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Helloooo, friends! This is highly overdue (since we’ve been married for like, 7 weeks now), but while we were on our honeymoon in Spain we got our wedding photos back, which means it is time for a big fat wedding recap post!

I will tell you from the outset that we both think our wedding day was absolutely perfect. That’s not really why I’m sharing these photos and details about the day with you, though – I truly believe that we had some of the best vendors in the business, and they deserve to have their information shared with anyone looking to get married in the Central Illinois area.

And you know that some of you are just here because you’re nosy. Don’t worry, we all do it.

I’ll be sharing links to the websites of all of the vendors at the end of the post for easy reference. So just sit back and scroll on!

All photos taken by Jared & Julie Photography.

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Our ceremony and reception were both held at Proven Ground Farm in North Pekin, IL. The weather the day of the wedding ended up being absolutely perfect – just shy of 80 degrees, sunny, very little wind – but because you never know what the weather could be like in early April in Illinois, we opted for an indoor ceremony inside the barn. After the ceremony was over, all of the guests went over to the renovated grain bin for cocktail hour while the staff flipped the room for the reception. The grounds were positively beautiful and guests who were so inclined were able to walk around throughout the evening.

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My dress was made of light gold satin with an ivory lace overlay, complete with hand beading and a corset back. I might be biased, but I think it was just perfect. I’m actually a little lot miffed that I don’t get to wear it again!

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For my hair, we took advantage of my curls for a low, romantic updo. Instead of a veil, I opted for a pearl headpiece that I purchased off of Etsy. The jewelry I chose to wear were all family pieces – opal and pearl earrings that were my grandmother’s, and a double-strand pearl necklace and a silver filagree and sapphire bracelet that belonged to my great-grandmother. Wearing those pieces, which my mother has worn throughout the years as well, was very special to me.

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My groom looked incredibly handsome with a fresh beard trim and haircut from the best barber in town, wearing a sharp-as-heck gray suit, accented by brown shoes and a champagne-colored tie. I know that everyone always makes a big fuss over what the bride is wearing, but I wanted Alex to stand out as well – and he sure as heck did.

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He would like you to take note of his walnut wingtips. #priorities

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Alex refers to the above as his “touch of gray” photo. I secretly call it his “silver fox” photo. Oops! Guess that’s not so secret anymore.

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For colors, I chose a lovely spring palette of light turquoise and blush pinks accented by darker teal and deep pinks. Our florist put together the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen with plenty of peonies and ranunculus, including a stunning arrangement across the arbor under which we were married.

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One of the most special and personal parts of the day was having my childhood best friend perform the ceremony. There is something very touching about having someone who has known you for literally half your life join you in marriage with the love of your life.

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Other special parts of the ceremony included having family friends sing “The Prayer” and surprising our mothers by presenting them each with a rose – something that my parents did during their wedding and which, predictably, made Momma Swope cry.

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When it came to food, we knew we had a lot to live up to – after all, all of our friends and loved ones know that our lives basically revolve around our next meal. For Alex, the most important aspect of the wedding planning was finding good barbecue for dinner, and did we ever find it. Dinner was pulled pork, brisket, slaw, beans (green and baked) and potato salad. Simple, no-fuss, good food. Instead of a wedding cake, we opted for a variety of cupcakes and Momma Swope made a Pecan Raisin Pie for the two of us to cut. I am still receiving compliments on the food and the cupcakes over a month later and am wishing I had one of the Banana Pudding cupcakes as I sit here writing this.

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One last special part of the day – during our reception, just before our first dance, I surprised Alex by singing Ingrid Michaelson’s “The Way I Am” to him, accompanied by one of our friends on the guitar. Really nosy readers can see that video here, but don’t expect much – I was pretty nervous. Ha!

At the end of the day, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wedding. It was beautiful yet rustic and personal in the best way. Just like us, right? 😉

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Vendors:

36 Comments

  1. Great wedding! We were honored to be present. Still not sure how I scored a piece of that Pecan raisin pie.

    1. Alex had a knack for sniffing out the best people and connecting with them immediately. You were just lucky enough to be near pie when that happened. 🙂 so glad you guys were able to come! We loved having you there.

  2. What a gorgeous wedding Stephie! I’m so happy for you both! Thanks for sharing, I love wedding posts, especially when they are as beautiful as yours 🙂 You have a lovely voice by the way! I love that song.

    1. You’re so sweet – thank you! And I always enjoy other peoples’ wedding posts, too – something fun about seeing how people celebrate their most special day!

  3. Wow! Everything is gorgeous! You, the venue, the dress, EVERYTHING! And I must say, that is seriously one sharp suit and bad ass pair of shoes, Alex! Your man has serious style! XO

  4. Thank you for sharing your special day with us!! Everything looked wonderful and I like the different way you did certain parts, example…a pie instead of a cake. You looked absolutely lovely and Alex was so handsome!! He definitely is styling with that suit and those shoes!! The flowers were gorgeous!! Wow…a cook and a singer!! You may have been nervous but you still sounded wonderful!! Nice singing voice!!

  5. OMG I LOOOOVE looking at wedding photos, and yours are absolutely stunning! Such a beautiful venue, and your dress and all the details, so perfect! You look stunning! EEEEE, so happy for you, I’ve loved seeing the pictures on Instagram and these are even better all together. Congrats!!!

  6. I absolutely loved being a part of yours and Alex’s big day! It was such a beautiful wedding and the unconditional trwue wuv between you and Alex is evident – you really are an amazing couple!! The photos turned out beautifully! Now please come visit, and sing in my car since I missed your song at the ceremony. Love you, girl!! xoxo

  7. Stephie…your wedding was FLAWLESS. Omg I can only wish that mine will be half as perfect! Your dress and overall ensemble are stunning, the flowers and location and your bridal party (and Alex :P) all look amazing! And it just seems like it was really special and um yeah pieeeee <3

    SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!

    1. Psst…there were a couple of glitches, but they all worked out. Your wedding will be perfect, too, and I can’t wait to see the pictures. xoxo

    1. Thank you, Emily! As I told my family – everything could have gone “wrong” and as long as Alex and I ended up married at the end of the day, it would have been perfect! Everything else was just icing on the cake, so to speak. 🙂

  8. If it makes you feel any better, Daddy admitted that he was quite nervous when he sang to me. Plus, how is it that people think that this wedding planning is that difficult? Bing, bang, boom! Done and done. I’m glad that it was everything that the two of you dreamed it would be. xoxo

  9. Beautiful post!! So you and Alex. Ah, I can’t believe that I’m reading this MONTHS afterwards (I am so behind from this dang wrist injury). You were (and are) SO beautiful. I’m glad everything came together in the most gorgeous of ways <3 It's incredible how fast all those months of planning are over, you're married and the dress is hanging back in the closet. I think we 'old married ladies' should all have a girls 'wedding dress weekend' where we revive the glorious princess dresses, possibly with champagne, bad singing and ripe strawberries. P.S I appreciate the walnut wing tips. Perfectly dapper. I do hope Alex had a cigar that day.

    1. 1.) YES on the dress wearing weekend. I would wear mine while vacuuming, but it requires lacing up the back and I can’t do that by myself. Ha!
      2.) Oh, you know he had a cigar. You know him well.

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