Winter weddings are wildly underrated, especially in these Midwestern states! (A winter wedding in Illinois is a whole different thing from a winter wedding in Florida..) There were a few challenges Lydia + Mike faced when they chose to tie the knot in early January but they handled them all with such grace and it really was the sweetest day!
When we had very first talked at our booking meeting, Lydia had expressed her concern that with a wedding just after the holidays, she'd get locked into either the Christmas look (green + red + rustic) or the New Years look (gold + black + glitzy). As much as I am so there for either of those styles, I totally got why she would want to branch out. Making your wedding style say *wintry* without *holidays* is kind of tricky! But we both struck on the idea of a blue and cream themed palette by the end of that coffee date and she totally pulled it off. The groom and groomsmen rocked dark blue suits and coordinating ties and the bridesmaids wore soft blue to round things out. But my favorite detail was the bride's gown from Tulle Bridal Boutique in Clinton, WI. Mixed in with the traditional lace details were tiny little embroidered snowflakes! I pretty much died when I realized that. The perfect tiny homage to their northern, snow-laden nuptials. Considering she started out without a clear idea of where her color palette was going, Lydia absolutely knocked it out of the park.
One of the things I loved most about Mike and Lydia's wedding was their desire to just focus on the important things and cut everything else away. I love their love for each other, their families, and their friends and they just really wanted to celebrate those things sweetly. In that effort, they opted for a cake and coffee reception and just spent the entirety of it chatting with all the people they love. Since it was already just after the insanity of the holidays, this seemed like the perfect cherry on top of a fun, crazy season (and I certainly appreciated the early bedtime!)
However, just because they made things simple, doesn't mean they cut back on quality too. This is absolutely KEY to any well-executed wedding in my opinion. What they did, they did thoughtfully. Every vendor was chosen with care and every hour was well appointed so they could really maximize their time with their friends and family. From Lydia's experience at Tulle, to the selection of London Avenue Designs and Erica Koren Cakery, to our couple hours pre-ceremony at the Rockford City Market's Bowtruss Room and Market Hall, they knew what they wanted and how to accomplish it. Their sweet day absolutely flew by without a hitch because they focused on what was important and built a team to make it happen.
It was absolutely such a pleasure to witness their marriage, to document this monumental day, and to meet so many of the people they love. Lydia + Mike are some of the sweetest souls to walk the planet and it was completely heartwarming to be a small part of their story together! (And if you too just can't get enough of their cuteness, check out their engagement photos HERE)
Floral: London Avenue Designs
Cake: Erica Koren Cakery
Bride's Gown: Tulle Bridal Boutique
Groom and Bride's Rings: Clodius & Co.
Photo Venue: Rockford City Market