Logan & Austin’s wedding can be described quite simply as: family oriented, God oriented, and finally love oriented. And I think all three things make for the perfect celebration and start of a marriage. A relaxed, greenery filled affair with some beautiful, heartfelt details (like the room honouring their parents’ marriages!) it is inspiring for all the right reasons…..

Two beautiful old souls Logan & Austin seem to have been destined to be together! The lovely Logan explains…. “Our grandparents grew up together, our parents grew up together, and yes, you probably guessed it…we grew up together as well! Austin and I were always friends, but it wasn’t until the summer after we graduated high school that we were an “official” item. Earlier on in the year, we were both in a musical and were cast as husband and wife (talk about some foreshadowing!) and were then set up as prom dates. We were pretty much inseparable ever since!”

Their chosen venue fitted both their personalities and their relaxed vision for the wedding perfectly…. “Our experience with Oak Hill Farm in Apple River, Illinois was an absolute dream. Once we decided upon Oak Hill as “our place” (it was an easy decision!), the wedding vision evolved from there. Oak Hill is an antique-filled, indoor/outdoor venue with plenty of spots to find delight and adventure in. There are multiple places to explore during the day, including a barn house, a general store, a country chapel, a schoolhouse, and plenty of green space (as well as a donkey or two). Our vision was thus to complement this beautiful space as much as possible. Soft, romantic hues, old-world touches (I rode in on a vintage car, we had a horse carriage as our gift carriage, and so much more), and natural textures wherever possible.”

“I love shopping. A lot. So, when it came time to go wedding dress shopping, I was over the moon. I made appointments with a few bridal boutiques, searched all over the internet for ideas, and settled on the idea that I wanted a dress that was timeless, had some vintage appeal, and was a bit of a showstopper. Our first appointment was with  Lovely Bride in Chicago; I thought that it would be a fun “intro”, so to speak, to the wedding dress search. I did NOT think I would find “the one” here, and I did NOT think that “the one” would be the very first dress I tried on! Needless to say, I was immediately smitten by the Serena dress, designed by Theia. It was dripping with intricate pearl beading, had a vintage and timeless appeal, and was gorgeous! As soon as I tried it on, I knew the search was over.” 

“Austin’s suit was another journey altogether; we both love the rich suit colors of fall/winter attire, but it was springtime when we actually began the search. We eventually layered pieces from different sets, and it was perfect. I also liked layering a checked pattern with the tweed of the vests and the rich brown of the pants. It tied together so well!”

Both Logan and Austin’s parents have been married for over 20 years, and they wanted to include their parents in their wedding celebration. At the venue, Logan and Austin set up a small time capsule type room that you can see them growing up through the years and also had their mother’s wedding dresses hanging.

“My favorite part of the day was setting eyes upon each other for the first time; we decided to opt out of a first look, and as soon as the doors opened to the outdoors aisle, an incredibly powerful feeling of excitement, wonder, and love washed over us. Also, the same vintage car that drove me to the aisle whisked us away after we exited our ceremony. It was so, so fun getting to have a few moments alone (and then moving into a lovely, romantic photography and videography session) before re-entering the reception.”

For their marquee reception Logan & Austin kept the decor simple, and in keeping with the venue and the rest of their celebration. A seating chart was created from a vintage door, and tables were adorned with greenery in mismatched vessels, vintage books and gold mirrors served as table numbers. The couple also chose a beautiful alternative to the traditional guest book, with their friends, family and loved ones instead asked to sign and select their favourite verse in the bible.

“We decided to forgo the traditional wedding cake in favor of my FAVORITE fall treat in the Midwest: apple cider donuts! Cliffs Donuts Food Truck (run by a wonderful husband/wife duo in the Northern Illinois area) came filled with warm donuts and handmade pies. They were such a hit with our guests, and this wedding cake alternative also fit the venue quite well. Guests were even encouraged take home a dozen or 1/2 dozen donuts!”

Words of wedding wisdom from the bride…

“”May your love be firm, and may your dream of life together be a river between two shores—by day bathed in sunlight, and by night illuminated from within. May the heron carry news of you to the heavens, and the salmon bring the sea’s blue grace. May your twin thoughts spiral upward like leafy vines, like fiddle strings in the wind, and be as noble as the Douglas fir. May you never find yourselves back to back without love pulling you around into each other’s arms.”  – June Cotner”

Tell us a little bit about your photographer….

“Elizabeth from ellAdele Photography made Austin and I’s day more incredible, more special, and more filled-with-wonder-loveliness than any other wedding decision we made (besides the decision to get married, I suppose). Elizabeth’s beautiful rendering of our day will be with us and our family for years and years to come, and her joy for her work, combined with her joy for her couples, is matchless. She was more than our photographer; she was a comfort, a source of laughter, a major confidence booster (Austin and I felt pretty dang beautiful with her words of encouragement while shooting) and a friend. We love ellAdele dearly!”

VIEW THE GALLERY

Doesn’t it just give you all the warm fuzzies?? Huge congratulations to the happy couple Logan & Austin, and a big thankyou to them as well as their wonderful photographer Elizabeth of ellAdele Photography for allowing me to share their beautiful day with you. If you love Elizabeth’s style photography (how fabulous are those those black & white portraits?!) and would like to see more of her work head over to her website elladelephotography.com.

If you would like to see more of this beautiful day, take a minute to watch this short but sweet video…

Austin & Logan – Trailer from Oakhouse Wedding Films on Vimeo.

Or if you love the timeless romance of this wedding, and are looking for more inspiration for your own big day, then you might want to see Jenn & Teague’s earthy yet elegant rustic wedding, or Alex & Amanda’s romantic celebration in the mountains of North Carolina! And you’ll love Matt & Kelly’s greenery filled affair at the Chandelier Ballroom!

Amy

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Credits & Contributors

Photography – ellAdele Photography // Venue – Oak Hill Weddings // Floral Design – London Avenue Designs // Stationery – Minted // Videography – Oak House Wedding FIlms // Bakery – Cliffs Donuts // DJ – Rinker Rhythm // Hair – Tease Salon // Makeup – Rd Artistry // Catering – Rafter’s // Wedding Dress – Theia // Bridal Boutique – Lovely Bride // Bride’s Shoes – Badgley Mischka // Bridesmaid Dresses – Show Me Your Mumu // Veil – Vintage from Mother of the Bride // Earrings – Kendra Scott // Submitted via Matchology