I love stories. IG captions don’t quite allow me to share with you all the beautiful details that go into my couples and our time together.
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I think it’s safe to say that Julie and Tyler’s wedding day in the suburbs of Chicago was about as dreamy as a fall wedding can be! These two chose the incredible Morton Arboretum as their wedding venue, and it’s hard to imagine a more fitting choice for their day. From the gorgeous natural setting of the arboretum, to the endless amount of care put into the details of their day, everything just felt SO right for Julie and Tyler’s celebration. I’m beyond grateful that these two chose me to document the magical experience that was their wedding day, and I’m so excited to share the highlights here!
My day began as I met up with Julie prior to her and Tyler’s first look. Julie was already in her wedding dress and looked absolutely stunning, and we quickly made our way outside to find Tyler. Surrounded by the beauty of the Morton Arboretum’s breathtaking gardens, Julie and Tyler saw one another for the first time, officially kicking off their wedding day together! This moment was EVERYTHING. The joy radiating from these two, the fall colors of their attire and Julie’s bouquet, the dreamy lighting and setting of the arboretum, it all just felt SO right.
After the initial excitement of seeing one another for the first time, Julie, Tyler, and I spent some time taking couples portraits in one of the arboretum’s magical forests. It was a pretty windy day, and we even recreated one of my favorite photos from their engagement session by accident because of the wind. It was such a fun way to start the day, and the good times were just getting started!
Eventually we returned to the Morton Arboretum’s Firefly Pavilion, the site of their ceremony and reception, for some wedding party and family photos. These were wonderful, especially as both Julie and Tyler’s wedding party members had amazing senses of humor. After a few good laughs, and plenty of amazing portraits for their wedding album, it was officially time for their ceremony to begin!
Tyler works as a graphic designer, so welcoming everyone to their wedding day was a custom designed welcome sign which depicted the soon to be newlyweds as two cute little beans! This theme of beans would show up time and again throughout their wedding day, and was such a fun and unique touch. Once their guests had found their seats in the open air Firefly Pavilion it was time for the festivities to begin.
Julie and Tyler’s wedding ceremony at the Morton Arboretum was an unforgettable experience, one filled with traditions and SO much emotion. After everyone had made their entrance we were treated to some phenomenal readings from their friend Kelly and Ryan who used to nanny them as kids.
Next came the Hap-geun-rye, which is a Korean wedding tradition where the couple drinks wine from hollowed out gourds. To put their own twist on this though, Julie and Tyler drank the wine from pottery that Julie had made herself!
Then came the waterworks as Julie and Tyler shared their emotional and heartfelt vows to one another. Believe me when I say there wasn’t a dry eye in the building! Moments like this are what makes weddings so wonderful to document, and why I love what I do SO much!
Soon Julie and Tyler were officially announced as newlyweds and were able to share their first kiss as Mr and Mrs! We then took some time for some newlywed portraits around the Morton Arboretum before making our way back to join their friends and family for the wedding reception.
Julie and Tyler were able to join the tail end of their cocktail hour, which was SUCH a fun start to the evening! Keeping with the bean theme, their wedding favors included chocolate covered coffee beans, jelly beans, and baked beans.
I also adore their idea for the guest book. In it they included a picture of themselves they’d taken with every guest invited to the wedding, and asked that everyone share a memory as they signed next to their photo. It was such a fun idea I hadn’t seen before and it was amazing seeing how everyone got SO into it!
You may also notice that everyone wore fake mustaches like Tyler’s during cocktail hour. Just another fun way that these two really went the extra mile to make the day feel like them.
Their candlelit reception was a remarkably beautiful celebration. This was partly due to the phenomenal choice of wedding venue in the Morton Arboretum, but mostly because it was clear just how much this day meant to everyone.
After some lovely toasts and their cake cutting, Julie and Tyler took to the dance floor for their first dance to “You’re All I Need to Get By’ performed by some of their friends on acoustic guitar.
After this and their dances with their parents the floor opened to everyone, and the party was underway. It was an exceptionally energetic dancefloor, especially when HOT TO GO and Gangnam Style came on! Talk about an epic end to a wonderful day!
I’ll forever love to look back on and relive Julie and Tyler’s fall wedding at the Morton Arboretum. For more wedding day inspiration check out my blog, and if you’d like me to document your wedding be sure to inquire today through my contact page!
Wedding Venue: The Morton Arboretum
Dress: Girls in White Satin
Suit: Suit Supply
Makeup: Makeup by Jacquee
Accessories: Stella Blue Design
Rings: Jamie Park Jewelry; Holden Rings
Cake: Deetta’s Bakery
Florals: Done by Julie!!
January 23, 2025
Rachael McMillan
All love is welcome & celebrated here.
Rachael Marie Photography values inclusivity and will never discriminate against your gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, body type, or abilities. You are wonderful, beautiful, and loved here.
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