Chicago area wedding photography by Rachel and Jeff Owen.

#1 Wedding Regret It’s hard to know what areas of your wedding you want to go all out with and what things you can do without. There is one thing brides regret not getting for the wedding above all else: not hiring a videographer. When you see your dad cry and tell you how much…

5 Tips To Really Enjoy Your Wedding Day Don’t Get Too Much Of A Plan In Your Head I couldn’t look at my wedding photos for six months after my wedding. If you’re reading this, it’s likely you’ve met me and seen my wedding photos; and they are beautiful! I realize that now, but for…

   As women, we tend to fixate on our imperfections and miss the good stuff.  With a photoshoot at J.R. Owen & Co. I will find your true beauty and show it back to you in photographs that will someday become one of the most priceless things you own.     This beautiful mama-to-be came…

How To Choose A Good Wedding Photographer Meet The Actual Photographer A good portion of your day will be spent taking photos; therefore, your photographer will be the vendor with the most direct impact on your day. It’s important to meet the actual person who will be capturing your memories. It’s the photographer, not the…

Six Things You Can Do To Get The Most Out Of Your Wedding Vendors If you’re going to tip, tip early.  It’s standard to tip someone at the end of the job based on how well they did, but if you want the most from your wedding vendors then tip early in the day. Tips…

Jeff and I were lucky enough to photograph Dimitrius’s epic proposal to his new fianceè Tyler.  He teamed up with the amazing team at Creative Ice Theatre to pull it off.  See the whole story below. Tyler is in the middle; she thinks she’s having a group skating lesson. Ralph is in the blue sweater.  She’s…

Unique Reception Ideas Dueling Pianos Bands and Djs are great, but if you want to wow your guests think outside the box. Dueling Pianos are interactive and a sure way to get everyone up and having a good time. http://www.felixandfingers.com/ Aerial Champagne Chandelier If you’re going to pour champagne why not pour it from the…

How It All Started This was the photoshoot that changed my life. I had a makeup artist ask if I would be willing to shoot a makeup portfolio of her work. The idea was she would bring me ten clients and do the makeup for free while I would photograph; then they would have the…

  What To Expect At Your Glamour/Boudoir Shoot Start To Finish So here’s the breakdown: 1. We’ll do a pre-shoot consultation either in-studio or over the phone. This gives us a chance to talk about outfits, the overall styling, and preparation for your shoot. You’ll also get to see the studio, props/backgrounds, meet me and…

Unique Reception Ideas Dueling Pianos Bands and Djs are great, but if you want to wow your guests think outside the box. Dueling Pianos are interactive and a sure way to get everyone up and having a good time. Click here   Aerial Champagne Chandelier If you’re going to pour champagne why not poor it…

9 Things You Wanted To Know About Boudoir, But Were Too Afraid To Ask It’s Pronounced Boo-Dwar Pronounced bood-wa in French the translation and means bedroom. It’s Really Not That Intimidating “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I actually felt really comfortable.” I hear this after every shoot. Corrective lighting and…

10 tips for picking a photographer 1.) Pick a Photographer You Like A good portion of your day is dedicated to taking photos.  You photographer will either add to your great wedding experience or make it a nightmare. 2.) You Don’t Always Have To Look At The Camera Candid moments are a huge part of…

Ten Reasons You Should Have A Photoshoot Now Reasons You Should Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone and JUST DO IT.  You’ll be really glad you did. You’re not getting any younger.  I have women age 50+ come in all the time and tell me they wish they would have done this when they were younger…

So I just found this music video, and I now believe Trace Adkins is my spirit animal. Can you relate to the woman in this video? Hair and a bun with an oversized shirt and yoga pants every day? Her husband (and others who love her) still see a side of her she can’t see…

Robbery in Lemont The Vault’ from Whitney Cinema on Vimeo.   The collaborative work of businesses located on Canal street in downtown Lemont Photography by Rachel. J.R. Owen & Co. Photography Video filmed and produced by Alan. Whitney Cinema Costumes and Styling provided by Paige. 1 Happy Girl Boutique Hair and Makeup provided by Katie. White Lotus Weddings Location and Libations provided…

TRUE BEAUTY Lately I’ve been having this conversation about self-esteem with many women. Why as women are we so fixated on our appearance? If I had to take a guess, I would say it’s probably because men are such visual creatures. It is said that when a woman walks into a room, she will judge…

What he really wants There are two universal perfect presents for a man. The first is a remote-control helicopter. Seriously, there isn’t a man alive at any age that doesn’t want to play with a remote-control helicopter. The second is boudoir photography. If you’re getting married this is probably the more appropriate of the two.…

 As women, we tend to fixate on our imperfections and miss the good stuff.  With a photoshoot at J.R. Owen & Co. I will find your true beauty and show it back to you in photographs that will someday become one of the most priceless things you own.   Just like you, every one of…

I’m Going To Do A Boudoir Shoot, But I Need To Lose 20lbs First Here are 5 reasons not to wait for your goal weight: I can take off 20lbs just in the way I pose you. Let’s face it, you’ll probably just lose it in your boobs anyway. The hour glass ratio is soooo…