This quirky, colorful wedding is totally brightening my morning today. It may be cloudy and cool where I am, but this backyard beauty is providing all the sunshine I need. The couple is adorable, the flowers are fresh and totally vibrant and Studio Rebekah Photography captured all the meaningful moments gorgeously. Head over to the full gallery for even more!
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From the Bride & Groom… Before starting a new life together as a married couple, we had gotten a head start after getting jobs in Chicago and found a little apartment in the Logan Square neighborhood. As a young couple, each of us from small towns in Illinois, we had known for some time at this point that we would want to get married, and we had talked about how we would be able to make a wedding possible. We knew we wanted a very modest wedding, from the venues to the food, but wanted it to feel welcoming in a way that had come to reflect our relationship. We knew that this would not be possible without the help of family and friends, and their fingerprints were all over our wedding. Our engagement started our wedding planning on a snowy January night in Chicago. After a dinner downtown that almost didn’t happen because of the blowing snow, we returned to our quiet little apartment, and Lacey was proposed to in her pajamas. The ring is a vintage setting from Marlene Harris Collection in Pennsylvania, and the diamond is the same one that her father presented to her late mother at their engagement. In many ways, the traits of the engagement ring would drive much of the design of the wedding ahead: vintage with a very personal touch.
Cost was an extremely critical factor in how we moved forward. For the wedding ceremony venue, we selected the Historic Iroquois County Courthouse in Watseka, Illinois, the town where the bride was raised. Today, the courthouse is more of a historical museum than anything and serves as a gathering place for community events. The old courtroom on the top floor had many of the characteristics that we were looking to capture, including an old elegance that we were trying to reproduce with many of the elements of the wedding. One of our best mutual friends served as officiate upon our request, and we were able to seat our closest family and friends in a very private and intimate ceremony. The museum also provided plenty of great opportunities for pictures as well, and our photographer Rebekah Albaugh of Studio Rebekah was able to capture many of the elements of the venue that we found so endearing.
The wedding was followed by a poolside cocktail hour at Lacey’s childhood home. Further into the back yard, a white tent illuminated by paper lanterns held the reception to follow. The table settings contained handmade place settings and blue mason jars, which were discovered in a family member’s basement and cleaned up to provide a charming touch to the centerpieces constructed by The Flower Shak in Watseka. For the food, we wanted to showcase the care and love that Lacey’s grandmother puts into all of her food. As a caterer for nearly 50 years, Beulah has provided thousands of meals to people of the community, and she was at her best in preparing our favorite dishes to share with our family and friends. The conclusion of dinner led way to a night of dancing and laughs. We are incredibly thankful for the help and support of family and friends that worked so hard to make our day one we will never forget.
Wedding Photography: Rebekah Albaugh of Studio Rebekah Photography / Second Shooter: Bethany Burt / Ceremony: Iroquois County Historic Museum Courthouse in Watseka, Illinois / The Bride’s Family Home in Watseka, Illinois / Floral Design: Flower Shak / Bouquet Charm: Enchanted Glass / Boutonnieres + Bride’s Shoe Clips: Pomp & Plumage / Catering: Beulah Reed, Grandmother of the Bride / Wedding Cake: London Walder, Sister of the Bride / Tent: Sunrise Tents / Wedding Dress: Enzoani / Bride’s Hair Flower + Earrings: MillieICARO / Engagement Ring: Marlene Harris Collection / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Men’s Suits: Jos. A. Bank / Bow Ties: The Tie Bar / Men’s Shoes: Converse