicago Riverwalk!❤️ The Riverwalk is always a great option for photos as it not only gives you incredible backdrops of the river and the Chicago skyscrapers, but it also allows you to walk around and take more in during your portraits than some other locations. Having this amount of flexibility makes it easy to have your portraits here even on the busiest of days. As an added bonus, the Riverwalk is close enough to the Chicago Theater that stopping by for some portraits either before or after the Riverwalk is simple!

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom standing next to one anther, smiling, and posing next to the Chicago River

8. Ravenswood Studio

Last but not least we have a studio that I love to use in Ravenswood! While it might not be as traditionally iconic as the other locations throughout Chicago that we’ve looked at, it can be just as great of a location for your wedding portraits! If you’re looking for something more on the private and cozy side for your portraits then the studio is an incredible option for you. This, and really any studio session for that matter, is something that would have to be planned for and booked well in advance in order to ensure you reserve it for your date!

3 photos side by side, the left is of a bride smiling while the groom kisses her forehead, the middle is a solo portrait of the bride, and the right is of the groom hugging the bride from behind while they smile at the camera

Phew, that was a lot of info! Would you believe me if I told you there are even MORE iconic locations throughout Chicago for you to take wedding portraits?!🤩 We honestly could spend all day going over every single spot the city has to offer, but I have a better idea. Head to my contact page and send me an inquiry so that we can reserve your wedding date today. Then we can get to talking about all the details of your wedding and choose the portrait location that fits your vision!!