I was nervous and excited as Ryan and I headed to Decatur on Saturday, June 18th. Excited because we were headed to Brian and Ashley’s wedding at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, and nervous… mostly due to the ominous grey rain clouds hovering in the sky, but also because it was my first time meeting the bride and groom. (I normally don’t book weddings without meeting with the client first and making sure we connect, but I knew right away when I talked to Ashley on the phone that we would get along beautifully.)

When I got to the church, I slipped downstairs to peek in on the girls where they were getting ready. Ashley immediately greeted me like we were old friends with a huge hug…. (yay for hugs!) and any worries I had drifted away.

This bracelet was the wedding gift Ashley got from Brian before the wedding – you can see the excitement on her face when she opened it up. So cute!

Time flew by and before long, it was time for Ashley to walk down the aisle to her man, the man she is going to spend the rest of her blissfully happy life with.

And then they were pronounced Man and Wife! And the kiss to seal the bond followed. (I must admit it was one of the most perfect kisses I have witnessed so far.)

After the ceremony, we headed over to Millikin University. Millikin holds a special place in the hearts of these two love birds because it’s the place they first met. So what better way than to acknowledge that than through some fun photos. … I love Ashley’s smile in the picture below. Isn’t she justcx gorgeous?

This was the best jumping bridal party I’ve ever had! Only two attempts and we got it!

If you are a Millikin alum, it’s pretty much a requirement that you get your picture with the Bronze Man…

I had to share this one because it’s a photo recreation. Ashley and her sister took a picture posed this way her freshman year at college. What a cute idea huh?

Seriously, Ashley…. could you be any more gorgeous?!

And then it was time for fun and dancing.

Congratulations you guys! We are so very happy for you! May you have a lifetime of happiness, love and laughter together!

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After the wedding, I asked Ashley to answer some questions. Here’s what she had to say!

• Where did you find your wedding dress?
The Bridal Room in Bettendorf Iowa

• What about your bridesmaids dresses? I loved the color!
Found them in a random little shop as well as online. They were Alfred Angelo and since my bridesmaids were all over the world (one even came from England!) the bridesmaid could go into the nearest bridal shop and order their dress on their own terms

• I loved the guys tuxes too! I’ve never had a wedding with that style tux before. Where’d you rent them from??
Surprisingly they were from Men’s Wearhouse. Again the groomsmen were from all over so they could go to their nearest Men’s Wearhouse, get fitted, and have it send to the Men’s Wearhouse closest to them or on the way to the wedding.

• Is there anyone you want to give credit to in the  post (florist, hairstylist, etc)?
My mother for sure! She was thinking about details the entire time as well as our florist Julie Frisk. A few of my bridesmaids and personal attendant assisted with a few things, but especially the invitations…we spent more than 8 hours getting those all done!

• What was the most memorable part of your day?
Walking down the aisle, seeing family and friends that made the special trip to be a part of this wonderful moment in our lives.

• What was your favorite detail?
It was just amazing to have everything come together so well! Especially after months of planning!

• Any advice for future brides/grooms?
I highly recommend doing a receiving line after the ceremony. We did and it was a great way to see every single person that attended our wedding. This way we did not feel pressured at the reception to talk to everyone but rather enjoy it. Other than that. Don’t stress the day before or the day of…at that point you can’t really do anymore!

• Funniest memory from your wedding day?
Our spontaneous pre-party when setting up the reception hall. Our closest family and friends all helped out and were were able to get everything finished very quickly. The rum and cokes, courtesy of my aunt and uncle (the host and hostess at the reception) definitely made it memorable!

• If you could do it all over again, would you do anything differently?
Remember to do the programs…especially if it is a big deal to your mother!! That was a last minute detail and was the most stressful thing because it was so last minute.

• I know where you went for your honeymoon, but would you mind sharing with my readers?
No problem! We went to Riviera Maya in Mexico and stayed at an all inclusive resort for 6 nights and 7 days. Advice – Be sure to call the resort to ensure they know you will be on your honeymoon and if they can do anything to make it a better experience for you!

Thanks so much for taking the time to answers these questions guys! I’m sure my other brides will be excited to read your answers! 🙂

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

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