I traveled far west of the city, to a town named Elburn, for Eve and Jason’s wedding. They held their ceremony and reception at Heritage Prairie Farm, a fully-functional (and very charming!) farm complete with barns, gardens, an orchard… even a lemonade stand! It was my photographic dream come true, but even more exciting was thought of spending the day with a fun, young couple like Eve and Jason.
The day began in the farm’s bridal suite, where Eve was getting ready. After some help with the final details from her mother, Eve was looking gorgeous and ready to begin her wedding day. She met Jason on the steps of the farmhouse.
After Eve and Jason had a few minutes to admire each other- and share some hugs and kisses- we were off, exploring the grounds of the farm.
The first congratulations of the day were given by this outgoing little guy, who walked right up to Eve and Jason…
…and began playing with Jason’s shoelace!
We walked a short distance to the nearby apple orchard…
…where Jason impressed us with his juggling skills.
The corn stalks were golden; ready to harvest, and a most appropriate photo backdrop for a fall wedding.
It was hard to resist the urge to peek into another of Heritage Prairie Farm’s barns. Who knows what surprises could lie inside?
No better place to cuddle than inside an old farm truck!
And of course we had to say ‘hi’ to the goats. They were just as curious about us as we were about them- the adorable little guys walked right up to the fence so we could pet them.
I was taking portraits of the bride and groom when we heard a bus coming down the farm’s drive.
These school busses shuttled guests to the farm before the ceremony.
They were greeted with a lemonade stand, which was staffed (briefly) by Eve and Jason’s nephew Jonah. I had met Jonah back when he was tiny and his parents asked me to photograph his baby pictures. It was hard to believe how much he has grown!
The guests took their places as the ceremony start time drew near. Can you imagine a more ideal spot for an outdoor wedding?
The ceremony started with Jason escorting his mom and dad down the aisle, and soon after, Eve followed suit, walking with her parents.
Right away, Eve followed the tradition of circling the groom, then took her place beside Jason. It was the start of a wonderful ceremony, full of meaning and love, witnessed by those closest to Eve and Jason.
With vows, rings and a kiss exchanged, Eve and Jason were married. Congratulations! The newlyweds exited down the aisle and back to the bridal suite, where they spent a few minutes alone together before joining the party.
Guests gathered in a barn to enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and each other’s company. The party was off to a festive start…
…and as much as I hated to keep Eve and Jason from enjoying it, there was a perfect sunset happening. It was too beautiful to miss!
The reception began with dancing, as the newlyweds enjoyed their first dance together…
…followed by dances shared with their parents.
And, of course, there was one rip-roaring Hora!
Remember little Jonah from the lemonade stand earlier? These are his parents, Ben and Rachel. I photographed their wedding, too!
And the Hora was just the beginning of the dance party. All the guests were out on the floor celebrating with Eve and Jason for hours. See for yourself in this collection of my favorite dancing shots:
What a night! And things ended on a sweet note as everyone received a jar of honey- fresh from Heritage Prairie Farm’s own hives- as a favor.
Congratulations, Eve and Jason! It was a perfect day, and I’m so happy I got to spend it with you!