There’s always those moments with couples during the portrait session… where I have to tell them to get a little bit closer. Not because they don’t want to be snuggled up to their fiancé or new husband/wife… but they’re just not quite sure how close is close. But not these two. From the first tearful moments of the First Look to the wee hours of the night on the dance floor… these two newlyweds barely let go of each other. Brooke even mentioned that all the snuggling and cozying up to one another during the portrait session came easy to them and that their family and friends could barely stand to be around them when they first started dating. I’d take as a good sign 🙂

Not only were Brooke + John so in love, making my job easy breezy… but they also found new and exciting ways to make their wedding special and unique to their relationship. As always, I captured all the lovely details below… but I have to mention that my favorite was the handmade quilt from Brooke’s grandmother that they used as a guestbook. I especially loved chatting with grandma about how she made the quilt, and then watching her sign her own creation with love (of course, in her perfect cursive handwriting that only grandma’s can do). To keep it all even more in the family, Brooke had her brother, Michael, officiate the wedding during the outdoor ceremony at The Public Landing Restaurant. And to top it off (literally) they had a Simpson’s cake topper that was hand painted to match their colors… as well as Simpson’s themed cufflinks to show John’s love for the animated show. Brooke + John, thank you so much for allowing me to tell your love story through my lens. It was a beautiful day in the park, and I’m so glad I could be there to celebrate with your friends and family.

VENDOR CREDIT // Hair Stylist: Beth Fuka at Salon Efthimia // Florist: The Flower Cottage // Cake Artist: Orland Park Bakery // DJ: Joe Gunia & Joseph Luat // Paper Goods: Wedding Paper Divas // Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Public Landing