welcome to the blog

Real love stories, real couples, real weddings

read more

Congratulations you must be engaged! This is such an exciting, crazy, and happy time in both of your lives!! As you begin to get into the thick of planning your wedding day you’re going to be making a LOT of decisions. One of the most important of these decisions is going to be choosing your […]

Questions You Need to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

A wedding ceremony takes place outdoors underneath the cover of large trees in a park

read more

Madison and Wes’ wedding! Wow, I have so much to say about this wedding which goes to show just HOW much thought and care they both put into this day! Their wedding day took place at Trailside Event Center, but also included some other Peoria locations as well that we’ll talk about soon enough!  Here’s […]

Floral Wedding at Trailside Event Center in Peoria, IL | Madison + Wes

A bride and groom face one another with their eyes closed while outside of their wedding venue, Trailside Event Center

read more

As some of you may know, and others may not, there are a TON of spectacular wedding venues throughout Bloomington, Illinois! From historic buildings with their original feel and style intact, to new and modern spaces with their own unique vibe to them, there’s something for everyone around Bloomington-Normal. Don’t believe me? Well sit down […]

My 10 Favorite Wedding Venues in Bloomington, Illinois

A bride and groom stand facing one another during their wedding ceremony at their venue, Reality on Monroe in Bloomington, Illinois

read more

Ashley and Jake’s intimate wedding day at Reality on Monroe was a day filled with love and emotion, their story starts LONG before their wedding day though! The two practically grew up together, but were never interested in one another. They later moved across the country from one another, Ashley to Colorado and Jake to […]

Intimate Wedding at Reality on Monroe | Ashley + Jake

A bride and groom stand outside the Vrooman Mansion and smile at one another after their first look

read more

YOU DID IT! You got engaged and now the time has come to start planning your wedding day! You’ve dreamt of this moment for what seems like forever, and you have a vision of what your day is going to look like, now the only question is how to make that dream a reality. While […]

10 Nature Centered Wedding Venues in Illinois

Children dance together while under a tent during an outdoor wedding reception

read more

Retro 70’s aesthetic? Check. Classic Cadillac to pose with for their portraits? Check. A disco themed wedding reception? Also check! Lexi and Alex’s wedding day at the Clayville Historic Site this past fall was a one of a kind day that I’m SO glad to have been a part of! You may recognize these two […]

Retro Disco Wedding at the Clayville Historic Site | Lexi + Alex

A bride and groom walk down the aisle together and smile at their guests after their outdoor wedding ceremony at the Clayville Historic Site

read more

Have you ever wondered what an elopement is? Maybe you’ve heard of them before. They’re those things where a couple sneaks off to get married in secret without anyone knowing right? WRONG! They are now some of the most fun, creative, and thoughtful wedding experiences a couple can have! So what exactly is an elopement […]

What Exactly is an Elopement?

A man and woman kiss one another while in a courtroom for their elopement as guests seated in the background clap

read more

Aundie and Tory’s relationship started similar to more and more relationships, through Tinder! While it started off a little rocky (Tory nearly missed their first date and thankfully Aundie was willing to reschedule!), once the two met they immediately hit things off! Their first date was in November of 2020, Aundie received a promise ring […]

Intimate Wedding at the Sangamon County Courthouse | Aundie + Tory

A bride and groom stand in front of a marble wall and smile at one another while inside the Illinois Capitol Building

read more

You’ve found your person! Your best friend! You’ve gotten engaged and now it’s time to plan a celebration for this love you share with one another. One tiny problem though, the idea of planning a seating chart, deciding on a guest list, finding hotel accommodations for out of town folks… it overwhelms you, and just […]

How to Plan an Airbnb Elopement

A bride and groom hold hands during their elopement ceremony as guests watch, the ceremony takes place outside their Airbnb with mountains in the background

read more

I had the absolute pleasure of capturing my FIRST EVER engagement photos in downtown Chicago last month! First off, thank you to my Chicago photog friends for helping me with the parking, planning, and more. Second, a HUGE congratulations to Alysa and Adam on their engagement and their incredible session! These two have a magical […]

Classy Engagement Photos in Downtown Chicago | Alysa + Adam

Engagement photo of a couple standing at North Avenue Beach with the Chicago skyline in the background, the man is looking at the woman while she looks back at the camera