Intimate Wedding at Reality on Monroe in Bloomington, IL | Madison + Austin

In late May I was able to document a one of a kind intimate wedding at one of my favorite venues in Bloomington, Illinois, Reality on Monroe! Madison and Austin had such a specific and beautiful vision for their wedding day, and the execution of said vision was absolutely flawless. Their day is a prime example of what a wedding day should be, a day where the focus is YOU and what YOU want it to be! Let’s check out how they made their day perfect for them, and why Reality on Monroe was the ideal choice as a wedding venue.

Getting Ready and First Looks

The day began with Madison getting ready in the company of her friends and family while having her hair and makeup done by the incredibly talented stylist from CampBride. It was a calm and relaxed start to the day, but you could feel the anticipation building. As Madison slipped into her wedding dress there was a wave of excitement throughout the room as the realization of “this is really happening” washed over everyone! It was then time to meet up with Austin outside of the lovely Vrooman Mansion for a first look. This is one of my favorite spots for portraits in all of Bloomington as the Mansion has such a beautiful and historic style to it, the perfect backdrop for a first look and some portraits. 

As Madison snuck up behind Austin she couldn’t hold back her tears of joy, and as Austin turned around to see the love of his life his face immediately lit up. It was such a special moment between these two, and the start to what would become one of the best days of their lives! From there we took some time to snap some couples portraits around Vrooman Mansion before Madison and Austin shared some private vows with one another. I love how these two chose to incorporate these intimate moments into their wedding day, as it’s such a beautiful way to make the day more personal and ground one another before the rest of the day’s festivities. After this it was time to make our way to Reality on Monroe, their intimate wedding day was officially underway!

An Intimate Wedding Ceremony at Reality on Monroe

Reality on Monroe is a favorite venue of mine for a number of reasons, one of which is the stunning and historic beauty of the space. The ceremony space in particular is a prime example of this as the classic brick walls feature pieces of a painting from Thomas Cusack who was an Illinois politician and painter in the late 1800’s / early 1900’s. This bit of history in my opinion really elevates the feel and the style of Reality on Monroe, and made it the perfect space for Madison and Austin’s intimate wedding ceremony. The ceremony began with Madison being walked down the aisle by her father towards Austin who was excitedly waiting. They kept the ceremony short and sweet, just how they wanted it! Just another way that these two remained unapologetically committed to their specific wedding vision, which I am ALL for!

Their Low-Key and Intimate Wedding Reception at Reality on Monroe

Immediately following the ceremony we had time for some family and group photos in front of that beautiful brick wall that I am just in love with. The same space would then be converted so that Madison and Austin could have their reception in the gorgeous room. It was a wonderfully low-key reception, which was so much fun for everyone. There were some sweet first dances, lovely speeches, and board games for guests to enjoy which I thought was a fun twist on the traditional reception formula! To end off the day Madison, Austin, and I snuck out from their intimate wedding reception for some sunset portraits outside of Reality on Monroe. We got to enjoy the most beautiful sunset for our photos which capped off their wedding in THE most perfect way.

I’m so happy I got to document Madison and Austin’s intimate wedding, and I couldn’t imagine a better space for these two to celebrate their love than at Reality on Monroe. It was such a wonderful day for two of the most wonderful people! For more love stories like this head on over to my blog, and if you’re looking to book me as the photographer for your wedding day send me an inquiry through my contact page so we can start the planning process today!