“We had such an awesome experience with Samuel for our city hall elopement in Chicago. We contacted him on short notice and he was so kind and helpful. We had an initial zoom call to talk about the basics and then another call a week before just to touch base. The communication was great. He was incredibly generous with his knowledge and time. He knew all the great places to take pictures as we didn’t have much in mind. The pictures turned out so beautiful. We are beyond grateful for him and his talent. Bonus, we were all from the same hometown so that was a nice surprise. He is super personable and easy going. I would recommend him 100 times over.”

- Adalie (Bride)

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“If you are looking for a wedding photographer in Chicago, stop. You've found the perfect one! Samuel was an absolute delight to work with and be around from the lead up to the engagement shoot all the way through to when we got all of our edited pictures. Samuel was my favorite person to collaborate with throughout the whole wedding experience. Every phone or video call was so calming, and he really took time to listen to what I was concerned about or what I wanted and then made it happen. He was so much fun to be around. And I haven't even started on the pictures themselves! The shots, the editing, the directions he was giving us- it all made for pictures that I will treasure for a life time! They have this ability to transport me straight back to the moment, feeling those emotions again and taking me back to just the fun and overwhelming love of that day. I could not be happier with Samuel as our wedding photographer and highly recommend him!”

- Rachel (Bride)

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“My husband and I can't say enough amazing things about the Gernands. From the first call to the first time we met him... to over two years later when we were finally able to get married, Samuel was incredible. He is kind, creative, and a *real* person. He is passionate about his work and truly took our vision and made it come to life. Not only does he take incredible photos, he captured perfect moments and we can't count the number of our wedding guests who came up to use the day after the celebration and complemented how absolutely amazing Samuel was. To this day we are going through the photos he took and they make me tear up every time - from both laughter and total overwhelming joy in literally being able to relive the feeling of the day through the photos. Samuel wasn’t just a photographer at our wedding - he was a friend at our wedding. We can't recommend him highly enough. He made our wedding all the more special and we can't imagine how it could have been so perfect without him.”

- Aubrey

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“I don’t know where to start, but I’ll start with the obvious, The Gernand’s are simply the best out there. My partner and I were searching the web for Chicago photographers, particularly those who showcased queer couples, when we were referred to the Gernand’s. I reached out and was quickly returned with a message from Samuel looking to set up a FaceTime meet up. Samuel met with my partner and I and chatted about our story and what we were looking for out of our courthouse elopement. He was beyond personable and kind to us, and when the day finally came, he showed us love and was our greatest hype man. It felt like we were with a friend, though we had only just met face to face. Our pictures turned out beyond what I could have ever dreamed. They look like a true representation of our love and are pictures I cherish with my whole heart. Seriously, I can’t stop looking at them. I would recommend the Gernand’s to any and everybody!”

- Jordan

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“We could not be happier about working with the Gernands. When we first started wedding planning, I had sticker shock about the prices... of everything! But I had many people tell me that the photographs are the one place that it is so, so worth it to invest. Photographs are the only tangible thing that you take away from your wedding, and I'm always amazed how photographs have the power to transport you back, bringing back all the joy and emotion of the moments they capture. I couldn't tell you how glad I am that I listened to those friends and invested in good photography, and how happy we are to have worked specifically with Samuel. We worked with him because of a referral from a friend, and couldn't be happier. He was professional, clear, transparent, kind, flexible, and understanding. This was really important as we worked through COVID-driven wedding cancellation and rescheduling, on top of all normal wedding planning stress! He strikes the perfect balance between being laid back and stress-free, while being wholly professional and giving guidance at the exact right moment. The photographs perfectly captured the joy and happiness of our relationship and of the wedding day! I hope we can keep working with him for many years, now that he does family photography as well. Stop searching right now, and book with the Gernands!”

- Emily (Bride)

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“Samuel is a phenomenal photographer and an all-around wonderful person! My wife and I had a long engagement (2 years!), and Samuel was there for us the entire time. He is so personable and communicating with him was a breeze. For our engagement shoot and wedding day, he absolutely nailed the look & mood we were going for. We are so grateful for all of his hard work, and can assure anyone considering working with them that he is incredible.”

- Grier (Groom)

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“We loved working with The Gernands. They are so easy to speak with and I felt like they asked very personal questions so that we knew they would be looking for the “spark” moments on our wedding day. We were floored with the results when they delivered our final photos and all of our family and friends were also amazed at how they turned out. I would highly recommend them for capturing any intimate moments - big or small. I’ve recommended them to several friends already!”

- Keri (Bride)

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“We couldn't have been happier with our choice to work with the Gernands. Samuel was an absolute dream to work with, helping us feel comfortable to be ourselves. It showed in the pictures! He was authentic and creative. Everyone keeps asking us who we worked with. We tell them and I'm telling you to go with Samuel!”

- Lindsey (Bride)

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“The Gernands made our wedding experience a BREEZE. From our first contact, to our engagement session, to our wedding day - Samuel was communicative and flexible throughout the whole process. He is well worth the money and time spent. We didn't just have a photographer at our wedding, he became a friend. Book him ASAP!”

- Ashley (Bride)

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“We cannot express enough how amazing The Gernands are! We are so very thankful that we found them and that they were the ones to capture such a special day for us! Samuel was a magician at getting us to relax and to ease our “awkwardness”. He is so easy to chat with and work with and we couldn’t recommend him enough! We are so grateful and thankful for his hard work that gave us an ever lasting memory! Thank you Samuel for everything!”

- James (Groom)

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“Amazing! LGBT+ friendly, safe for all family styles and people, and they made my boyfriend and I feel super comfortable, which is essential for people in our community. Thank you!”

- Caleb

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“For starters, words cannot express my satisfaction with the Gernands. Our wedding photos were very important to us given my husband and I come from opposite sides of the country and not all friends and family who would have liked to attend the wedding were going to be able. We hoped for pictures that would document the day well. Saying that desire was met would be an understatement. The Gernands managed to capture the very essence and spirit of our day in a way I never thought still photography could. The pictures are so natural and candid, I can put myself back in that exact moment in time. This, along with the professionalism, punctuality, and over-all enjoyable to work with experience we had with the Gernands is why I would recommend them to any couple without hesitation.”

- Anna (Bride)

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“Samuel made it seem like he knew exactly which photos to take. His calm and professional presence made our wedding day really about us and our family. While my parents weren't able to make it due to travel restrictions, Samuel captured the perfect moment of us making a video call. That's really quick thinking on his part. You never know what's going to happen on your wedding day and it's invaluable to have a photographer that is super adaptable. We absolutely love our wedding photos. We wish we could get married again for many reasons, but mostly because we want to hang out with Samuel again! He is so sweet, genuine, and laid back. Thank you again for everything.”

- Se Jin (Groom)

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“I don't even know where to begin with how incredible The Gernands are! When searching for a photographer for our wedding, The Gernands page really stood out to exactly the look and mood we wanted for our photos. The Gernands do not just capture your wedding day, but tell the whole story and capture unique moments and memories. We were so lucky to work with Samuel through the entire planning process. We were blown away with our engagement photos. My husband and I are both not super great at being in photos but he made us feel comfortable and natural. He captured the most stunning poses and backgrounds. Our wedding photos are beautiful and we have the best moments to look back on. He went above and beyond to help us with the planning process- from working on a timeline, to allowing us to feel comfortable even during COVID. Samuel is incredibly kind and genuine. He is exactly who you want to capture your special day because he truly cares and loves his clients!”

- Joanna (Bride)

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”We cannot say enough good things about The Gernands. Samuel was incredible to work with and captured our special day perfectly. He video chatted with us multiple times, has such a warm personality and made us feel so comfortable. We got a sneak peek of our engagement shoot 2 days later and sneak peek of the wedding photos the next day and he got the best shots! He was a champ wearing a mask during our hot July wedding. Samuel gives great direction but never took away from us feeling like ourselves during the shoots. His vibe is romantic but he also will have you laughing. You’ll seriously never regret working with him for your special day.”

- Michael (Groom)

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“Samuel did a phenomenal job capturing the joy and excitement of our wedding day. He is a natural behind the camera and made us feel so comfortable in front of it. He has an eye for beauty and did a great job finding hidden nooks and crannies around our venue for our wedding portraits. He was also incredibly helpful throughout the planning process- he was professional, quick to respond, and let us know exactly what to expect. He gave us a very comprehensive questionnaire that included tips for the big day, which really came in handy. Beyond just the experience of having him be a part of our day, the photos they delivered were absolutely stunning and far beyond anything we could've hoped for. There is just so much life and emotion in the images he captures and we're grateful to have our memories from that day captured so beautifully!!! Thank you!”

- Justine (Bride)

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