* Stef & Jake * Artisans Building * Springfield Illinois * Spring Wedding Photographer *
When you witness the way Jake and Stef look deep into each other’s eyes, you immediately know they are a perfect match for one another! They have an emotional connection which simply brings out the best, most positive attributes of the other. These are the exact reasons I could not wait to be a part of their nuptials, which were held a week ago in Springfield, Illinois on a beautiful spring day! The weather was absolutely amazing for their big day at the Artisans Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. This lovely couple met while attending the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. Stef was studying to be a physical therapist and Jake is a math guy through and through, who now puts those skills to work in the insurance field. When Jake first built up enough courage to ask Stef out she made him wait a week before giving him a “Yes” answer. She needed to make sure it was the right decision before committing to a date! Love it! I’m thinking now, she made a pretty good decision to accept his request for a date! Don’t you?!
Stef and Jake made it clear to me from the very beginning they wanted a heavy focus on portraits to ensure their special moments were saved forever! You know how much I love that idea! In case you don’t…I ADORE that idea! They chose to do a first look followed by almost an hour of photos with only the two of them! Wedding day is always a whirlwind and many times the bride and groom don’t really have the opportunity to let the excitement and meaning behind the day fully set in together. This time, to Stef and Jake, was priceless and I adored witnessing Jake seeing his wife-to-be for the first time before their ceremony. Stef was stunning in her incredible lace gown and her natural curls swept up. She made a beautiful bride with her timeless style and natural kindness. Jake met his bride in a classic black tux with a black bowtie, which he apparently spent hours learning how to tie perfectly! Once the two of them were hand in hand all the stress of planning simply melted away. Their style was impeccable and capturing their loving relationship was a blessing for me.
Their ceremony was held at Christ the King Catholic Church in Springfield, where family friend, Father Corey Broast, performed their nuptials. He shared the story of how Step and Jake’s relationship came full circle from meeting at U of I as well as Jake proposing on campus in front of the library. I remember them showing me the exact spot where Jake popped the question during their engagement session (which you can see HERE) last fall. So cute! Once the couple spoke their emotional vows to one another they exchanged rings and finished the ceremony with a sweet kiss. They were officially MARRIED! WOOHOO! We then took the new Mr. & Mrs. Midden over to Lincoln Park along with their bridal party, which was made up of each of their siblings for a few more photos. The ladies were in gorgeous wine colored dresses while the guys also donned stylish black suits and the same shade of wine ties to bring the whole bridal party look together. We ended at the park spending plenty of time with the newlyweds and capturing their joyful moments! Everything from the delightful couple, to the perfect weather, and a fantastic wedding party made the day spectacular!
Stef and Jake were joined by so many family and friends at the Artisans Building for their reception from all over. They showered them with love, congratulations, and plenty of dancing! Toasts from Stef’s sister, Caroline and Jake’s brother Marcus were both emotional and hilarious! Caroline even read a sweet letter Jake wrote her after her high school graduation with 10 pieces of advice to navigating U of I. Following speeches the original plan was to take the couple back over to Lincoln Park for the photos Jake and Stef said they loved so dearly…Golden Hour photos! That made my heart soar when they even knew the correct photography terminology! Unfortunately, a big patch of clouds moved in and judging by the looks of them if we didn’t take advantage of the small sliver of sun peeking through right at the Artisans Building we would totally miss it. Yet, because Stef and Jake were willing to adapt all day, they happily went with the new plan. They shared a few more quiet moments reflecting on the blessing of the lovely day and on their future to come. I’m honored Stef and Jake chose me as their wedding photographer and thrilled I had the chance to go on this journey with them from engagement to marriage. Cheers to Mr. & Mrs. Midden!
Warm Regards,
Lauren
Huge shout out to Stefanie & Jacob’s amazing vendors!
-Ceremony Venue: Christ the King, Christ The King
-Reception Venue: Artisans Building, Artisans Building
-Cake Artist: Carrie Harrison with HyVee, Springfield, IL HyVee
-DJ: Radio Pro DJs, Radio Pro DJs
-Hair Artist: BJ Grand Salon, BJ Grand Salon
-Makeup Artist: Shelby Roesch with BJ Grand Salon
-Videographer: Video Edited Memories, Video Edited Memories
-Prints: Amanda Lynch-Rogers with Prints Charming, Prints Charming
-Bridesmaid Dresses: Macy’s, Macy’s
-Tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse, Men’s Wearhouse
