Illinois
Quinceañera photography · Chicago
In short
Quinceañera photography in Chicago starts at $950: 5 hours on location with a photographer who works in Chicago, and 250 edited photos delivered to a private gallery within 4 weeks.
Why choose Quinceañera photography in Chicago?
Quinceañera photography in Chicago is five hours of coverage, from getting ready through the Mass and the formal portraits to the reception, delivering more than 250 retouched photographs, priced from $950. Pilsen and Little Village on Chicago’s Southwest Side are long-standing centers of the city’s Mexican American community, and a quinceañera there is often a full parish-and-banquet-hall day. Between the church and the hall, many families stop for portraits of the quinceañera and her court of honor. The two portrait stops asked for most often both write the quinceañera into their own photography rules.
Worth knowing about Chicago
The Chicago Cultural Center names quinceañeras among the shoots that need its photo permit, $100 for a non-commercial session booked at least two weeks ahead, and its rules ban outfits that shed glitter, beads or feathers and any changing, hair or makeup inside the building. The Morton Arboretum sells a student-only quinceañera group permit for $250. A Chicago quinceañera gown is therefore checked for loose embellishment before the portrait stop.
What does the session in Chicago look like?
- Chicago Cultural Center
- Marble stairs and mosaic under glass domes, for the gown and the court of honor, by DCASE permit.
- The Morton Arboretum, Lisle
- Open lawns and collected trees for a court-of-honor group frame, at a student group rate.
- The family’s parish church in Pilsen or Little Village
- The Mass, the blessing and the family on the church steps, under the parish’s own rules.
What does quinceañera photography in Chicago include?
- 250+ retouched photographs
- Five hours of coverage
- Getting ready, ceremony, formal portraits and reception
- Court of honour group portraits
- Optional pre-event portrait session
- Private online gallery within 4 weeks
- Print release for personal use
FAQ — Quinceañera photography in Chicago
Can a quinceañera be photographed at the Chicago Cultural Center?
Yes, with a permit from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, which lists quinceañeras by name. The non-commercial permit costs $100, is booked at least two weeks ahead, and covers set hours on one day. The building is open 10am to 5pm, with photography recommended before 3pm, and a gown that sheds glitter or beads can be asked to leave.
How much is a quinceañera court photo permit at The Morton Arboretum?
The Morton Arboretum in Lisle charges $250, or $175 for members, for prom and quinceañera group photos of students, with admission and parking included for the party. Each permit covers one hour on a fixed date and time, so a Chicago quinceañera schedule that includes the Arboretum places that hour between the Mass and the reception.