Matt & Rachel had a very cool October day to say their vows and become husband and wife at their wedding outside of Springfield, Illinois at Poe’s on the Hill.
Matt and Rachel met at the bowling alley, where they are both spend a lot of their free time with family and friends. They joke about Matt’s son Cole being the one that actually picked Rachel for his daddy. Isn’t that the sweetest? Matt proposed to Rachel this past April in Las Vegas, on a trip with some friends of theirs and the rest is history.
I first met Matt & Rachel (and Cole) at their Washington Park and downtown Springfield engagement session this past spring. I remember Matt being a little hesitant about the whole idea of pictures, but by the end of the session, he was much more relaxed and their pictures were awesome. That’s one reason why I think it’s so important to meet up with my couples for an engagement session before the wedding day. We get to know each other and they get comfortable in front of my camera, making the wedding day photos much more natural and relaxed.
The morning of their wedding day, as I was driving to Springfield, I saw everything from rain and a rainbow to sleet to actual snowflakes! Rachel and I had been texting back and forth last week leading up to the wedding as we kept an eye on the weather, and I kept reassuring her that everything was going to be okay and that at the end of the day, she was going to be Mrs Burdick and have amazing pictures to show from her day. While the ceremony did get moved inside at Poe’s on the Hill the day turned out to be absolutely beautiful!
I met up with Rachel and her sweet, adorable bridesmaids for some getting ready pictures. Everyone seemed very relaxed and excited for the day. When Matt showed up for their first look, Rachel had one of the girls give him a letter she had written to him to read before they saw each other. I love this trend so much. That letter will forever be something to look back at in the years to come and remember exactly how she was feeling on their wedding day. After a very sweet first look, the bridal party loaded up on the party bus for pictures at some special places around Springfield.
We started at King Pin Lanes where the couple met, then headed to one of their favorite downtown bars for some fun shots inside. After a few minutes there, we headed out toward The Rail Golf Course for some bridal party pictures. We knew we had to work fast because it was in the low 30s and spitting sleet on and off. The bridal party was so cooperative and really supportive of Matt and Rachel’s desire to have pictures outside. The fall colors were beautiful, so we were able to take advantage of that. We finished up portraits with Matt and Rachel once we got to Poe’s on the Hill.
The ceremony took place inside Poe’s, which was decorated beautifully! I love that their officiant was Rachel’s older brother, who just happened to be pretty emotional as he pronounced them husband and wife. This couple clearly has the BEST family and friends! You can tell they all love each other very much and were excited to see Matt & Rachel married.
Matt and Rachel, I am so honored to have captured your special day. I loved watching you become a family and spending the day with your family and friends. Congratulations!
Vendor Team:
DJ: Seiner Sound
Cake Artist: Specialty Cakes by Tammy
Makeup Artist: Lindsey Ellen Beauty
Hair: BJ Grand Salon, Allison Bandy
Dresses: Girls in White Satin
Venue: Poe’s on the Hill
Tuxes: Seno
If you are a bride or groom getting married in 2018 or 2019, I would love to chat with you about photographing your wedding. Simply fill out the form on the home page or email me at karen@karenshoufler.com.
What a beautiful wedding in Springfield, Illinois! I love all the blue and green tones!
Such a beautiful bride! Congratulations to the happy couple!
beautiful wedding pictures of Matt and Rachel’s big day
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