AJ Abelman Photography

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AJ Abelman Photography

Love, laughter, joy, and taco enthusiast capturing portraits, wedding and events in Chicago and beyond Follow along on instagram:

AJ Abelman is an Ohio-bred, Chicago-based photographer specializing in wedding and portrait photography, with a focus on capturing the perfect moment and delivering images to last a lifetime.

10/30/2026

After 18 years together, Daniel & Jeni got paperwork involved on the most BEAUTIFUL autumn day at Burning Bush Brewery . Surrounded by their nearest and dearest, this intimate wedding day was such a lovely celebration of this wonderful couple and the life they’ve built together. Congratulations, Jeni & Daniel!

Venue: Burning Bush Brewery
Floral: Flowers for Dreams Weddings
HMUA: Chicago Hair + Makeup On l Location Beauty Collective
Music: Norah Utley

10/09/2026

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tomorrow I turn 36! Gift-giving and words affirmation are my key love languages, so this week is already filling my cup in a major way!

My birthday gift from Google? My business profile was wrongfully removed by their AI bots! While my appeal was immediately granted, this gift just keeps on giving: most of my 100+ reviews are gone forever and Google says there’s no way to get them back!

Asking yourself, “well damn, how I can compete? What could I give AJ that she doesn’t already have?” ? I have great news for you!!!

1. Never left me a review? Now’s your time to shine. If you take a moment to leave me a review on Google (link in bio) and share about your experience with me as your wedding photographer / your bestie’s wedding photographer/ your family photo rockstar / a vendor you love working with / the creator of the best photo of your dog ever taken, I’d be SO grateful (and maybe even cry a little, but no promises)

2. Left me a review in the past? WOW are you in luck, your gift to me is nearby! If you go to your reviews on google, you may even still be able to see the review you left me! It won’t be linked to my profile anymore (a bonus gift from Google, wow they really nailed it this year!), but you can just copy the old review, delete it, and paste it to a new one! Voila! Re-gifting is actually really chic in this scenario.

All jokes aside, I’m so grateful for another trip around the sun and for all your love, friendship, support, and Google reviews. It’s brutal to lose 8 years of reviews when it matters so much that future clients can find me. As a libra the unjustness and randomness of it (with no answers or solutions from a multi billion dollar corporation!!) is tough to stomach. But at the end of the day, I feel so lucky to be here, doing this, with all of you. Cheers to 36! xoxox

09/23/2026

Jack & Nate // WOW this was a special one. From a Welcome Party dinner cruise on Lake Michigan to a packed dance floor complete with clacker fans, wigs and sunglasses at Walden Event Venue , every moment of this wedding weekend was overflowing with joy and love and FUN.

The love, respect, and admiration Jack & Nate have for one another is obvious to anyone lucky enough to be in their presence, and it was absolute magic to make these photos with them.

Some people have it all, because in addition to being absolutely wonderful people, Jack & Nate are also just gorgeous together. I loved their custom embroidered suits almost as much as the color-coordinated jock straps to match 🫡🔥🔥🔥

Congratulations, Jack & Nate! I’m obsessed with you, let’s do this again every weekend, k thanks bye xoxox

Planning: Briscel Martinez / Walden Event Venue Walden Chicago | Ally Alford
Venue: Walden Event Venue
Floral: StemLine Creative
Draping/Lighting: MDM Entertainment
Linen: Windy City Linen - Event Rentals
Music: Funktastic Productions | Event Entertainment Company
Video: LGBTQ+ Wedding Video
Dessert: JoJo’s ShakeBAR

09/16/2026

Turns out that the friends-to-lovers trope in every q***r romcom is real, and sometimes the universe plays Jason Mraz’s “Lucky I’m In Love With My Best Friend” on your Google Home to guide the way.

Alissa & Bri are perfect together and incredibly special people independently, and I will never have words for how special it was to be folded into their world. Nearly every element of their wedding day (from the incredible letterpress stationary to the flowers to Alissa’s makeup to the live music played by siblings and loved ones) was touched by people who just adore these two. The day was a labor of love, with the backdrop being the beautiful Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, where these teacher brides have brought their students on field trips over the years. Bursting with love, the right kind of chaos, and so many happy tears (plus tacos for dinner). I’m so grateful that when I met Bri at a wedding 5 years ago she decided then that I was the only photographer for her (and that when she and Alissa got together, Alissa agreed).

Congratulations my loves! Cheers to a million happy years together (and many more matching outfits with Pearl🐾)🦋💕

Venue: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Paper Goods: sarahbloomstudio
HMUA: Midwest Wedding Beauty Kiley Cleckner
Floral: Anna Held Floral Studio
Coordinating: Fierce Productions
On Alissa: Grace + Ivory Wedding Dresses
On Bri: Vow’d Weddings Ronny Bass - Slow Fashion for All
On Pearl: Ronny Bass - Slow Fashion for All
Music: Chicago Wedding & Event DJs, Photo Booths & Lights & many loved ones
Catering: Jarabe-Taqueria
Bar: Peerless Cantina
Table number art: MiClayla
Banner: Stephanie Biggs

08/27/2026

Scott & Brendan // A Studio 54-inspired disco floral Kylie Minogue-fueled fantasy on a perfect sunny Saturday at Allium Events

There were so many intentional details that it’s impossible to list them all, but highlights include:

🪩A pop-up ceremony during cocktail hour, officiated by the hilarious derryqueen , who later brought the house down with “It’s Raining Men”, where she opened an umbrella that rained down tiny cutouts of the grooms’ faces

🪩 watches and bands, paired with perfectly tailored baby blue suits and carefully selected ties

🪩 A salad that featured the same ingredients as the one they shared on the day they got engaged (and several other important days), including squash blossoms specially grown for the grooms by the chefs at Blue Plate

🪩Live music from a harpist (playing a vintage harp Scott restored), a guitarist, a pianist (on a specially brought in Steinway & Sons piano) and a 12 piece band throughout the night

🪩More nods to Kylie Minogue than I can even list, including the entire dance floor packed with guests showing off the choreography they were asked to learn in advance

Congratulations Scott & Brendan! xoxo

Planning + Design: Chicago Wedding Planners
Venue: Allium Events
Photo: AJ the Photographer
Floral + Decor: Chicago Wedding Florist | bou•K
Catering: Blue Plate
Linen: BBJ La Tavola
Music: Funktastic Productions | Event Entertainment Company Nichole Young ~ Harpist
Performance: derryqueen
Piano Rental: Steinway & Sons
Transportation: Signature Transportation Group

08/25/2026

Isaac & Stef’s sneak peek: just a little window into the joy, the love, and all the little moments that made this day so special. I was obsessed with the embroidery on Stef’s gown, the ceremony in the round (providing the most intimate views under the chuppah, making for shots that I’ll be sharing for years), and the N64 Mario Kart setup. Love this daisy chain and these two so much!

Mazel tov, Stef & Isaac! xoxo

Venue: Chicago Winery
Floral: FLORAL BAR
Makeup: Jordan M Artistry
On Stef: Plus Size Bridal-Curvy Experts
Music: Bluewater Kings Band

08/05/2026

Arpita & Brandon are a perfect match. The kind of brilliant, funny, warm people who immediately make you feel like family (and in Arpita’s case, treat you like family, all the way down to insisting I remember to eat!). Their wedding day at Bridgeport Art Center was a colorful and joyful celebration of their life together, and I had so much fun spending the weekend with them. I feel so lucky to get to know these two and to have spent this gorgeous day with them, and I’m so happy to share some sneak peeks from their beautiful Hindu ceremony and their super fun reception. Congratulations, A & B! xoxo

Venue: Bridgeport Art Center
Floral: Flowers for Dreams Weddings
Catering: India House Catering
Coordinating: Eventful Moments by Alina Tariq
Hair & Makeup: Midwest & PNW Bridal Hairstyling, Makeup & HMU Education
Mehndi: unnatizart
Music: Modi Brothers Entertainment | Indian Wedding DJ

08/05/2026

This beautiful Haldi ceremony for Brandon & Arpita deserved its own spot on the feed! I loved this special morning at Arpita’s family home 💛

07/29/2026

Nicole + Rachel + their fur babies at home in Detroit // This has been the season of in-home sessions and lots of travel, so here’s a session that’s both 💖

Address

Www. Ajabelman. Com
Chicago, IL

Website

http://www.ajabelman.com/

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