Elegant Illinois Prairie Wedding: Anna + Matt

Illinois Wedding

Anna + Matt threw the sweetest celebration, inspired by the open prairie lands of their scenic hometown of Lake Forest, Illinois. Their day was made incredibly special thanks to the loving contributions of friends + family. The biggest DIY was from Anna’s dad, who designed and built their incredible reception pavilion (srsly, just wait ’til you see!) and the vibe they created took a cue from their love of Napa Valley and appreciation of wine.

Anna tells us, Matt and I are high school sweethearts and we knew that after being together for ten years, we wanted to celebrate our wedding where it all started, in our hometown of Lake Forest. We decided to have our ceremony in our families’ church, St. Mary’s, that held a lot of history for the two of us. For the reception, we chose a location on an undeveloped natural prairie, and over several months, we enlisted a lot of our family and friends in building the site – it became a real labor of love. That day was incredibly special – being surrounded by all our family and friends, who all had contributed in some way to creating our wedding.

Thanks so much to T & S Hughes Photography for the photos + congrats to the happy couple on a lovely day!

Rosa Clara Wedding Dress

boutonnieres

Illinois Wedding

Anna wore an elegant Rosa Clara dress, which perfectly fit with the classic vibe of the day.

striped tie

suspender ring bearers

Illinois Wedding

Model T car

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

It is hard to pick just one, but besides when we said our vows, a very special moment was when we drove away from the church in a restored 1924 Ford Model T, that was inherited by Matt’s father. After the ceremony, we drove around our hometown, just the two of us, and it was a nice quiet time we were able to share before the partying really kicked off.

Model T car

Illinois Wedding

ivory bridesmaids

cotton bouquets

ivory bridesmaids

And Art Quest knocked it out of the park with these all white bouquets for Anna + her ‘maids. So delicate + timeless…we’re in love!

Rosa Clara Wedding Dress

Rosa Clara Wedding Dress

white wildflower bouquet

wedding party

Rosa Clara Wedding Dress

Illinois Wedding

Illinois Wedding

Illinois Wedding

prairie tent reception

A peek at the pavilion! More to come in just a sec…

prairie tent reception

floral table numbers

brown wooden chairs

boxes of wildflowers

wine cork name holders

menu

cake

Anna’s dad also created the flower boxes that her mom used to plant long centerpieces filled with white wildflowers. So good!

Illinois Wedding

Illinois Wedding

Illinois Wedding

Our Musical Choices

Processional: Trumpet Tune in D – Johnson

Recessional: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba – Handel

First Dance: La Vie en Rose – Edith Piaf

Illinois Wedding

Illinois Wedding

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

Try to check off a couple of easy decisions first - and once you make a decision, stick with it! You can become so overwhelmed by the options - but in the end, just stay focused on the pieces of the wedding that matter the most to you as a couple. And remember to have fun!

photography: T & S Hughes Photography // florals: Art Quest // wedding dress: Mira Couture and designer is Rosa Clara // hair stylist: Salon Buzz // makeup artist: April Ivory Artistry // videography: George Street Photo & Video // catering: George Jewell Catering // cake: Bent Fork // music: Ken Arlen Orchestra // ceremony: Church of Saint Mary in Lake Forest, Illinois // reception: Pavilion built and designed by father of bride on open land in Lake Forest, Illinois // men's suits: Joseph A. Bank

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