A bride and groom hold hands and stand next to one another while smiling and with their arms in the air as they begin to exit their outdoor wedding ceremony at Bloomington Country Club

Elegant Wedding at the Bloomington Country Club | Allie + Dylan

[THE BLOG]

Let Allie & Dylan’s day show you, the importance of all portraits before the ceremony.

Allie and Dylan’s wedding took place in June of 2023, and believe me when I say even though time has passed, I still get goosebumps reliving their day.

Their wedding day was incredible to capture, and their love for one another even more so. These two spent 4 of the first years of their relationship long distance, and with Dylan being in the Navy he was actually UNDERWATER during most of their wedding planning.

Needless to say that when their wedding day at the Bloomington Country Club finally came around they both were over the moon with excitement and bursting with emotion!

Two photos side by side, the left of a wedding dress in a dining room handing in front of a large window, the right is of the bride looking at that same wedding dress and smiling at the camera

Getting Ready and an Emotional First Look

Both Allie and Dylan got ready for their day separately as they wanted to have a first look as part of their wedding day. Allie and her gals got ready at The Alice Airbnb which was SO perfect!

Black and white photo of a bride in a hallway being helped by two of her bridesmaids get ready for her wedding day

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride crouching to put on her shoe while smiling at the camera, the right is of a piece of fabric with a quote from the bible on it

The space had so much natural lighting, space for everyone to spread out while they got ready, and just the perfect vibes to start the day.

I recently wrote a blog covering some of my favorite getting ready spaces in the Bloomington-Normal area, so it should come as no surprise that The Alice made the list!

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride in her wedding dress standing in front of a large wall of windows looking over her shoulder as her mother helps put on her dress, the right is of the same bride smiling as her mother hugs her from behind

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride smiling at the camera in front of a window while putting on her makeup with a small mirror in one hand, the right is a black and white photo of the same bride in front of a wall of windows putting her makeup on

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride smiling at the camera while standing in front of a window, the right is a black and white photo of the bride standing in a room with her bridesmaids in front of her as her mother adjusts the tail of her dress

2 photos side by side, the left is a shoulder down photo of a bride holding an envelope towards the camera, the right is of the bride crying while hugging one of her bridesmaids as her other bridesmaids stand around her

A group of 6 bridesmaids stand side by side holding hands and smiling as the bride in the foreground stands facing them during her first look

2 photos side by side, the left is a black and white photo of a shoulder down photo a bride standing and holding her own arm, the right photo is of the bride standing in front of a window and looking over her shoulder as her veil flows towards the camera

Once ready and Allie had some time for a first look with her ladies it was time to head to their wedding venue, the Bloomington Country Club, for the first look with Dylan.

Shoulder down photo of bridesmaids walking in the street with one of them holding a bouquet of flowers with a towel on their stems

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride standing behind a groom with a bridesmaid adjusting her veil, all three of them face away from the camera on a path in a park the right photo is of the bride now tapping the shoulder of the groom to get him to turn around

First looks are always an emotional high point of a wedding day, but HOLY COW was Allie and Dylan’s one of the most beautiful and emotional I’ve ever captured!

Before their wedding at the Bloomington Country Club a bride reaches out to touch the shoulder of the groom who is facing away from her while they stand in a park

A groom covers his mouth seeing the bride for the first time in her wedding dress while they stand in a park at the Bloomington Country Club before their wedding

3 photos side by side, the left is of a bride on a pathway in a park smiling and crying while holding her bouquet, the middle is of the groom looking down and smiling while holding the bride's hand, and the right is of the bride looking over her shoulder as the groom behind her looks at her dress

It took a minute for us to all regain our composure before taking some couples portraits.

We also took wedding party portraits immediately afterwards on the Bloomington Country Club grounds.

2 black and white photos side by side, the left is of a bride smiling at the camera with her head on the grooms chest as he hugs her, the right is of the same bride and groom standing in a park holding hands and laughing at one another

2 photos side by side, the left is of a groom standing in a park and smiling at the camera while holding a flower bouquet, the right is of a bride and groom walking hand in hand away from the camera in the same park

2 photos side by side, the left is a black and white photo of a bride and groom with their eyes closed underneath the bride's veil as the two smile, the right is of the same couple standing next to one another in a park while smiling and laughing

Black and white film photo of a bride and groom standing next to one another and looking at the camera before their wedding ceremony at Bloomington Country Club

Allie and Dylan wanted to focus their time on their wedding day on hanging out and enjoying themselves with their guests.

A bride smiles at her bridesmaids while standing next to her groom and her groomsmen in a park before their wedding ceremony at the Bloomington Country Club

A bride and groom stand in a park with their wedding parties mixed on either side of them as they all smile at the camera before their wedding ceremony at Bloomington Country Club

We purposely put ALL the formal portraits very early in the day; meaning all wedding party, Allie’s side, and Dylan’s side.

A bride and groom walk hand in hand towards the camera while smiling as their wedding parties on either side of them cheering them on before their wedding ceremony at Bloomington Country Club

2 photos side by side of a bride with her 7 bridesmaids, the left photo they are all smiling at the camera or the bride and in the right photo they are shouting at the camera with their bouquets held in the air behind them

A groom stands with his 7 groomsmen in a park before his wedding at Bloomington Country Club, the groom is smiling at the camera while the other groomsmen adjust their suit coats

After wedding party photos, Dylan changed into his whites, his formal white naval uniform, for a few more portrait photos.

2 photos side by side, the left is a close up photo of a groom adjusting his shoes while in a field, the right is of a bride and groom in his military uniform standing next to one another in a park and reading a letter

During these photos, Dylan and Allie received an unexpected gift from Dylan’s parents. I’ll never forget their reactions, shocked, thankful, and oh so emotional.

A bride and groom in his military uniform stand next to one another and smile with the bride's parents in front of them as they stand in a park outside the Bloomington Country Club before their wedding ceremony

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom in military uniform and the the bride's mother and father next to them standing in a field, the right is of the same bride hugging her mother while her father and groom smile behind them

2 photos side by side, the left is of a groom in military uniform holding a bride in the air as the two smile while standing in a park, the right is a black and white close up photo of the same bride being held by the same groom

2 side by side photos, the left is of a bride and groom kissing one another in front of a brick building, the right is of the same couple walking in the street towards the brick building away from the camera

2 photos side by side, the left is of a child on a chair smiling at the camera, the right is of a bride and groom walking around their reception space together and the bride exclaims while pointing at the table

We went back inside before the ceremony, where Allie was able to see the reception set up! As you can tell from these photos, she was OBSESSED!!

Inside the Bloomington Country Club a bride makes a shocked look towards the camera while standing in the reception space of their wedding

Ceremony, Portraits, and a Garden Party

At Bloomington Country Club, one of the ceremony space options is outside. Underneath a massive tree, and with gorgeous flower decor put together by Allie herself, the space was immaculate.

2 photos side by side, the left is of white flowers in a vase sitting on a pedestal outdoors, the right is of a glass of wine on a small table outside next to a plate of crackers

A woman holds a wicker basket filled with rolled up fake newspapers with headlines about the wedding

Guests of an outdoor wedding at Bloomington Country Club are seated and wait for the ceremony to begin

2 side by side photos, the left is of a groom being walked down the aisle by his mother and the right is of a bride crying and smiling while being walked down the aisle by her father to their outdoor ceremony

Although Allie and Dylan did a first look earlier they still both teared up as Allie walked down the aisle for their ceremony!

Black and white photo of a young boy carrying the rings of a wedding ceremony down the aisle of a wedding ceremony

An outdoor wedding ceremony takes place at Bloomington Country Club underneath a large tree

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom standing next to one another during their outdoor wedding ceremony, the right is of a young girl with her father at that same wedding making a face at the camera

This gal in the sunglasses is one of my favorite wedding photos to date, even years later!!

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom kissing outside underneath a tree, the right is a black and white photo of the same bride and groom at their wedding ceremony as the bride drinks a glass of wine

The two took communion together as their unity ritual.

Guests of an outdoor wedding ceremony at Bloomington Country Club clap and cheer towards the bride and groom who are off camera

THEY DID ITTT AHHHH!!!

3 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom holding hands and smiling at the camera while walking out of their wedding ceremony, the middle is a black and white photo of a bride hugging a guest of the wedding, the right is of the bride screaming with joy as her bridesmaids adjust her wedding dress

A young child runs towards a bride in a park as the bride crouches down and extends her arms out towards the child to catch her

A brides shoes sit in the grass next to a tote filled with wine bottles and other items

Sticking with their plan of getting portraits done early, we were able to get the large extended family portraits finished right after their ceremony had ended.

I LOVE how Allie and Dylan had a clear vision for their wedding day that let us create a timeline that let them enjoy their day how THEY wanted.

3 photos side by side, the left is of a bride holding a small child as her bridesmaids adjust her wedding dress, the middle is of a couple who are guests of the wedding smiling at the camera, the right is of floral decorations of the outdoor wedding ceremony space

I ripped through those family photos so fast so Allie and Dylan could hang with their guests during cocktail hour, or as they called it, the garden party!

A can of Stella Artois sits on a table with other drinks with guests of a wedding standing around the table

2 photos side by side, the left is of a fake newspaper with headlines talking about the couple's wedding day, the right is of guests of the wedding mingling next to a small table during cocktail hour

Wedding Reception at the Bloomington Country Club

One of my favorite parts of the Bloomington Country Club as a wedding venue is how beautiful both its indoor and outdoor spaces are!

While the outdoor ceremony space is light, open, and naturally beautiful, the interior has an elegant vintage feel to it that was perfect for their reception!

2 photos side by side, the left is of candles in glassware on the floor next to a large sign with a couples name on it welcoming guests to a wedding reception, the right is of a large poster board with the guest list of the wedding and their table numbers

2 photos side by side, the left is of a wedding cake with the words "just married" on it, the right is of a table in a building set up for a wedding reception

I mean how CHARMING!!

2 photos side by side, the left is a close up of a table set up and decorated for an indoor wedding reception, the right is of guests of a wedding walking into a brick building for the wedding reception

Guests of an indoor wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club sit at a table and mingle with one another before dinner

2 photos side by side, the left is of the bride and groom walking hand in hand as they raise their arms in the air entering their reception space, the right is a black and white photo of the bride and groom in the middle of their reception space celebrating with their guests around them

A bride leans back and laughs as she holds the grooms hand who is sitting next to her during their wedding reception at Bloomington Country Club

2 photos side by side, the left is of the bride sitting at a table and looking at the camera with her finger to her mouth, the right is of the bride and groom sitting next to one another and laughing with one another

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom sitting at the head table next to one another as a groomsmen gives a speech next to them, the right is of the same bride and groom sitting at the table as the bride wipes a tear away from her eyes while listening to a speech

Guests of a wedding reception at Bloomington Country Club sitting at a table lift their glasses during a speech

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom sitting at a table and the bride is being hugged by a bridesmaid, the right is of the bride and groom smiling with excitement while they cut their wedding cake

At a wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club a bride smears cake on a grooms face as he smiles and guests watch

2 black and white photos side by side, the left is of a bride smiling at the camera while the groom wipes cake from his face, the right is of wedding guests watching this happen and taking photos of the moment

At their wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club a bride and groom sit back to back to play the shoe game, the bride is turning around to touch the groom's shoulder as he laughs

3 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom dancing during their indoor wedding reception, the middle is of the same bride dancing with her father, and the right is of the bride and groom kissing one another while their grandparents dance next to them

After some speeches, mingling, and Allie shoving some cake in Dylan’s face, the three of us snuck away for some solo portraits of the two of them out on the golf course.

At a wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club the bride and groom kiss one another as guests of a wedding all surround them and cheer for them

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom looking at one another and embracing underneath a chandelier, the right is of the same couple out on a golf course and the bride is smiling at the groom as he lifts her in the air

A bride smiles at the camera as the groom kisses her on the cheek during their wedding at the Bloomington Country Club, they're standing on the golf course in the photo

2 photos side by side, the left is a black and white photo of a bride being held by the groom on a golf course with both of them looking at the camera, and the right is the same couple looking and laughing at one another while walking along the golf course

Black and white film photo of a bride and groom on the golf course of Bloomington Country Club running towards the camera and smiling in their wedding attire

After that though it was of course time to head back and get their dance on with all their favorite people for the rest of the evening!

A groomsman and bride dance with other guests of an indoor wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club

A groomsman dances in a dance circle at an indoor wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club

A bride drinks from a glass while on the dance floor of her indoor wedding reception at Bloomington Country Club

A bride and groom stand next to one another and smile at the camera while on the dance floor of their indoor wedding reception at Bloomington Country Club with other guests around them

A bride smiles at the camera while hugging one of her bridesmaids on the dancefloor with other guests behind them during their indoor wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club

A bride and groom smile at the camera while standing next to each other on the dancefloor and showing off their rings to the camera during their indoor wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club

Thank you for coming along on this journey as I relive Allie and Dylan’s wedding day at the Bloomington Country Club for about the 100th time!

This was again one of my favorite wedding days I’ve captured recently and I am SO glad that Allie and Dylan chose me to be a part of their incredible and emotional day!

If you’re ready to book me for your own wedding day head to my contact page to send me an inquiry.

A bride and groom smile at one another on the dancefloor of their indoor wedding reception at the Bloomington Country Club

Vendors

Venue: Bloomington Country Club

Airbnb: The Alice Airbnb

Gown: Modern Trousseau

Jewelry: Fray Pearls

Tux: Generation Tux

Florals: Done by Allie herself!

DJ: A+ Entertainment

Weddings

September 7, 2023

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Heyoo, I'm Rachael (she/her)! I'm a Wedding + Elopement Photographer based in Illinois, helping tell love stories in Chicago, St Louis, and beyond. I hope you'll find some inspiration and helpful resources on this blog, whether or not you choose me to be a part of your big day.

No Gatekeeping Here!

All love is affirmed & celebrated here.

more about me & My Work

I'll give you direction when you need it and space when you don't. I believe the best photos aren't always the ones where everyone is looking at the camera.

Sometimes they're the ones where your best friend is crying. Your grandma is laughing.
Your partner is looking at you when you aren't paying attention. And someone is absolutely losing their mind on the dance floor.

Those are the photos I want to make.

I'm Rachael (she/her) by the way.

For the people who would rather be living the moment than posing for it.