Edie & Luke | Abraham Lincoln Hotel Springfield, IL Black & Gold Art Deco Summer Wedding Photographer

I was so excited to photograph the wedding of Edie and Luke because these two were just made for each other; they even share the same birthday and were born just hours apart! Edie grew up in Springfield and we shared some mutual friends, I was ecstatic when she reach out to me about her wedding. She had met Luke in med school at Loyola University where they studied together and soon moved to Chicago for their residencies.

Edie has a large family so it was always her dream to have a big wedding with all her loved ones to celebrate the special day. They chose to have their ceremony at the beautiful Blessed Sacrament and reception at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, one of my favorite venues! Edie’s vision came to life with an art deco theme and there were so many beautiful personal touches throughout the day. As Edie dressed for her day, she used old family heirlooms a mirror, brush, and locket from her grandma, named Edith. The girls all got ready at Edie’s aunt’s house in the morning, it was so fun to spend time with them, especially the 12 junior bridesmaids and flower girls as they all got their hair and makeup done. It was so important for Edie to have all of her nieces and nephews be a part of their day. Edie’s dress was the perfect fit for her Art Deco theme with ribbons weaved through it and beaded sleeves. The bridesmaids all had beautiful sequin dresses, each unique in its own way. Edie shared a first look with her dad which was a really sweet moment between them. They both teared up. Then her dad drove her to the park for photos which I thought was so special.

Luke and the guys got ready downtown Springfield. They wore classic black tuxes to pull together the theme perfectly. Luke was calm all morning, just so excited to see his bride and celebrate with friends. We all met at the church, where Edie’s dad walked her own the aisle to Luke to make it official. They had a traditional Catholic ceremony which was really special.

After the ceremony, Edie and Luke exited the church to waving ribbons before hopping onto their party bus to begin the celebrations. We traveled downtown to popular spots for Edie and Luke’s portraits. Their bridal party was so much fun; sweet and accommodating to us. We just loved hanging out with them!

On the tables in the presidential ballroom were mixed tall and short floral centerpieces, ferns adorned the altar and band stage. Edie hand-painted the band backdrop and she also created 14-foot-tall ‘illusion windows’ in the ballroom. Her mom and aunt sewed the gold satin curtains. The room was absolutely beautiful!

We hopped on the rooftop of the hotel parking garage for golden hour photos. I loved using this spot since Edie and Luke live in and love the city. It gave them a little piece of their downtown Chicago life on their wedding day and the sunset was just gorgeous.

Edie wanted one thing for her reception; for everyone to have fun and let loose. She and Luke began their evening celebrations with pre-dinner dancing. They invited their guests onto the dance floor immediately to kick things off. It was so much fun! Bluewater Kings Band from Chicago played throughout the evening, they were so interactive and fun! Dinner was after the first set and then it was time for toasts. Edie’s father, her maid of honor, Luke’s best man and then the couple themselves all got up and spoke. Everyone had such amazing memories of Edie and Luke both before and after they met each other. It was truly a very special night for Edie and Luke. Everything came together perfectly thanks to so many amazing vendors. I am so excited to share the images and wish these two so much love and happiness!