“You’re the reason I believe in love, And you’re the answer to my prayers from up above” — Shania Twain, “From This Moment On”
Brought together with similar interests in new foods (they are self-admitted foodies), trying different drinks, travel, and the Chicago Marathon (among other things), Steve and Miriam bonded as husband and wife at Prairie Street Brewing in Rockford, Illinois.
From start to finish, their day was a whirlwind of energy, a constant flow of good vibes and warm feelings, and a camaraderie of family and friends with enough love to fill the space of three Grand Canyons, and then some!
Between Steve and his groomsmen arriving in NFL-esque style (each man was photographed walking in with swagger and their suits, similar to what you see during pre-game hype for NFL games, and Miriam’ and her bridesmaids sharing inside jokes and stories, the day’s energy was already off the charts…and we hadn’t even got to the First Look yet!
There were actually two First Looks. The first First Look was with Miriam and her mom. We had the privilege to capture the beautiful moment as mom wept happy tears seeing her daughter in her wedding dress. The two embraced for a while, past and present acknowledging the love and laughter shared through the years.
That was followed up with Steve and Miriam’s First Look. And much like Miriam’s mom, Steve had nothing but tears of joy as he turned around to see his bride-to-be for the first time in her dress. It’s no understatement to say that the emotions of the moment rolled over the reception hall like a tidal wave. They embraced. They kissed. They embraced again. It was a First Look for the ages.
After time for the Steve and Miriam to soak in the moments, it was time to get family and bridal party pictures done. Family photos were a riot, as each set of family members tried to outdo the previous group during the “silly” shots. Wild facial expressions, yells of encouragement, and much loving grief given by those not in pictures, helped capture some positively wonderful moments.
Bridal pictures were even more wild “n” silly as wedding party members from both sides mixed beautiful serious moments with plenty of shenanigans for the “less than serious” photos. One of the best examples being Steve’s groomsmen giving him a “What are you thinking?” look when it was time to cut loose. All done is brotherly way, the moment was both a touching salute to Steve from his groomsmen and a way to continue the super-charged atmosphere that permeated the day.
And then came the ceremony. Held outside the Brewery beside the Rock River, the ceremony punctuated just how special Steve and Miriam’s day was. There were vows. There were laughs. There were tears. There were vows. And there were shots.
Yes, there were shots. While some couples opt to have a unity candle ceremony. And others opt to have a sand ceremony, Steve and Miriam went with having shots at their ceremony. It was a first, and it fit their personalities to perfection. A toast, a downing of the shots, and then the rings and pronouncement of husband and wife. The “serious” moments were almost done. It was almost time to party!
Before the reception, Steve and Miriam got some beautiful shots across the brewery’s locations. From the dock by the river, to the stained glass in the venue, to the gorgeous staircase, some touching moments were caught as anticipation was being built for their inevitable introduction at their reception.
The reception kicked off with some rousing introductions, courtesy of Entourage Entertainment. As each bridal party couple was introduced, they entered to dances of their own choosing. Guests were asked to vote on which couple had the best dance. Like the ceremony shot, this was a first (for us), and a stellar way to get the crowd hyped for the reception—not that they needed it, those rowdy, awesome friend and family!
After introductions, it was straight into the Table Dash. Seventeen tables (18 once you count the head table), 3 minutes change, 2 photographers, and one couple all determined to make it happen. It did! While an assistant ran to the table ahead to corral people, Steve and Miriam worked like beasts to get into position, get the shot with their loved ones, and then head to the next table. With about 20 seconds to spare, it was indeed, mission accomplished! And as with the dancing introductions, it helped keep the reception positively off the charts!
Dinner was interspersed with a cake cutting, and a new spin on clinking glasses. After the first time—when Steven and Miriam kissed—any time someone, or a group of people, would start clinking glasses, Miriam would reach into a hat filled with the names of couples at the wedding. The names she chose would be the names of the couple that had to kiss—an ingenious way to keep the crowd involved.
And then, the dancing started. After First Dances between Miriam and her step-father, and Steve and Miriam, the dance floor opened. And it never let up. Packed with a rowdy bunch of fun people, Entourage had the crowd packed on the floor whether it was a current dance hit, an 80’s rock classic, a love song for the couples, or a Caballo Dorado.
What an evening! A day from start to finish that was the epitome of love, family, friendship, and everything positive in the world. Steve and Miriam gave their family and friends a day to remember. And their family and friends did the same for them. It was an honor to capture such a magnificent day.
“I will love you as long as I live, From this moment on” — Shania Twain, “From This Moment On”
