The Post-Wedding Editorial You Never Knew You Needed

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ashley Ice, Ashley Ice Photography

When planning a luxury wedding in Chicago, there is often a vision that goes far beyond what can realistically happen within a single day.

From iconic architecture and refined interiors to private restaurants and curated city moments, Chicago offers an extraordinary backdrop for wedding photography. And yet, what many couples don’t fully realize until they’re living it: No amount of careful planning can change that a wedding day timeline has real limits.

The Reality of a Wedding Day Timeline

Even with a beautifully orchestrated schedule, the best wedding planner and an extremely experienced photographer, there are factors that simply cannot be controlled.

Weather shifts. Timelines run behind. Hair and makeup can take longer than anticipated (even with the most talented artists!) Getting across the city is unpredictable on the best of days.

And then there’s something couples rarely consider in advance: many of Chicago’s most coveted locations are not available on weekends. Restaurants, private clubs and luxury venues are often fully booked or closed to outside photography on Saturdays. The location you’ve been dreaming of may simply not be accessible on your actual wedding day — no matter how early you plan.

Why Post Wedding Sessions Change Everything

A post-wedding session is the opportunity to step back into your wedding attire and create without restriction. Instead of trying to fit multiple locations into a tight timeline, we design an intentional experience around your vision.

We can move throughout Chicago without pressure and at our own pace. We can access spaces that are only available on weekdays. We can create imagery that feels elevated, editorial and fully aligned with your aesthetic.

This is where a beautiful gallery becomes an exceptional one.

Your Wedding Day vs. Your Post Wedding Session

Your wedding day should be about presence. It’s about being with your people, savoring every moment and not feeling rushed from one location to the next. On the other hand, a post-wedding session allows you to separate the experience from the production. It gives that day back to you.

On your wedding day, you live it. Afterward, we create.

We revisit the vision with fresh eyes and open schedules.

We explore more of the city.

We capture the locations, details and the editorial moments that weren’t possible before.

The Luxury Experience Your Gallery Deserves

For couples investing in a high-end creative team, the goal has never been just coverage. It’s curation. A post-wedding session ensures your gallery reflects the full scope of your vision, not just what was possible within a single day.

It allows for more intentional storytelling, more variety in locations and a level of refinement that simply cannot be rushed.

A Strategic Decision, Not an Add On

If you are planning a wedding in Chicago and want imagery that feels effortless, editorial and elevated, a post-wedding session is not simply an extra. It’s a strategic choice that protects both your experience and your final result.

Your wedding day is meant to be lived. Your post-wedding session is where we perfect the vision.

See Michele & Michael’s Waldorf Astoria wedding day HERE. 

Vendors

PHOTOGRAPHY Ashley Ice Photography
LOCATIONS The Hoxton Hotel, The Alston, Bordel Chicago
GOWNS Dana Harel Design, Netta BenShabu
VEIL Jaxie Bridal
BRIDAL ROBE Voir Bride
HAIR & MAKEUP Glam Atelier
TAN The Glow Collective
COUPLE Michele and Michael Lyvers

About the Author

Ashley Ice photographs weddings with an editorial, story-driven approach — capturing your entire wedding era, not just the day. With over two decades of experience behind the lens, she specializes in creating editorial-style imagery with style, substance, and an eye for the extraordinary. The result is a refined, magazine-worthy collection that preserves how your wedding looked and felt, with timeless impact.

Ashley Ice Photography | ashleyice.com

For a glimpse into what’s possible, see below Michele & Michael’s real post-wedding editorial session: