Sycamore Backyard Wedding

Having known Jake for three-plus years as friends in the dance circles we frequent, I was more than honored when he asked if I was available to shoot his sister’s wedding in late September.

Held in Sycamore, Illinois, it was a small, intimate wedding hosted by Taylor’s (Jake’s sister) parents in their gorgeous and spacious yard. Summer had hung around long enough to give us a comfortable day to shoot, and an enjoyable evening to spend time with the family once I was through taking pictures.

Jonathan and Taylor embody everything in a loving couple. They play well off of each other. By that, I mean—as one example—when I taking individual images of each, they both, without prompting, showcased their sillier sides with silly facial expression or poses. (That would come in handy later in the day when we did family pictures.)

The ceremony was officiated by Jake. Overseeing a concise ceremony that included a sand ceremony, family readings, and a virtual/Zoom broadcast for those that could not attend, Jake walked Jonathan and Taylor through their vows, and introduced the couple as husband and wife for the first time.

We did family pictures shortly thereafter. And there the family personalities started to shine through. I decided to shoot three types of pictures for each family configuration: serious, silly, and vogueing. While the first two are straightforward, the third put a bit of spin on family pictures. For the “vogueing” pictures, I would ask each person to do either a cheesy over-the-top modelesque pose, or a lightsaber/sword/Bond-esque pose. Even the most straightforward person let loose and provide some of the silliest, funniest, and adorable moments I’ve ever captured at a wedding.

Once I wrapped family pictures, there was a small break for everyone. I snapped a few quick shots of Jonathan and Taylor with their dogs. Then, I grabbed a few shots of the what-was-once-traditional exit of driving off in a car marked ’Just Married”. Once Jonathan and Taylor had taken a quick tour through the neighborhood, they got back to the house and we proceeded to the reception.

The reception, like the wedding, was intimate. Joy permeated the evening as Jonathan and Taylor were serenaded with emotional recollections of beautiful memories from family members. Tears flowed. Laughs burst from faces. The happiness in the air was a thick as London fog in a Victorian novel.

We had a small window of time once the reception speeches were given. So I met Jonathan and Taylor at to the “secret garden” part of the yard to get a few early evening images of them. The intimacy between the two shone through in some stellar images I caught with back lighting.

The reception ended with the Jonathan and Taylor’s first dance, followed by Taylor’s dance with her father, and Jonathan’s dance with his mom—with much cheering and encouragement from their loved ones. The dance floor opened up to everyone then, and the evening culminated with family and friends dancing, swapping stories, and celebrating the new chapter in Jonathan and Taylor’s lives together. What an honor it was to capture it all for them!