When I photographed Kimberly and Corey’s engagement photos in the fall of 2019, little did we know it would take much longer before we saw each other again. The plan had been to capture them tying the knot in June 2020 and that was it, right?! Nope! 2020 sure showed us all some of the craziness it had in store! With a global pandemic arriving in the US, Kimberly and Corey had a big decision to make about their wedding day. So they decided to make the stressful call to push back their wedding date. Well, like all of us at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, we all assumed it would be over by the end of the summer. So, this wonderful couple rescheduled their date to mid-August 2020. Yet, with wedding venues all over the state either saying “NO” to events all together or only allowing a very small number of guests, Kimberly and Corey had to make the hard decision for a second time to reschedule their wedding date to spring 2021. However, these two never wavered. Kimberly and Corey have been hand and hand for over ten years after meeting while working at a local grocery store. So although, I can only imagine this being one of the toughest decisions to make, not once, not twice, but to change their wedding date a third time they did it together and that’s all that matters. Third time was a charm as they finally became husband and wife on a beautiful spring day in May!

Kimberly was stunning in her beaded gown with a gorgeous lace train!! She was a true definition of Bride on her big day! She was nervous she said, but SO ready to get married and be able to enjoy being with family and friends at the reception! Her bridesmaids looked lovely in their sage green dresses, which went perfectly with the springtime bouquets filled with cream hydrangeas, pink roses, eucalyptus leaves. Corey and the boys didn’t disappoint as they were looking very handsome in their light gray suits, sage ties (gray for Corey), and matching rose boutonnieres. It was a big bridal party, but man were they so fun to work with!

The couple chose to get married at the amazing Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Downtown Springfield, Illinois. I will not lie when I say that when the organ began to play and the doors opened to Kimberly, her dad, and step-dad as they began walking up the aisle I might have teared up! And it wasn’t just me, Corey took in every step of her walking towards him down that long aisle and wiped away his tears as she arrived in front of him. So sweet and so worth the wait! Kimberly and Corey shared their vows, exchanged rings, and sealed it all with a kiss before they were FINALLY pronounced Mr. & Mrs. House!

We made our way over to one of my favorites spots in town, Washington Park, in hopes to get in all of our portraits before the rain that was in the forecast hit. It was a bit chilly for an early May day, however the newlyweds and their crew had nothing but laughs and excitement to bring for photos! Everything popped against the fresh grass and budding trees and when it was time for just Kimberly and Corey, we were able to get a few remaining blooming trees to help create their springtime look! YAY! The skies opened up with rain as soon as we finished up with portraits and although we didn’t get the chance for sunset photos, the time I spent with this couple after rescheduling their wedding for the third time was well worth it!

The reception hall at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel was incredible with an ambiance of glamour! The couple’s monogram projected on the wall behind the head table, florals scattered along the tables, and candlelight flickering everywhere! It really felt so good to be back photographing a wedding reception again! The toasts from Kimberly’s maid of honor, Ashley and Corey’s best man and father, Dave were so sweet. And their first dance, along with Kimberly’s dances with her two dads and Corey’s dance with his mom were very emotional and touching to see. I ended my time with this wonderful couple as friends and family were dancing the night away to celebrate the new husband and wife!

I’m sure Kimberly and Corey thought their journey to the altar would never come to fruition after planning it during a worldwide pandemic, however they made the decision to ride the wave together and boy did it pay off! I think their marriage is definitely off to an amazing start! Congrats to Mr. & Mrs. House!

Warm Regards,

Huge shout out to Kimberly and Corey’s incredible vendors who helped make their day amazing!

Ceremony Venue: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Reception Venue: President Abraham Lincoln Hotel by DoubleTree

Bride’s Dress: Simply Elegant By Cheri

Florist: Schnuck’s

DJ: Cory Brown

Hair and Makeup: Willow and Birch

Cake: Hyvee

Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal

Groomsmen and Groom Attire: Jos A Bank

Isn’t Kimberly just a dream in her dress?

Let’s get these two married!

Portrait Time!

The Newlyweds!

These guys were ready to party!

Currently booking 2022 wedding dates! Contact Lauren today to find out more about wedding photography services as well as the experience you receive when becoming a LWP Couple!