Stephanie and Kyle are truly a match made in heaven! This pair has known each other since high school and have been the biggest cheerleaders for one another ever since. From working out together, the time spent apart when Kyle was deployed (Thank You for your service), and all the in between moments, over seven years these two have brought positivity to their relationship. Well they finally were able to start their new adventure together and share the same last name at The Cannery in Eureka, Illinois and I couldn’t be more excited for these newlyweds!

The bride was beaming as soon as I arrived for her getting ready photos and with their smaller wedding party it made it feel like a very intimate event! Seeing Stephanie step into her gown with flowy ribbon ruffles at the bottom and halter sparkly neckline was show stopping! It was such a unique dress and she mentioned that she had it custom made from two separate dresses she liked. It really was made just for her! Her bridesmaids wore her favorite color of aqua and with a few pops of coral and ivory Stephanie’s vision was complete! Kyle and his guys wore ivory suit jackets with black pants, which was such a fun change of pace. The groomsmen wore the pop of aqua while Kyle wore an ivory tie to help him stand out! This bridal party was looking good!

From the start, Kyle was adamant that he did NOT want to see Stephanie before she started walking down the aisle. I am always 100% respectful of that decision. However, in this case their day was SUPER hot and there was a threat of a big thunderstorm coming into the area right after the ceremony when we would be doing all of the couple’s photos. We had planned to do many photos of each side of the bridal party separately to keep these two from seeing one another before the ceremony, but with a lot of red, yellow, and green on the radar I had to chat a bit with Kyle about maybe doing a first look. I did not want this amazing couple to miss out on their couple portraits because it started raining during that time. Luckily for me, Kyle didn’t give too much of a fight when I showed him the radar and explained where I was coming from. I’m so incredibly thankful for his trust! So we set up the first look with Kyle and Stephanie and it was amazing! Kyle started tearing up as soon as he saw his bride and they had a wonderful intimate moment together. We were able to get all of their photos in before the ceremony and they were so beautiful! And we were blessed by the fact that after the ceremony it did not in fact pour down rain so we had even more time for photos with the happy couple which was perfect!

Speaking of their ceremony, it was a gorgeous one! Not only did the second Stephanie started walking down the aisle did Kyle start to cry, but the whole ceremony was full of emotions, fun (the bridesmaids actually danced down the aisle), and love! I’m so glad that the anticipation of seeing Stephanie walking towards him before their “I Do’s” was not lost because we did the first look (which is usually the case!) In front of their family and friends Stephanie and Kyle professed their love and support for one another, exchanged rings, and sealed it all with a kiss! And not to be outdone by dancing down the aisle, Kyle and Stephanie exited as husband and wife with fists raised and dancing hand in hand out of the ceremony! So joyful!

And the joy did not stop once we entered the beautiful Cannery’s reception hall! The industrial vibe is stunning and with the added decor of Stephanie and Kyle’s aqua and coral colors it just looked phenomenal! They shared some sweet dances including their first dance that had voice over audio of them reading letters to one another and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room! These two wanted a party and boy did they get it! Once the dance floor was open it was full the rest of the night! So much fun was had by all of their guests, the couple, and even myself who was singing and dancing along with these special newlyweds!

Congrats to Stephanie and Kyle, who truly are a fantastic couple! I wish you nothing but the best and continued blessings in your new married life together!

Warm Regards,

Huge Shout Out to all of Stephanie & Kyle’s vendors who made the day so amazing!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Cannery

Videographer: Erica Resist

Florist: Stems by Allison

DJ: Epic Entertainment

Photo Booth: Epic Entertainment

Bride’s Dress: Adore Bridal Casablanca

Bridesmaids Dresses: Adore Bridal Casablanca

Grooms/Groomsmen Attire: Jim’s Formal Wear

Makeup Artist: Megan Rupier (Mary Kay)

Hair Stylist: Stephanie

Caterer: Hickory River

Invitations: Walmart

Isn’t Stephanie just a vision?!

Kyle and his guys cleaned up pretty well too! And now for the special first look moment!

The bridal party surrounding this couple were so lovely and fun!

These two really took in every moment of their day even with the heat they loved snuggling in close!

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Baker!

A few more photos of the newlyweds before their reception!

The couple did a “Selfie Dance” instead of a dollar dance and it was so fun to watch!

This bride was ready to dance! Stephanie was on the dance floor all night! I was able to steal her away with her new hubby for a few sunset photos though!

If you are looking for your wedding photographer, I am now booking 2022 wedding dates! Contact me today to chat about your wedding day vision!