We had been to a lot of weddings. We'd seen photographers stand in the aisle, make family members wait for hours to take one or two group shots, and interrupt the party. We'd seen photos come out grainy, low-contrast and with hideous logos and watermarks stamped over top. So when we started looking for our wedding photographer, we knew what we didn't want. It seemed like an impossible task to find the right person... but, as it turns out, Justine was the first vendor we booked. While we were impressed with her portfolio, it was Justine's desire to actually get to know us as a couple (beyond wedding details) that sealed the deal. We talked about her process and pricing, but also our shared love of food and exploring. It made the entire process so much more personal and enjoyable, and I honestly believe the photos were better because of it. Justine worked with us to get everything we wanted (including engagement photos and a second shooter) within a reasonable budget. I was nervous about "posing" for our engagement photo session at the Bronx Zoo, but she made sure the day was comfortable, low key and laid-back. She gave us enough direction to not feel awkward, but not so much that we looked posed. Justine was organized and responsive throughout the planning process and made sure we were on the same page with our shot list and timeline. She was also sensitive to our family dynamics and religious rituals, which was greatly appreciated. By our wedding day, Justine felt like an old friend. She was a calming, unobtrusive presence on an otherwise overwhelming and emotional day. She had the patience of a saint during group photos with our extremely large, loud, distracted families. She managed to get so many great candid shots during the ceremony and dinner without our guests even noticing! During the party, Justine was on the edge of the dance floor with her camera, getting great shots but also genuinely enjoying and capturing the vibe of the party -- which we (and our friends) loved. Justine had photographed several weddings at our outdoor farm venue before (which was actually how we found her!), but she managed to infuse our photos with a unique flavor that really reflected the feeling of our day. We are over the moon with how they turned out!! On Justine's next trip to NYC a few months after our wedding, we grabbed dinner together. She clearly cares deeply about her clients and her work, and we are so glad we chose her. read more

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Seriously INCREDIBLE. My fiance and I met with Justine for engagement photos this weekend. We immediately felt at ease as she was warm and kind. Most importantly, she knew exactly what she was doing - she found the best spots for photos and guided us through poses. This was so helpful because we didn't have time to think or feel awkward about what we were doing - something I was nervous about before we met with Justine. Her turn around time was quicker than I expected and the outcome was just beautiful. I can't recommend Justine enough. read more

Justine was the photographer for our wedding in June 2018 at the Cheney Mansion on Oak Park. We are so happy with our photos! Justine and her assistant captured so many beautiful moments - we especially loved all the candid shots. We discussed our preference for a more photo journalistic style, and she totally delivered. For the portraits (couple, wedding party, family), Justine has the ability to give clear direction while still keeping everyone at ease, making for more relaxed, genuine smiles. Posing for couple photos can be awkward but Justine really makes you feel comfortable while finding flattering poses and identifying the perfect setting and scenery. read more

We had our ceremony at the Champaign County Courthouse, and wanted to have formal photographs taken afterwards. I had just moved to the area and had no idea on location, but Justine was really great about helping us decide where to go. Our pictures turned out so beautifully, she somehow made us both look photogenic! She was always accessible by email and responded quickly to all of my questions/concerns. She was punctual and very professional and was a pleasure to work with. Her fees were very reasonable. Would highly recommend to anyone needing wedding photography in Champaign or Chicago. read more

We absolutely loved working with Justine! She was a fabulous wedding photographer and her work is stunning. She was one of the first vendors we hired in our planning and it was such a relief to know she would be there on our big day. She has a great eye for capturing the little details and emotion well. Justine was very organized throughout the contract, planning, day of and delivery phases. We and our guests love that we have digital rights to the pictures and can print as we wish. We highly recommend Justine! read more

Justine is a supremely talented photographer with an artist's eye and an appreciation for candid moments. We got married in September 2019, and our photos not only turned out as beautiful pieces of art, but also perfectly captured our personalities and the love and spirit of the day. Throughout the process, she showed a genuine desire to know who we were as people, and what we wanted from our photos. She is kind and reliable, puts everyone she meets at ease, and is a joy to work with. We'll look back happily at our photos for years. read more

Justine photographed our wedding in Chicago in August. We had had a crazy summer and actually planned most of our wedding from out of the country, but Justine was always accessible by email or chat for all of our questions. The day of the wedding, she was so easy to work with! The portraits we did before the actual ceremony were relaxing, which I definitely needed after all the stress of planning a wedding. At the ceremony, she captured every moment that I wanted to remember and took wonderful pictures at the reception. Justine was there at all the right times, but guests didn't even notice that she was photographing them so we got loads of great candid shots. She was enthusiastic about all of our ideas for portrait locations, and the processing she did on the photos brought out the feeling of the day. Our DVD of photos came quickly, and our guests loved being able to access the web album she provided. We were both extremely pleased with the photos, as were our families. I strongly recommend Justine for wedding photography; she has a great eye and impeccable timing. read more

Justine photographed our wedding in Chicago in September, and she was perfect. She was great to work with. Since we had to plan the wedding remotely, she stayed in contact with us over email and on the phone to help us plan and give us advice. We were able to meet her right before the wedding and coordinate our final plans at ceremony location. She was very helpful. The end results were amazing. Everyone we've shown our pictures to told us how much they loved them. read more

I have to say, maybe the coolest part of working with Justine is that she does a "photobooth" which is a camera set up on a tripod with a remote control. Initially, I thought I was just getting a good deal on an alternate to a photobooth which I decided was out of our price range. I couldn't have been more wrong. The photos were much more interesting and higher quality than a traditional photobooth. My guests ended up taking over 500 pictures. It was a huge hit, and they were all online withing a week for any of my guests to view. It was a HUGE HIT and I am SOOOOO happy we had this- people cannot stop telling me how great it was and how great the photos are. On top of this- Justine was an absolute joy to work with and the best investment we made in our wedding day. She took beautiful photos and was easy to work with. I cannot recommend her enough. Abbie read more

Justine was amazing. She photographed my wedding this past August and did such a fantastic job. Her photos were better than I could ever imagine. I love how she is different than the average wedding photographer but can still capture the special moments you'd want to remember forever. She not only did an amazing job but she was so sweet and professional. I honestly never even knew she was around during the candid photos because she was never in the way. I would recommend her to anyone I know planning their wedding. I am forever grateful that we found someone who can give us amazing photos we can love forever read more

Justine completely exceeded my (already very high) expectations. She was easy going and extremely talented. It is the single best wedding purchase we made. She gave us exactly what we wanted-she got those classic, necessary posed shots everyone wants but also (more importantly, in my opinion) captured so many magical candid moments in the most beautiful way. I cannot recommend her enough! read more

Highly recommended! Justine took our engagement photos and did a terrific job. She was wonderful to work with and we are so happy with the photos she captured. read more

I absolutely loved the photos Justine took for my best friend's outdoor summer wedding so naturally I was thrilled when she was available to shoot my indoor winter wedding a few years later. Needless to say, the parameters of my wedding presented with quite a few challenges; the light was fleeting and we had to take the portraits in the venue while the caterers were setting up. Justine went above and beyond to ensure we got the shots we wanted. She made sure she knew who all the important family and friends were, helped us to think about the flow of the night, scouted the location the night before the wedding in case the weather was nice enough to take some outdoor portraits and even stayed later than the block of time we contracted with her to get some special shots. After the wedding she sent us some sneak preview shots right away and then some prints and a flash drive with all the digital files shortly thereafter. Thank you, Justine! I know I will always remember my wedding night, but I am thankful that I also have so many beautiful pictures to accompany my memories. read more

My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Justine for our September 2016 after seeing her amazing work at my best friend's wedding. We had a unique, informal ceremony and reception at Firehouse Chicago and wanted a photographer who would capture the fun and love of the day without all of the fuss. Justine was an amazing professional to work with. She was detail oriented in the preparation for the day and assisted with making sure we had a shoot list for the day that allowed for some spontaneity. On the day of our wedding, she showed up and instantly put me at ease as she had already been to our venue to do a few shots of the setup. Justine was patient with my nieces and got some really amazing candid photos of our friends and family that were some of my favorites of the day. I did not worry about a single thing being captured with Justine at the helm. Moving past our wedding date, she was super communicative about when to expect our photos and the flash drive of our images along with the prints and keepsake box she sent along were a perfect way to wrap up our celebration. I would recommend anyone looking for a photographer with a keen eye, an attention to detail, and a style that puts everyone at ease to consider Justine Bursoni Photography. read more