I love weddings. So I know I get repepetitve when I say how wonderful and beautiful every wedding I shoot is. They really all have been! But YOU GUYS. This is one for the books! Kate and Vaughn could not be more perfect for each other and I kind of want to be friends with their entire wedding party.. they were so much FUN!

A wedding day is never going to be perfect. It’s just facts. Rain was in the forecast but we got lucky and had none. However, it was suuuper windy! But it didn’t matter, because everyone was so genuinely happy for this couple to tie the knot. They made the most of it, laughed through it, fixed their hair a million and one times and just kept on smiling and loving the people surrounding them. That’s what will be remembered in the years to come - the friends and family, the beauty of the day and all. that. Love.

There are a few other things I’m pretty sure they’ll never forget too. For instance, the hilarious mock wedding after the real wedding at the Soaring Eagle Nature Center, aka. the nature barn. Also the kind caretaker with his sweet dog Jasmine who let us into the one room schoolhouse for some portraits of the couple. These ones are extra special because Kate and Vaughn actually met in 4th grade! So a school setting was so perfect to capture their love story. We also had run-ins with spiders and grasshoppers and Kate ended up with an entire terrarium in her gorgeous wedding dress. Oh, and who can forget the wasp that decided to hang out in the bride’s hair with nobody noticing until AFTER dinner! Wow, so many things to look back on and laugh about!

Oh but the adorable first look, loads of supportive friends and family, officiant who provided plenty of comic relief and had the guests rolling in what was a very memorable ceremony. The hundreds of handmade crocheted pumpkins made by the bride and her sister to share a piece of their wedding day with guests. The unique idea to have their “guest book” be fabric squares so she can later create a special quilt to cherish forever. The photos of her grandparents on the bouquet to honor their memory. I also loved their idea of having each table number accompanied by a photo of the bride and groom at that age. For example, at table one, the photos were Kate and Vaughn at a year old, all the way up to 26! There were just so many little touches that made it such a sentimental, perfect day in celebration of their new marriage. I truly feel honored to have been their wedding photographer and wish them nothing but the very best!

Huge thank you to the wonderful vendors who helped make this beautiful day come together flawlessly!

Hair & makeup by Chelsea Jenkins from River City Hair & Nails (Fulton, Illinois)

Tuxes from Bogel's Menswear (Clinton, Iowa)

Flowers and dessert from HyVee (Clinton, Iowa)

Entertainment by Cody Bingam from Gateway Mobile DJ Service (Camanche, Iowa)

Transportation from 3 guys and a bus (Clinton, Iowa)

Catering by Jeff from Machine Shed (Davenport, Iowa)

Invitations & programs by Clinton Printing (Clinton, Iowa)

Ceremony at Prince of Peace Church (Clinton, Iowa)

Reception at Eagle Point Lodge (Clinton, Iowa)