Chicago Cruise Wedding at Navy Pier | Sezim + Mehmet

Chicago City Cruise | Ethnic Turkish Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer |

Chicago is a city of hustle and bustle. It is also the place where Sezim and Mehmet met and fell in love. As nature lovers, it made sense to escape onto their own private, watery oasis for their wedding celebration.

We spent the morning getting ready at the Trump Hotel before navigating to the Wrigley Building and Buckingham Fountain for portraits. Right afterward, we boarded the Odyssey City Cruise where the rest of their evening would be held. The guests were warmly welcomed into the lower deck of the boat with live harp music and a candlelight dinner while we sailed out into Lake Michigan.

They previously had a courthouse wedding due to the pandemic, but this was an extra sweet celebration because Mehmet’s family flew in from Turkey. It had been 5 years since they last saw each other. I loved how the day fully revolved around treasuring people and making memories!

While there were many disappointing plan changes in the days leading up, Sezim was the most remarkable bride I have ever seen. She handled those setbacks with extraordinary graciousness and kindness. Instead of what it could have been, the day was filled with so much love and happiness. Choosing joy is hard and I truly have so much respect for both of them.

If I didn’t think they were two of the most amazing people already, as we were walking toward the pier, it came out that together, the two of them can speak six languages. Between the wedding party, family, and all the guests, we heard Arabic, Russian, Turkish, English, and Kyrgyz all day long. The experience was simply incredible.

Sezim & Mehmet, I’m grateful to know you two and honored to have been trusted with your story and the precious people in it. Blessings on your marriage!!