An Illinois Wedding

When looking back at Dan and Amy’s wedding day, we must first acknowledge the weather. It was… unexpected, to say the least. Earlier that week we were exploring a local forest preserve with these two for their engagement session – it was around 80 degrees and I think I got sunburned. Saturday rolled around for their outdoor morning wedding and I peeked out our hotel window to see tiny snow flurries fluttering by in the glow of the early morning moonlight.

On very hot and very cold outdoor wedding days, we usually expect that lots of guests simply won’t show up due to the extreme weather. That couldn’t have been further from the truth for Dan and Amy’s wedding. I have never seen a happier group of wedding guests gathering for a ceremony – they completely packed the pavilion.

Think about most wedding ceremonies you’ve attended – usually everyone gathers beforehand, very quiet and solemn-like, right? They all find their seats and sit, whispering to one another and quietly looking over the program. Not Dan and Amy’s wedding guests. They were loud and gregarious, full of laughter and JOY. Instead of complaining about the weather, everyone bundled up – they dug out the winter coats and hats and scarves and gloves, and they brought blankets to keep warm and snuggle with their friends and family. They stopped by the coffee table on their way into the ceremony, filled their cups with warmth, and snuggled into their seats, sipping coffee, their cheeks and noses rosy.

It became quite clear to us that Dan and Amy are LOVED, truly and deeply loved by their friends and family. A little freezing rain, snow flurries, and gale force winds couldn’t keep Dan and Amy’s people from joining in their joy and fully embracing the celebration of their day. It makes sense, if you know Dan and Amy’s full story. I imagine many of the people gathered in that pavilion have seen their relationship grow from the beginning – from the very first inklings of interest when Amy and Dan were in middle school and high school. I imagine most of the guests who gathered that day have cheered their relationship on, through thick and thin, through awkward high school years, and challenging college ones. I imagine each person there has their own story of Amy and Dan, their own piece of their love story, perhaps a part they like to take credit for or a conversation they’re certain had some influence in their relationship. Dan and Amy’s day truly felt like a coming-together of many different parts of their story, all converging to celebrate with them as they committed the rest of their lives to one another.

Enjoy the story of Dan and Amy’s wedding day through our film and photos. Enjoy the Frank Lloyd Wright house where the girls got ready (our architecture-loving selves were in heaven). Enjoy the letter Dan wrote to Amy, spoken in his own words – it brings tears to my eyes every time. Enjoy their sweet first look. Enjoy the details – Amy’s BHLDN dress, her flower crown, her fur coat. Enjoy that guest book – a gift Dan gave to Amy when he proposed to her. It’s a story book of their relationship, full of photos of the two of them, even photos from the awkward early years. Enjoy the happy tears, the laughter, and the joy. In fact, to fully get into the spirit of their day, you should probably wrap up in a blanket, cozy up with someone you love, and grab a cup of coffee before diving into their photos and film.