Wedding :: Julie + Ben [Cantigny Park, Wheaton]

It’s the middle of winter and I’m warming up thinking about this late summer September wedding. The glow of that golden hour light is much welcome on a winter day like today.

Julie and Ben opted out of a first look and took a more traditional approach in seeing each other walking down the aisle. While Ben and his groomsmen took time to get ready at the Hyatt in Lombard, Julie and her bridesmaids prepped at Julie’s home she grew up in. On the way to the church, we walked down the back alley to Park Ridge Presbyterian Church just a couple blocks away. This was special for Julie because growing up, she and her family would walk this same route on Sundays to church.

I love that Julie did a first look with her dad. These are the moments. The real, full of love moments. :)

Post-ceremony, we moved to Cantigny Park in Wheaton to catch the most beautiful light in one of the most beautiful outdoor areas. 

I caught up with Julie and Ben post-Hawaii honeymoon. Here were some of their thoughts:

What was the major exciting part in planning your wedding?
Having everything at the reception involve things about our relationship and things that we love. For example, we wrote personalized notes to all our guest as their place cards, our table numbers were numbered according to special things that have happened in our relationship, our desserts we're our favorite sweets (cupcakes and donut holes). Also, we had a skeeball machine because we love games. 

If you could do anything over, what would you do?
Play skeeball, neither of us ever got a chance to play, but a lot of our guests did. I think there was a competition going for the high score. 

What advice do you have for engaged couples looking for a photographer?
Look online at other people that you know wedding photos and see if you like their photographers style. That way you know if you and your photographer have the same taste and you can ask whoever used them what they thought of the photographer.

What was your favorite memory from the day?
Dinner alone in the reception room during cocktail hour. It was the only time it was just the two of us and we got to take the day in together. 

Take a trip through Julie + Ben's wedding story of love, faith and happiness below.

Make up: Morgan Marie Beauty, Morgan
Hair: [Bride] Amanda Braun [Bridesmaids] Penthouse Hairstyling, Cassia Boswell
Venue: Cantigny Park [Wheaton, IL]
Ceremony: Park Ridge Presbyterian Church