Ellwood House, DeKalb, IL Wedding Photography | Nick & Katherine
Ellwood House Wedding Photography.
My 2016 wedding season ended on a major high note with Nick and Katherine's wedding back at the end of September. It was such a sweet and intimate day filled with lots of love! I really couldn't have asked for a better way to end the year!
It was so wonderful to have my husband Seth shooting with me at this wedding!! He used to shoot every wedding with me, but he has a full-time job and as our family has grown it's made more sense for him to be at home with the kids on the weekends. Still, I really enjoyed working with him again! He crushed these getting ready images with Nick!
I was obsessed with Katherine's necklace. So pretty!
After the first look we headed over to the Ellwood House for a few wedding party images and then the ceremony!
When I first met with N&K they mentioned how much they loved an image I took of another couple in front of these lattice windows back in 2014 and that they would really like to have a similar one on their day (see this post for the original picture). Mission accomplished!!
You know I love when we have time for some golden hour portraits!
There were a lot of sweet, heartfelt toasts. So much love in that room that night.
Katherine said that because of the close quarters of the reception area (inside the Nehring House), there would more than likely not be any dancing. Apparently there's something about "We Are Family" that people just can't resist!! I LOVE these dancing pictures!
Congrats again you two!! Thank you so much for the honor of including me in your day! Blessings!!
(Click HERE to see their Chicago engagement session!)
Hair: Dolce Vita Salon and Day Spa
Florist: The Petal Boutique
Wedding Dress: Alex Kay Designs
Bridesmaid's Dresses: RenzRags
Suits: Men's Warehouse
Ceremony & Reception: Ellwood House Museum
Caterer: Inboden's
Cake: Sweet Dreams Desserts
Favorite wedding day memory?
Nick: Walking down the aisle after the ceremony had finished.
Katherine: It's hard to pick just one. For the ceremony, I enjoyed our handfasting unity ceremony. For the reception, I was a big fan of listening to and giving toasts as well as dancing to Shout with all our guests.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
Nick: I would have coordinated with the DJ better to make things flow smoother.
Katherine: I would have designated one person to field all the questions people asked me right before and after the ceremony. During those moments I was so overcome with emotions that I couldn't remember what I had told people in advance. It made it harder to focus on how special a time it was.
Best piece of advice for brides and grooms?
Nick: to know what you want and not let the opinions of others influence your planning.
Katherine: The earlier you can stop planning and coordinating, the better. I can't stress enough how much I wish I had printed directions out and given them to a designated person so that I could be fully present and relaxed on my wedding day. I think this extends beyond just the responsibilities of the wedding too. I wish I could have tied up professional obligations earlier so as to spend a couple of days relaxing before all the festivities began.
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
La Jolla, CA - a community within San Diego. From there we were able to visit Joshua Tree National Park, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, La Jolla Cove and the San Diego Zoo. It was a blast! It was very relaxing and exactly what we needed to reconnect after partying for four days with friends and family.
Final Reflections:
Nick: Enjoy every moment of your wedding because you only get to do it once.
Katherine: We kept our wedding party small and I think this was a wise move. It was fewer people to coordinate with and I couldn't imagine having anyone besides my two closest friends near me just before the ceremony. Those are some pretty intense moments and I cherish how intimate they were.
Once again I was so grateful to shoot this wedding with my husband, Seth! Love you, babe!
Photographers don't even know how to be in pictures.
I just love these two!!!
