Planning a Fairlie Wedding in Chicago

Every time I photograph a wedding at Fairlie, I’m reminded of how distinct it feels from any other Chicago wedding venue. It has a really cool industrial character. The twin staircases, skylit ceremony area, open layout and balcony overlook all create unique opportunities for weddings that are honestly pretty hard to find anywhere else in the city. The Fairlie is such a beautiful canvas for a wedding, and I’ve seen couples take completely different approaches. It’s such a fun venue to make your own!

Industrial Chicago Space with Natural Light

One of the best parts of Fairlie for a wedding day is the combination of natural light pouring into an industrial Chicago space.

The skylit area gives a brightness to the ceremony, while the brick, dual staircases give it a quintessential Chicago vibe. That combination? Perfect for couples who like an industrial venue feel without it being too dark and moody.

During a reception, the space feels incredibly intimate and warm. I love flash photos as it gets later to preserve the depth and color of the evening while grabbing those moments of dancing and fun. It matches perfectly with my documentary style approach to weddings.

Read more about my approach to wedding photography and see more weddings in my portfolio.

Bride walks down the aisle at Chicago wedding venue Fairlie

First dance at Fairlie Chicago wedding reception

Wedding Portraits at Fairlie + Around Chicago

Fairlie works beautifully both for couples who want to stay in one place and for couples who want parts of Chicago itself to be part of their wedding gallery. I’ve worked with couples who’ve done both!

Alyssa and Ashley stayed at Fairlie for the entire day. Since we stayed on site, we were easily able to have their dog children join for portraits! There was still a ton of variety to capture in their portraits as well, with the architecture of the building, the brilliant pops of floral color and decor, the industrial elements around the building, and wildflowers blooming outside.

Their wedding party wore coordinated rainbow tones that tied into the florals, and the venue was the perfect canvas to show off every color. Keeping their whole day based around the Fairlie was perfect not just for couple, bridal party and family portraits, but it also gave them more time to spend with their people. That fit their priorities perfectly. They wanted the day to center around the love and warmth of all of the important people in their lives, so they chose a venue that allowed them to be there for the whole celebration.

Bride and groom photography with dogs at Fairlie Chicago

Bridal party walking together outside of Fairlie in Chicago

Rachelle and Kyle wanted Chicago to be a big part of their wedding day, and using Fairlie as a base worked perfectly too. They started by getting ready at the historic Congress Plaza on Michigan Avenue, which is beautiful for photos (and apparently haunted!).

Their first look happened across the street in Grant Park, and Kyle’s reaction makes this one of my favorite first looks I’ve ever photographed! The autumn florals in the park were absolutely gorgeous, but it was really Kyle’s expression that made the photos perfect. He was just completely lit up when he saw Rachelle.

After Grant Park, we took the trolley to the Chicago Board of Trade for the classic downtown Chicago portraits in the city, with iconic imagery like the clock tower in the background. Then we headed to their favorite willow tree in Humboldt Park for a greener set of portraits and a little more breathing room for a quiet moment. The portrait locations were personal to them, which made it easier to relax and feel like themselves, and that natural connection really comes through in the photos.

See BTS from Rachelle and Kyle’s portraits under their willow tree on Instagram!

Wedding getting ready at Congress Plaza in Chicago

Greenery wedding photography in downtown Chicago

Architecture & My Favorite Features at Fairlie

Fairlie also has some beautiful architectural features that are perfect for photos on your wedding day.

The twin staircases are my favorite. They make a great spot for a first look, couples portraits and of course a fun first dance entrance moment.

The tuk-tuk is another Fairlie detail that makes a reception entrance feel especially fun! Instead of simply walking into the room, couples can ride in together as their guests cheer them on, and it’s such an exciting way to enter the reception. Decorated with greenery and florals, it also fits right into the industrial space while giving the entrance a playful feel before the reception starts.

And once the room is full, the balcony overlooking the reception creates an entirely different perspective. From above, you can see the tables, florals, candles and guests gathered together. Having that view allows me to set the scene and then move in for more intimate moments of speeches, reactions and dancing. It’s a beautiful way that I love using to tell the story of weddings at Fairlie.

For more of my favorite Chicago wedding venues, head over to the blog.

First look on the twin staircases at Fairlie in Chicago

Chicago wedding reception design at Fairlie

Fairlie wedding reception ride on the tuk-tuk

Wedding reception overhead shot of guests at Fairlie

FAQ About Fairlie Weddings

What style of wedding venue is Fairlie?

Fairlie definitely does have the exposed brick, high ceilings and open concept you’d typically think of for an industrial wedding venue in Chicago. But, I will say that there’s a lot more to it than just a loft type venue. The twin staircases, skylit ceremony space and sweeping balcony views add a lot of character and depth to the venue. You can easily make the space your own and bring color and design elements that make it feel very personal.

Are there good spots for wedding photos at Fairlie?

Absolutely! The Fairlie has enough variety that couples can stay on site for wedding portraits without every photograph feeling like it was made in the same one spot. The staircases, brick exterior, industrial elements all photograph really well for couples photos as well as family and bridal party photos. If you want to keep travel time low on your wedding day, Fairlie can be a great venue that doesn’t require driving or walking to any other locations.

Is it easy to travel to downtown Chicago for wedding portraits from Fairlie?

It can work really well as part of the timeline, especially if classic Chicago portraits are important to you. For Rachelle and Kyle’s wedding, we photographed their first look at Grant Park, stopped at the Chicago Board of Trade for city portraits and also visited their favorite willow tree in Humboldt Park before returning to Fairlie for the ceremony and reception. The biggest consideration is simply leaving enough time for travel and portraits so those locations add to the day without taking away from something you care about, like being present with guests for cocktail hour. This is something I love helping my couples with.

See the 5 most important questions to ask your wedding photographer to make sure they’re the right fit!

Chicago Wedding Photography at Fairlie

If you’re looking for a Chicago wedding venue with an industrial feel, beautiful natural light and plenty of flexibility for how you want to spend the day, Fairlie is really lovely. You can keep everything in one place and stay close to your guests, or build in time to visit your favorite spots around Chicago before coming back for the ceremony and reception. Either way, it’s a venue that gives you space to be present while also being really easy to customize however you’d like.

If you’re planning a Fairlie or Chicago wedding and want photos that feel candid, natural and true to you, reach out through my contact page, and let’s set up a time to chat!