Leah and Shawn reached out to me a short time before their New Years Eve courthouse wedding to ensure they had a photographer there to capture their intimate day. I couldn’t be more excited I could be a part of their special moments. In the middle of a pandemic, the number of people in Springfield, Illinois that could gather for their wedding was very limited, so I feel very grateful I had the honor to bear witness to their nuptials.

I met Leah and Shawn outside of the courthouse in Downtown Springfield before their ceremony for a first look. It was freezing, but this pair could not wait to see one another. Leah looked gorgeous in her ivory tulle gown with floral appliqués. And Shawn was lovely in her new tailored black suit with ivory blouse. Shawn took in every detail of Leah’s dress when she turned to see her for the first time. Such a sweet moment. I then headed up with the couple along with Leah’s parents while Shawn’s brothers waited downstairs as there was a limit for the number of people in the room where the ceremony was taking place. When it was finally time for Leah and Shawn to have their ceremony they had a phone set up on a Zoom call so all their family and friends could watch as they tied the knot! The actual ceremony was very swift as Leah and Shawn stood (with their matching masks) and spoke their vows, exchanged rings, and shared a kiss to become wife & wife! They are MARRIED!

Following the celebration of Leah and Shawn with their family and friends who were able to attend as well as on Zoom, we headed over to the Illinois State Capitol for some more photos of the newlyweds. Although I know they were freezing being outside, their love for one another did the trick to warm them up! Leah and Shawn have been together for almost 9 years after meeting in the military. Currently Leah is down at school in Nashville studying nursing at Vanderbilt while Shawn is working here in Springfield as she continues serving our country. So simply being together over the holiday break was special to this couple, but even more so on the last day of 2020 as they finally became Mrs. & Mrs. These ladies giggled and snuggled their way through our time together and were up for anything! I loved getting to know them as a couple better and capture these amazing moments of joy for them! Congrats to Leah and Shawn!

Warm Regards,

Time to get these two married!

The joy of FINALLY being married!