You don’t need modeling experience, perfect poses, or an overdone version of yourselves. What you bring (your connection, presence, and emotion) is already enough.
My role is to notice, guide, and document it with intention. The result is imagery that feels elevated, honest, and timeless. The kind of photos you’d expect to see in print, without losing what makes it yours.
photographed beautifully.
photographed beautifully.
photographed beautifully.
photographed beautifully.
You don't have to perform to be
how long have you been photographing weddings?
I have been a photographer for more than a decade. My first wedding was in 2017, and my first fully booked season was in 2019. That gives me eight years of wedding experience with hundreds of families and couples trusted in front of my lens. I truly love this work and feel grateful every time a couple invites me into their day.
do you photograph lgbtq+ weddings and poc couples?
Yes. Every love story is welcome here. Your relationship deserves to be photographed with respect, joy, and care.
do you help with timelines?
Yes. I collaborate with your planner (if you've got one) to create a timeline that supports the flow of your day, prioritize whats important to you, and allow you and your partner to stay present without feeling rushed.
How many images will we receive, and when will we get them back?
Most couples can expect roughly 100 to 200 finished photos per hour of coverage, depending on the pace of the day. Your gallery is delivered through Pic-Time, where you can download, share, print, and order albums with full personal printing rights. You’ll receive sneak peeks within two business days, and your full gallery will arrive within eight to ten weeks, with print and album delivery timelines depending on your selections and design.
what safety measures do you take to protect images?
I do everything possible to safeguard your memories. Both of my cameras record to two memory cards at the same time, giving me duplicate copies from the moment the shutter clicks. When I return to my office, I back everything up to two separate external drives. One of the original cards is stored in a fireproof safe until the final gallery is delivered.
conversation
conversation
conversation
conversation
I'll handle the photos.
Take it all in.
Most people don’t feel natural in front of a camera, especially on a day that carries this much meaning.
The answer isn’t performance or perfect posing. It’s working with someone who knows when to lead, step back, and how to translate real moments into elevated imagery.
With an intentional, guided approach, I photograph people as they are while being attentive to movement, emotion, light, and color. This allows images to feel honest, composed, and deeply personal.
You can be present.
I’ll take care of the rest.
I work with couples planning Chicago weddings shaped by intention who want imagery that are composed without feeling staged. My approach is shaped by experience. My ability to read a room, anticipate moments, and move fluidly between structure and spontaneity as the day unfolds.
What gives images their weight is how closely a day is observed and understood. When moments are allowed to exist without interruption, the resulting photographs feel natural, and enduring.
This work is grounded in care, restraint, and trust.
My approach is rooted in calm guidance and thoughtful direction on wedding days.
meet your photographer,
phern
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photographed with intention
Real people,
Anna & Connor
Phern made me feel like a princess and she captured my special day as if it was the royal wedding. I can never recommend Phern enough.
There was an ugly semi truck in the background of my head table at my wedding and Phern somehow got it moved out. That is just one example of Phern going above and beyond at my wedding. Phern made the day fun, less stressful, organized, and about me. She truly wears like 20 different hats when doing weddings. Beyond that, I got my sneak peaks of the day and oh my wordddd. Breathtaking. Amazing. The quality and precision of these shots are spectacular. Literally looks like out of a magazine.
Phern is quite simply the best of the best. She has the eye to get the perfect shot in the perfect setting and do whatever it takes.
Ally & Peter
My husband asked me the other day if Phern does family shoots, and said “if so, she’s our family photographer for the future!” I can’t recommend her enough!!
I found Phern on Instagram about a year before our wedding, and her feed helped me see that I could totally have a wedding that was fun and vibrant. We booked her for an engagement session and loved working with her before the wedding to get to know her! She was so attentive to detail in our poses and setting and we loved the engagement photos! For our wedding, Phern helped us put together a detailed timeline and even helped us save on a 2nd photographer we had originally booked through her because she was able to make such an efficient timeline. Phern was so accommodating on the wedding day, and even did my hair in a beautiful updo during the reception after we took photos outside and my hair fell out in the July humidity.
Phern is AMAZING! She is so so talented in her craft, but also so warm and friendly! We love our photos so much.
Sydney & Jacob
She’s a beast!! Phern is worth every penny. I cannot recommend her enough!
We first hired her to do engagement photos to test her out before committing to a wedding photographer. She set up a call with me to see if we would be a good fit, to establish a relationship, and ensure she would be the right person to tell our story. She was professional and incredibly friendly. This was our first professional shoot and Phern made sure we were comfortable and directed us into stunning poses. We then hired her for our July 8th wedding! We asked her if we could do our real engagement photos on Mackinac Island. She was more than happy to follow us around on our tandem bike, and even hung out with us for the day. We gave her a lot of creative freedom with this shoot and the results blew us away! Some of our all time favorite pictures came from this session and we even landed on the Grand Hotel Instagram page!
On the day of our wedding, it was like having a really good friend there to capture the best day of our lives. Phern kept us on schedule, worked very well with our videographer, made sure we had all of the family photos we asked for, and even helped me put deodorant on while in my dress. She also carried her step ladder the entire 8 hours she was there!
