Floral Wedding at Venue 1929 in Springfield, Illinois | Brooke + Hunter

Neoclassical Elopement at Allerton Park & Gardens in Monticello, IL

Whimsical Intimate Wedding at Windsong Acres | Sarah + Kyle

11 Large, Historic, Wedding Venues in Central Illinois that are NOT Barns 😜

Weddings

I cannot WAIT to share Brooke and Hunter’s wedding at Venue 1929 in Springfield with you all! I’ve been obsessing over these two and their wedding day since it took place this past August. They created a one of a kind wedding day that truly represented them as well as let them and their guests celebrate in a way totally authentic to them and I CANNOT get over it! Their love story started way back in 2018 when their college friends “shipped” them together. After months of their mutual friends group and even their college RA’s working to set their relationship up the two finally gave it a shot and haven’t looked back since. With that in mind it makes total sense that not only Brooke and Hunter, but all of their friends and family were SO eager to celebrate this day with the now newlyweds!

A wedding day flatlay consisting of earrings, wedding rings, women's shoes, and a wedding invite with a wildflower theme.

2 wedding rings and an engagement ring rest on top of a wedding invitation with wildflowers in spring colors

A simple white wedding dress with a v-neck hangs on a wall of blue and white flowers

Getting Ready for Their Ceremony

Brooke and Hunter both started their wedding day getting ready with their respective wedding parties at The Wyndham in downtown Springfield. Everyone was smiling ear to ear for the entire getting ready process, you could really feel the anticipation and excitement in the air! Once ready we made our way downtown for some first look photos which were so fun and it was so great seeing both Brooke and Hunter light up with joy seeing one another. Shoutout to Brooke’s AWESOME floral veil! It really stole the show and set the floral tone for the rest of their wedding day. After the first look we of course made a quick stop by Cold Stone for some ice cream before making our way to Washington Park for wedding party photos, immediate family photos and wedding portraits!

Having this all done before their ceremony was HUGE for their timeline which is something I talk about in greater detail in this article. As a special note, Brooke’s dad sadly passed away unexpectedly a few weeks prior to this blog going live. She texted me letting me know how much these photos of the two of them together mean to her, and I wanted to highlight that for anyone doubting the importance of family photos on their wedding day. You never know how much time you have left with those you love, so make the most of it and be sure to capture those memories to relive them for years to come. Next up on their wedding day was of course their ceremony at Venue 1929 in Springfield!

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride smiling while hugging her mother, the right is of the bride smiling at the camera while standing in front of a window at their Springfield wedding venue

A man sits on a bed looking at a tie as other men in dress shirts exit the hotel room they're in

A young groom smiles as his father helps tie his light green tie on his neck while they get ready for the wedding day

A tie clip reads "HSF" and rests on a green tie that a man is wearing

Groomsmen in a hotel room get ready for a wedding day together helping one another put their ties on

A groom smiles with his 5 groomsmen while standing in front of a window in a hotel room, they're wearing navy blue suits with light green ties.

A groom walks alongside a photographer outside of a brick building in down town Springfield

A bride reaches out to tap the shoulder of the groom who is facing away before their first look, behind them is a brick wall. The bride is wearing a wedding veil with floral applique.

Black and white photo of a bride and groom hugging in front of a brick wall

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom in front of a brick wall, the left is of them hugging and the right is of them holding hands and smiling at one another

A bride and groom dance together in their wedding attire while on a sidewalk in front of a brick wall

A groom smiles while holding the hand of a bride as she stands in front of him while the two stand in front of a brick wall on a sidewalk together

2 photos side by side, the left is of a colorful flower bouquet being held by a bride towards the camera, the right is black and white of the bride and groom walking away from the camera

A groom smiles while feeding cold stone ice cream to the bride while she holds her flower bouquet

3 photos side by side of a bride and groom, in the left they're sharing ice cream in a cup, in the middle they're laughing while standing next to one another, the right is a black and white photo of them laughing with one another

A groom smiles while being held by his 5 groomsmen while they stand outdoors in front of some trees

A bridesmaid smiles with the 4 members of her wedding party around her as they all hold their flower bouquets together

A bride and groom smile while standing with the members of their wedding parties on either side of them while in front of a row of trees in a park

A bride and groom walk towards the camera holding hands and smiling at one another while members of their wedding parties walk behind them

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride with a floral veil holding her bouquet of flowers with her back to the camera, the right is a similar photo but taken to the left of the bride rather than behind her

2 photos side by side of a bride holding her flower bouquet underneath her floral veil, in the left photo she is looking at the bouquet and in the right she is smiling at the camera

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom sitting together in a park, in the right they're smiling at one another as the groom touches the bride's chin, in the right they're smiling and holding hands

A bride and groom smile while walking next to one another towards the camera while in a park

2 black and white photos side by side of a stone angel on a fountain, the right photo has the bride of a wedding in it looking up at the angel

The exterior of the wedding venue, Venue 1929 in Springfield on a sunny day

Their Wedding Ceremony at Venue 1929

The grand vision for Brooke and Hunter’s wedding day was one full of laughter, color, and love. They wanted their guests to feel the same comfort and joy on their wedding day as they did, and they succeeded with FLYING colors! Venue 1929 in Springfield turned out to be the perfect wedding venue for their day. It has a warm and inviting feeling to it, a feeling similar to the comfort of your own home so that everyone could relax and enjoy themselves. The ceremony itself had an equal amount of thoughtful planning go into it, with Brooke’s brother being their flower guy (a hilarious highlight of the day), Brooke’s parents walking her down the aisle, and their friend Carter being their officiant.

With Carter being their friend from college who took the lead in getting these two together, it felt poetic to have him be the one to officially announce them as husband and wife! As the newlywed exited their ceremony they stopped halfway down the aisle for a dip and a kiss which was SO freaking cute. After the ceremony we were able to finish extended family photos as well as photos with their coworkers who drove and flew all the way from Michigan (where Brooke and Hunter now live) to be there for their day.

2 photos side by side, the left is of a fireplace decorated with flowers and other greenery, the right is a black and white photo of a bride sitting in a chair as bridesmaid adjusts her makeup

An assortment of different flowers sit in different shaped and sized glassware on a brick floor

A groomsmen walks into the indoor ceremony space of the wedding venue, Venue 1929 in Springfield

A groomsmen who is also the officiant of the wedding speaks to seated guests in the indoor space of Venue 1929 in Springfield

A groom and his parents walk into the indoor space of Venue 1929 in Springfield for the beginning of a wedding ceremony

2 photos side by side of a groomsman wearing sunglasses entering a wedding ceremony and throwing confetti in the air acting as the "flower boy"

A groom smiles alongside his officiant while inside the wedding ceremony space of Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 photos side by side of a bride walking into her wedding ceremony with her parents, the left is of them entering the room and the right is of them walking down the aisle

Members of a bridal party stand side by side and smile during an indoor wedding ceremony at Venue 1929 in Springfield

A groom smiles and laughs during his wedding ceremony at Venue 1929 in Springfield as the officiant speaks and looks towards the bride

Black and white photo of a bride holding her bouquet during her indoor wedding ceremony at Venue 1929 in Springfield

An indoor wedding ceremony takes place at Venue 1929 in Springfield, flowers hang from the huge chandelier in the center of the room

Photo of an indoor wedding ceremony taking place at Venue 1929 in Springfield, the photo was taken from a balcony in the venue

A bride and groom exchange rings while holding hands during their indoor wedding ceremony at Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom at their wedding ceremony, the left is of them kissing immediately after their ceremony and the right is of them embracing while exiting the ceremony

A bride and groom smile and celebrate as they begin to exit their indoor wedding ceremony at Venue 1929 in Springfield

A bride is dipped and kissed by the groom while the two walk down the aisle together as they exit their indoor wedding ceremony at Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 black and white photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom embracing while walking down the aisle together, the right is of the couple's hands next to one another resting atop their marriage license

Members of the wedding party show off pieces of paper with the word "Frate" on them to the camera during an indoor reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

A sign in for wedding guests sits on a table, it is the couple's last name and their wedding date in a wood frame

A bride and groom stand next to a table and chat with guests of their wedding while inside Venue 1929 in Springfield

It’s Time to Party

Everything leading up to Brooke and Hunter’s reception was already perfect and SO them, so it only makes sense that the reception would continue with this theme! The reception started with some incredible food from Mission BBQ, followed by some fun and moving speeches. Brooke’s maid of honor, Deora, gave an exceptionally emotional speech in which she asked Brooke to be the godmother of her daughter. Brooke of course accepted while crying just a few happy tears! Brooke actually made a minute by minute playlist for their wedding reception. This hand picked track list was made thanks to her and members of the wedding parties being counselors at 4-H together for years where they all discovered their love for dancing together! Brooke even planned a special song for her to sneak away to switch into her dancing dress and Converse shoes, she thought of everything!

A groomsman gives a speech while standing next to the bride and groom's table during their wedding reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

A bridesmaid stands and gives a speech while standing next to the bride and groom's table during their indoor wedding reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride tearing up while listening to a bridesmaid's speech, the right is a black and white photo of the two of them hugging

Black and white photo of a speech on a piece of paper being held by someone

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom standing at their sweetheart table with their wedding cake, in the left photo they are cutting the cake and in the right photo they are kissing one another

A guest of a wedding shows a picture on her phone to the camera while laughing during a reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 photos side by side, the left is a black and white close up photo of the bride and groom dancing, the right is a color photo of them dancing taken from further away

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom dancing and the right is of a bride spinning in her dress as a guest watches

Black and white photo of a bride sneaking away to a different room to put on her 2nd wedding dress

2 photos side by side, the left is black and white of a bride and her bridesmaid laughing together, the right is of the groom playing limbo on the dancefloor

Guests of a wedding reception inside Venue 1929 in Springfield dance together

2 photos side by side of a grandmother at a wedding reception, in the left she is playing limbo and in the right she is laughing afterwards

A groom stands with his 6 groomsmen each with a plastic cup in their hands ready to take a shot during an indoor wedding reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

Black and white photo of a group of men raising plastic glasses together for a toast while inside Venue 1929 in Springfield during a wedding reception

Photo of a bride and groom standing on an indoor balcony inside Venue 1929 in Springfield as the sun shines through the window behind them during their wedding reception

2 photos side by side, the left is of guests of a wedding dancing together taken from a balcony inside the wedding venue, the right is of the bride and groom dancing with their guests

Guests of a wedding reception stand with one another and laugh while on the dance floor inside of Venue 1929 in Springfield

A bride and groom dance together surrounded by their guests during their indoor wedding reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 photos side by side of a bride dancing during her wedding reception, the right photo is black and white while the left is in color

Guests of a wedding dance along with the bride during her indoor wedding reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

A bride and groom stand side by side and hold hands while smiling with one another outside of their wedding venue, Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom walking hand in hand away from their wedding venue smiling at one another, the right is of them dancing together in the grass across the street from the venue

Close up photo of a bride and groom's hands resting on one another showing off their wedding rings as the groom hugs the bride from behind

A bride and groom embrace and touch their faces together with their eyes closed while outside their wedding venue, Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom, the left is a black and white photo of the groom hugging the bride from behind, the right is of them smiling at one another while standing side by side

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom outside of their wedding venue, the left is of them smiling as they're about to kiss and the right is of the groom smiling while the bride kisses his cheek

A bride and groom stand with guests of their wedding with a sculpture of a goose in the middle of them during their indoor wedding reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

Margaret and More Dancing

You may have noticed some photos throughout the reception of a goose statue wearing an “I Don’t” sign, that is our lovely haunted friend Margaret! Long story short, Margaret was purchased by the 4-H crew one summer and was thought to be haunted due to the girls swearing they saw her turn her head. She’s now an inside joke, and a treasured member of their friend group. Another special note is Brooke’s seamstress, who has altered every one of Brooke’s dresses from homecoming until now, seeing Brooke spin in her dress for the first time. It was truly a magical moment! The rest of the evening included sneaking out for evening portraits, some limbo where grandma absolutely crushed it, and of course a TON of dancing!

Guests of a wedding reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield dance around a sculpture of a goose and point at it

Guests of a wedding reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield dance together and celebrate

Black and white photo of guests of a wedding raising plastic glasses together for a toast during an indoor reception at Venue 1929 in Springfield

2 photos side by side, the left is of the bride dancing during her wedding reception, the right is of the groom standing in line with his 5 groomsmen as they all hug one another

That is the incredible story of Brooke and Hunter’s wedding day at Venue 1929 in Springfield! These two created such an incredible day, one that I am SO happy to have been a part of and that I’ll be thinking about and dreaming of for YEARS to come! If you’d like to see more love stories I’ve photographed, check out my blog page, and if you’re ready to book me for your wedding day send me an inquiry so we can start planning it together!

Vendors

Venue: Venue 1929Hair & Make Up: Willow and Birch SalonFlowers: Locust Creek Flower Farm (Additional Flowers from Brooke’s Mom’s Garden)Gown: Gowns Bridal and Formal BoutiqueWedding Party Dresses: Birdy GreyCatering: Mission BBQ Hotel: Wyndham Hotels

Neoclassical Elopement at Allerton Park & Gardens in Monticello, IL

Whimsical Intimate Wedding at Windsong Acres | Sarah + Kyle

11 Large, Historic, Wedding Venues in Central Illinois that are NOT Barns 😜

All love is affirmed & 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.

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

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

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.