Tuesday, August 26, 2014

J & J | LeRoy IL Wedding Photography | Farm Wedding

We are trying our best to develop our blog posts to become a bit more substantial than they have previously been. This is a great preview to demonstrate that. We had the pleasure of photographing this gorgeous couple on a family farm in Leroy IL.  The bride is the sister of another beautiful bride we photographed.  We enjoyed getting to know the couple over 2 engagement sessions.  This is one of the main reasons we offer a complimentary engagement session with all of our wedding packages. We believe it's important to build that relationship with our couples as we will be around them probably more than anyone else on the most important day of their lives!  We had a winter session in the snow and a summer session at the farm.  The images from both sessions were showcased in a very special guest book at their wedding.
 
The attention to detail is evident just by looking through the first couple of pictures.  So much planning and work went into making this a special day.  Early on it seemed that Mother Nature might interfere with the best laid out plans, however, she pulled through for us!  The morning brought some strong rain that delayed our pictures before the ceremony and caused some technical issues with equipment in the tent.  But their family and friends pulled together like you wouldn't believe and made sure everything came together.  Through the storms and the setbacks the bride stayed incredible calm, focusing on the love for her groom.  Everything turned out as perfect as it could have!  The passing storms actually brought down the temperature, making for a beautiful day.  The ceremony was lovely and the celebration was so much fun that it went into the early morning!  We wish these two only the best as they embark on their new life as husband and wife!  Congratulations Jaci and Jared!
 
Loved the burlap on the chairs!
Sunflowers and John Deere were a common theme throughout the day!
The morning storm clouds actually added a beautiful backdrop for us.
Cheer!
Gorgeous rings!
The boys!
The groom and his toy!
This tent was huge, and beautifully decorated.  So much work went into this!
Just before walking down the aisle.  One last kiss from Daddy!
Who can resist a handsome boy with a Mohawk?
Waiting patiently for her turn down the aisle!
Side view of awesome door they built.
Front view of that door.
Wedding party!
Time to say "I Do!"
Speaks for itself!
Love the details and decorations everywhere!
Beautiful arbor.
A wedding day isn't complete without a romantic kiss!
Did we mention John Deere yet?
Swoon!
Beautiful couple, inside and out!
That's one awesome lookin' bridal party! 
Simply beautiful!

 

Cupcakes from our friends at Sugar Mamas!
Picture perfect light as the sun was setting.
Once the sun went down, the sky lit up with some beautiful color!
First dance.

The super fun DJ duo from Absolute Light and Sound kept the party going all night!
And they lived Happily Ever After!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Forrest Park Bridge, Bloomington IL | Bloomington IL Photography | History of Bloomington

A little history lesson for our readers today!  One of our favorite locations in town to use as a backdrop for our photography is Forrest Park.  As we were shooting an engagement session there yesterday we were trying to tell the history of the old stone bridge, but we weren't recalling it correctly.  Thankful for google we were able to locate some history information on Flickr of all places!  Here is what we found (link to our source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cstrules/2553667338/)

"An old bridge at Forest Park in Bloomington, IL. It appears that the bridge was once part of a road that no longer exists. Forest Park used to be known as Stein Park as it was the site of Stein Brewery in the late 1800s. The brewery dug caves where they stored their beer. The caves were over 200 yards long and bricked lined. The brewery was later purchased by Meyer's Brewery which was located at what is now Highland Golf Course in Bloomington. Meyer's Brewery was successful until the Prohibition forced it shut in the 1920s. The caves at Forest Park became a popular site for urban explorers until they were sealed by the city in the early 1970s."

That's some pretty cool history if you ask us!  ...and, of course, a picture of the bridge as taken by us!



 

Emily and Aaron | Aurora IL Chicago IL Wedding Photography | Two Brothers Roundhouse

What great fun it was to take a trip up to Aurora for a wedding at Two Brothers Roundhouse, a building with so much history!  Emily and Aaron's wedding really focused on the love between the two of them, making for a very special celebration!  One of our favorite moments was the unity beer, in place of unity candle/sand!





LB and Matt | Normal IL Wedding Photography | ISU Duffy Baseball Field

We had the great privilege of photographing the 1st ever wedding on Duffy Baseball Field at Illinois State University.  Not only was the couple gorgeous and completely sweet, but the weather cooperated for an all around beautiful day!












Monday, July 21, 2014

Ryan and Jackie's Wedding Day Preview | Bloomington-Normal IL Wedding Photography

Congratulation to our most recent married couple, Jackie and Ryan!  They couldn't have asked for a more beautiful wedding day.  The wedding was at North Point Church with the reception over at Clear View Church.  Their family and friends were so kind and so full of love for this couple!  We wish them the best and a happily ever after!

Cutest little flower girl! She stole the show on the way down the aisle!

We love the new sculptures on IWU campus.  The bride and She Clicks both happen to be alumni of IWU.  Of course, She Clicks graduated many many years before Jackie!







 The photo booth was a big hit!

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This sunset shot was a little tricky due to us being in the middle of a crowded parking lot...but we did our best to ensure the bride got the sunset shot she wanted!



Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Adventures in Photography

We love taking our community photo group/students on outings, or adventures as we often refer to them.  There's so much fun in spending time with others who understand the desire and passion to constantly capture the world around us.  It's great fun and so interesting to see the pictures from all participants.  It really shows how people view the world so differently.  Its also fun to be able to bounce ideas off of each other and learn from fellow photographers.  This last Sunday we spent a fun-filled day in St Louis, beginning at the beautiful Botanic Gardens  There was so much to photograph there we could have easily made a full day of it, however, we had so much more on our itinerary.  After we spent the morning walking around the gardens we enjoyed our hard-earned lunch in historic LaCledes Landing.  There is always so much information and laughter shared during these outing meals.  After lunch we headed on foot to the arch and surrounding Kierner Plaza.  After the long walk in the summer heat we cooled off with a cold drink and then headed to graffiti wall.  We then headed to Union Station for a recap and dinner.  There was almost some circus photography, but unfortunately the trapeze closed right before She Clicks had her turn!  Our night ended across the river with a gorgeous view of the city! Here is a a link to a few of the pictures from our journey:

http://heclickssheclicks.smugmug.com/HeClicks/St-Louis/

If you are interested in joining us on our next outing, please check out the registration for our Circle Tour of Lake Michigan with a focus on Lighthouses and Night Photography:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3-day-circle-tour-of-lake-michigan-tickets-12146870617

Hope to see you there!