Aurora, IL Wedding Photography | Peter and Kate
Laaaaast wedding of 2015, my friends and this year is definitely ending on a high note with Pete and Kate's wedding! These two met while performing improv at Notre Dame, which is my way of telling ya'll that this was one fun day. That coupled with the surprise wedding crashers at their reception made this wedding one for the books.
Kate wore her mom's veil. I just love this image of Kate with her mom and sister!
Her dad's face = <3
They were cute and giggly throughout the ceremony. They play off of each other so well.
I don't even know what was going on here, but I do remember loling.
The reception was insane.
Annnnd then the stormtroopers showed up. These peeps are from the Midwest Garrison, part of the 501st Legion which is a costuming club that's not just dedicated to their love of Star Wars (their costumes are screen-accurate!), but they're committed to serving their communities through volunteering. They were at Two Brother's Roundhouse for an MS awareness event and crashed Pete & Kate's reception during their breaks from the event. They did some battle demonstrations, danced, and posed for pictures with guests, which was hilarious, amazing, and otherworldly. This group was legit!
I just can't get over this image below. Pete's mom, dancing with a stormtrooper and making it look so dang classy.
Because what else would you do if someone handed you a lightsaber?
Pete and Kate, congrats again and thanks for a rockin' time!! Blessings!
Hair: Bridal Brigade
Florist: KTR Floral
Dress: Essence of Australia, bought at Wolsfelt's
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Bill Levkoff
Tuxes: Rented at Wolsfelt's
Getting ready site: Comfort Suites, Aurora, IL [They are changing ownership now to a Holiday Inn]
Ceremony site: Holy Angels Catholic Church
Reception Venue: Two Brothers Roundhouse
Caterer: Two Brothers Roundhouse
Cake: The Cakery
Transportation: A1 Limo
Favorite wedding day memory:
Kate: My favorite memory was when I was walking down the aisle with my dad. It was a really special moment to be surrounded by love and walking towards Pete.
Pete: Seeing Kate in her dress for the first time when she walked up the aisle.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Kate: I would have had the wedding registries ship to our house instead of my parents to make the gift transition easier. i would also recommend changing Kohl's wedding registry privacy settings so that you can see who sent you a gift from Kohl's -- there were a few that did not have a card attached. Otherwise, nothing! I am thrilled with how happy our day was.
Pete: Tried to sleep more the night before.
Best piece of advice for brides and grooms?
Kate: It's only as hard as you make it. Pinterest and wedding shows make the production of the day seem like the most important part, but figure out what is your priority, then move on. There is not enough time, money or energy to focus on every single detail. Trust those that are helping you (and want to help you!) and focus on what you care about the most.
Pete: Sweat the big things, not the small stuff. People won't remember your table labels, your lighting fixtures, or the seamless transition from Dean Martin to Michael Buble during the cocktail hour. They WILL remember not eating until 9pm, so when finding things to stress out about, focus on the big picture. Speaking of eating, eat early and often. It's a long day.
Honeymoon?
We went to Dublin!
Final reflections:
Kate: Our wedding day was filled with so much laughter and love. I am thrilled that so many people were able to attend and share in our joy.
Pete: The wedding ultimately reflected what we wanted our wedding day to be: a big party where all of our friends and family celebrated our new beginning. The food, drinks, music, and photographers were awesome. Things did not go 100% to plan, but that was okay, because part of that was because our wedding was crashed by Stormtroopers!