It may sound simple but when I read this bride’s advice to her fellow bride’s to be, I knew that it was the most simply put, poignant piece of advice there is…”There will be flaws and hiccups that will not go accordingly to the detailed itinerary you spent hours making. Laugh about it and live in the moment. Your wedding day is about the new life you are creating with your soul mate and everything else doesn’t matter.” Thanks to the gorgeous photographs by Shaun Menary, you can literally that she took her own advice entirely to heart. More here!
From the bride…After we were engaged wedding planning was my second full time job. We were together for 8 years and this was finally a time I was able to put our own style and wishes into one day. I could have easily hired a wedding planner to do everything for us but instead I wanted this to be a personal journey of our own.
For the overall design choices I envisioned a soft romantic outdoor vineyard theme. We were able to enjoy the natural beauty of the vineyard as our backdrop for the ceremony. Our wedding colors were blush, gold, white, burgundy, and green.
On our special day we wanted a more intimate wedding with close friends and family. I have always dreamed of a romantic vineyard wedding and so we brought Nappa Valley to Illinois. After researching different vendors for everything that had wedding in the name ( invitations, decorations, venues, etc) I realized I wanted to try and DIY on some things. We were grateful to have amazing family and friends in our life that jumped on board when we told them the plan.
The overall wedding planning process was exiting, but also overwhelming at times with the amount of different options available. We sat down and made a decision on what was important to us and completed the budget from that list. I wanted my dress to be a statement and Allure did not disappoint. The bridesmaids dresses matched my blush dress with burgundy and gold. The groomsmen wore black and white bowtie tuxedos.
My favorite part of the day was our ceremony. My father walked me down the aisle to A Thousand Years and seeing my groom at the end waiting for me under our backdrop was breathtaking. We had an intimate ceremony exchanging our own vows in front of our close friends and family. The reception carried on to the Italian restaurant next door.
One of our focuses for the wedding was good food and exceptional wine which is why we decided on Acquaviva Winery. They make their own delicious wine and have excellent Italian food. Family is everything to us so a memory table for those not here with us was a must. Our signature drinks were dedicated to past family dogs, and our cigar bar for our current furry son Chewbacca. The table centerpieces were gold plated bowls with overflowing flowers and greens. Candles were placed throughout the entire restaurant to add lighting and a romantic feel. Our wedding day felt like I was in a fairytale. Every detail I imagined came together and the vows we exchanged with one another are something I will hold close to my heart forever.
Advice for future brides- enjoy every single moment of the day whether good or bad. There will be flaws and hiccups that will not go accordingly to the detailed itinerary you spent hours making. Laugh about it and live in the moment. Your wedding day is about the new life you are creating with your soul mate and everything else doesn’t matter.
Photography: Shaun Menary Photography | Videographer: Imagination Designers | Floral design: Hyvee Floral | Wedding Dress: Allure Bridal | Cake: The Sugar Path | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Wedding bands: Diamond Doctor | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Marien Mae Bridal Boutique | Catering: Acquaviva Winery | Makeup artist: Flawless By Tiffany | Hair stylist: Tami Martin | Suit: Michael Kors | Transportation: Way To Go Limousine | Wedding Venue: Acquaviva Winery | DJ and lighting: Magsino Mobile Entertainment | Paper goods: Wedding Paper Divas | Prep location: Pheasant Run Resort | Shoe retailer: Arte Latica | Wedding dress retailer: Marien Mae Bridal Boutique
