The sweet details in this country crowd-pleaser shot by Ashley Biess Photography are playful and colorful-two of my favorite things! Using the beautiful backdrop of On Holden Pond in Oregon, Illinois, this clearly-in-love couple infused their big day with bits and pieces that were truly them, from the stationery designed by the bride to the gorgeous cake handmade by a family friend (cut me a slice of that beauty, please!). Stroll through the rest of the images right here!
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From the Bride… On a sunny June day, Ryan proposed to me at my graduation party in front of our family and friends, while his brother sang our song, “Luckiest” by Ben Folds. It was the best day of my life, until my wedding, when I really felt like I was the luckiest girl in the world.
Our venue was perfect! Located near the Rock River, On Holden Pond features a beautiful mid-western country farm home that was large enough to house our entire wedding party for the weekend. The pond was beautiful, and the canopy of trees was the perfect setting for our ceremony. One of my favorite parts of the day was seeing Ryan before the ceremony for our first look with our amazing photographer, Ashley Biess. For me, that was the moment when the planning stopped and the wedding started. It was relaxing, but so very exciting and emotional at the same time. I knew it was going to be a great day. The ceremony was very special. Our wedding arbor was beautiful, unique and handmade by my husband. Ryan and I shared bread and wine with our guests, and as a symbol of unity, we washed each other’s feet to show our humility, respect, and love for one another. We incorporated some silliness among the serious with our rendition of the ring BEAR.
We are a happy, fun-loving couple who wanted a real celebration at our reception, and our DJ, Steve, from Luxe Productions delivered just that. Steve did so much to help the wedding and reception run smoothly. He was able to fit our personality into our reception, while making sure everyone had a great time, and that was something that was very important to us. At the end of the night, our guests “ooh-ed” and “ahh-ed” as fireworks lit up across the sky — Ryan’s wedding gift to me. I was simply amazed at the pictures taken by the greatly talented, Ashley Biess. She was able to capture our sincere love, happiness and playful nature in the photographs. Before the party started, she was able to sneak us away from the celebration to give us a moment of peace and tranquility as we soaked up our sheer happiness and love. These photos ended up being some of my favorites from the day. I will always treasure the photographs she took, so beautifully capturing the best day of my life!
Wedding Photography: Ashley Biess Photography / Wedding Venue: On Holden Pond in Oregon, Illinois / Floral Design: Country Floral / Wedding Programs, Fans + Invitations: Designed by Bride + Printed by Davenport Printing Co. Inc. / Catering: Creative Cuisine Catering / Wedding Cake: Donna Tegeler (A Friend of the Family) / Tent, Dance Floor, Lights, Tables + Chair Rentals: Berg Industries, Inc. / Photo Booth: Timestilling Photography / DJ: Luxe Productions / Wedding Dress: Sottero & Midgley “Adorae” — Purchased From Another Bride via Weddingbee / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Bride + Bridesmaids’ Shoes: Madden Girl / Groomsmen’s Attire: Express