Shea & Matt’s Sweet Heritage Prairie Farm Wedding
Shea and Matt met their sophomore year of college – they had mutual friends and both played volleyball. They started dating that December and have been together ever since. . .
Shea and Matt met their sophomore year of college – they had mutual friends and both played volleyball. They started dating that December and have been together ever since.
Conrad and I were so excited to photograph Shea and Matt’s wedding at our favorite venue, Heritage Prairie Farm. We would shoot there every weekend if we could, it’s truly the perfect venue!! Endless gorgeous spots for photos, plenty of sweet farm kitties roaming the grounds AND the most amazing wedding food ever, it’s our favorite place for SO many reasons! Our Something Blue team had gotten to know Shea a bit earlier this year when she came by the Studio for a special bridal boudoir session to gift to Matt on their wedding day. Christy photographed her and then I put together an album of her favorite photos – she looked absolutely stunning and when Matt opened the album after their “First Look” you could tell he knew he is a lucky man!!
Shea and Matt have two cats and were drawn to Heritage Prairie Farm in part because of their many friendly farm kitties. It was a somewhat cat-centric wedding – Matt wore “Cat Dad” socks, their two signature drinks were inspired by their cats and the Heritage Prairie farm cats photo-bombed plenty of moments with the wedding party before the ceremony.
Shea is close with her Dad and Grandpa and set aside time to do a “First Look” with each of them before her ceremony. Her and her Dad have an inside connection with hedgehogs and both gifted each other with sweet little hedgehog pins for the big day. Shea also did a first look with her Grandpa on the front porch of the pretty farmhouse, it was one of the most special moments of the day. Her Grandpa then officiated Shea and Matt’s romantic ceremony in the barn while her Grandma did a reading.
It was a chilly last weekend in October and we were thankful for the cozy greenhouse where we could take wedding party photos and get a break from the cold wind. The team at Garvin Gardens created gorgeous florals and the team at Heritage Prairie Farm was amazing as always taking care of every detail. After cocktail hour we snuck away with Shea and Matt to take pictures on the grounds before sundown. We were then all treated to an amazing family-style dinner before dancing the night away. It was the perfect wedding, we were so honored and grateful to be there to celebrate with Shea and Matt!
Congratulations, Shea and Matt, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Shea and Matt’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue
FLORIST
Garvin Gardens
HAIR & MAKEUP
Montage Salon and Spa
WEDDING CAKE
ECBG Cake Studio
WEDDING DRESS BOUTIQUE
Eva’s Bridal
BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES
Birdy Grey
Jamie & Patrick’s Perfect Heritage Prairie Farm Wedding
Jamie and Patrick are both teachers who met when they started new jobs in a new district. She taught second grade and he is a PE teacher. They met at a welcome party for their new principal. Over the next two years they became great friends. . .
Jamie and Patrick are both teachers who met when they started new jobs in a new district. She taught second grade and he is a PE teacher. They met at a welcome party for their new principal. Over the next two years they became great friends. Patrick wanted to ask Jamie out but didn't want to ruin the friendship they had built. In August 2020, Jamie left to go to a new district to teach 3rd grade. Even though they were no longer working together, Jamie and Patrick remained close and soon he asked her to spend time together “just the two of us.”
Starting to date during Covid forced Jamie and Patrick (along with SO many of our Something Blue couples!) to be creative with how they spent time together. They went on many adventures that included walks and drive through Christmas lights. In April 2022 Patrick took Jamie on a scavenger hunt. Jamie's mom picked her up and gave her the first clue. Each clue was a memory from their relationship (first place we met, first date location, first kiss location, first place they said I love you). At each location was a friend of family member to give the next clue to Jamie. The final clue led to the picnic spot were they met after Jamie got a new job. When they left that day we thought we would never see each other again. So when Patrick proposed at this location, he shared that the last time they were there there they left thinking they wouldn't see each other again and when they left today they would leave being together forever.
Conrad first spent time with Jamie and Patrick at their engagement session at the beautiful Heritage Prairie Farm (our favorite venue!!) He loved spending time with these two, they share such a deep bond and are both filled with kindness and humility. As they explored the farm together they also got in plenty of time with local celebrity Carl (otherwise known as @badkittycarl) Conrad LOVES Carl (everyone’s favorite wedding crasher at Heritage Prairie Farm) but Patrick isn’t as sold on him – this bad kitty definitely jumped up onto Patrick during their engagement session! He then also proceeded to fully crash their wedding ceremony by wandering up and down the aisle during their vows looking for pets 😹
Jamie and Patrick’s wedding day could not have been more perfect. When we arrived, everyone was In great spirits – Jamie and her friends were relaxing together in the farmhouse as they finished hair and makeup, and Patrick and his buddies had a lot of fun opening their custom Cubs’ jerseys and beer bats (such an epic gift for the groomsmen!) When the time came for Jamie and Patrick to see one another they did their First Look right outside the farmhouse before sharing private vows with one another. We really love when couples choose to do this, it’s a beautiful and intimate moment and always clears the air for FUN for the rest of the day! Jamie and Patrick both shed tears when sharing with each other, it was an honor to be present in that moment.
After getting some photos with their (very fun!) wedding party, we moved under the tree out back for their ceremony. Guests sipped cold fresh lemonade and relaxed under paper parasols while Jamie and Patrick were pronounced husband and wife, and then the celebration could truly begin! We had the best time with Jamie and Patrick and their loved ones, it was a perfect day!
Congratulations, Jamie and Patrick, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Jamie and Patrick’s beautiful wedding photos click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue
FLORIST
Town & Country Gardens
VIDEOGRAPHER
I Do Video by Leo
WEDDING CAKE
Deerfield’s Bakery
WEDDING RINGS
R.C. Wahl Jewelers
WEDDING GOWN
Genevieve’s Bridal Couture
BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Azazie
MENSWEAR
Mens Wearhouse
Jamie and Patrick’s Romantic Heritage Prairie Farm Engagement Session
Jamie and Patrick are both teachers who love to spend quiet time together (having been a High School teacher in my 20s I can most certainly understand that!) So it was perfect for them to . . .
Jamie and Patrick are both teachers who love to spend quiet time together (having been a High School teacher in my 20s I can most certainly understand that!) So it was perfect for them to do their engagement session on a peaceful Monday evening at their wedding venue. If you know us well you know we LOVE Heritage Prairie Farm, we could shoot weddings here every weekend and truly be happy. In fact, we are heading to the farm this Thursday for their annual Friendsgiving Farm Dinner! Conrad loved exploring the farm with Jamie and Patrick and getting to know them better – they cuddled and giggled and had such a great time together. And they even got to snuggle the farm’s resident kitty Carl (nothing makes Conrad happier than a good kitty snuggle!) We love these two and are so excited to celebrate their wedding at Heritage Prairie Farm next summer!
Here are some of our favorites from Jamie and Patrick’s romantic engagement session, to see their full gallery click here
Amanda & Marcus’ Joyful Heritage Prairie Farm Wedding
Amanda and Marcus we grew up 15 minutes apart from each other in Texas but never met. Fast forward many years and several moves later, they connected in Illinois through the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel. Their first date was supposed to be . . .
Amanda and Marcus we grew up 15 minutes apart from each other in Texas but never met. Fast forward many years and several moves later, they connected in Illinois through the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel. Their first date was supposed to be meeting for coffee, but turned into a spontaneous Home Depot run after discovering the coffee shop was closed. Amanda and Marcus discovered a shared mutual love for food, Jesus and motorcycle adventures and that their differences helped make them into better people. He knew it before she did, but eventually Amanda realized that Marcus needed to stick around for the long haul. Marcus proposed (during a trip to Texas) at the gazebo his parents got married in, with her sister there to take pictures.
When Amanda and Marcus first came to meet with us at our Studio, we immediately clicked and had the best time talking with this wonderful couple. Their love fills every room they enter, and their willingness to trust us as photographers made it so easy to work with them. We were so excited to photograph their wedding at Heritage Prairie Farm, one of our absolute favorite venues.
Heritage Prairie Farm is so beautiful, it’s truly the perfect place to get married. The grounds are gorgeous, the staff is warm and welcoming, and the food is outstanding. Every couple is treated as individuals, they fully customize and personalize your wedding menu for you. Amanda and Marcus made Spanish rice together early in their relationship but burned it; Spanish rice was on their delicious wedding dinner menu and the team at Heritage Prairie Farm set one single grain of burnt rice on Amanda and Marcus’ plate. That level of thoughtfulness is so uncommon and unique it only further endeared us to this amazing venue. We had the absolute best time celebrating Amanda and Marcus, it was a day that we wish we could relive over and over again.
Congratulations, Amanda and Marcus, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Amanda and Marcus’ beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Something Blue
VENUE & CATERING
Heritage Prairie Farm
MUSIC
Bluewater Kings Band
MENSWEAR
Mens Wearhouse
WEDDING DRESS
Maggie Sottero
BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Azazie
Jenny & Steve’s Gorgeous Heritage Prairie Farm Summer Wedding
Jenny and Steve first met in 7th grade gym class. She told him he looked like a Ken doll, he asked her to a movie (she stood him up). Their paths didn’t cross again until 2018 . . .
Jenny and Steve met in 7th grade gym class. Jenny said Steve looked like a Ken doll. He invited her to a movie and she stood him up, and their paths didn’t cross again until 2018 when Jenny followed Steve on Instagram. Within hours Steve sent Jenny a DM, asked her out a few days later, and the rest is history.
We had THE most amazing time at Jenny and Steve’s wedding. Heritage Prairie Farm is our new FAVORITE venue, it’s absolutely perfect there. From the quaint separate bride and grooms cottages for getting ready photos to the gorgeous grounds to the absolutely DELICIOUS food (Jenny and Steve are vegan, and their vegan wedding dinner was quite possibly the BEST wedding food we have ever tasted!) this unforgettable wedding will always be one of our favorites. We truly loved celebrating this awesome couple at this gorgeous venue.
Congratulations, Jenny and Steve, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Jenny and Steve’s gorgeous wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography + Videography
Something Blue Photography
Wedding Dress
Watters Seeley by BHLDN
Bridesmaid Dresses
Jenny Yoo
Menswear
Joseph Abboud
Wedding Shoes
Essex Lane
Florist
Blooming Flowers
Wedding Rings
Ancona Jewelers
Desserts
Chef Brett from Heritage Prairie Farm
Ashley and Rick’s Northfork Farm Wedding Reception
Ashley and Rick’s shared love of horses brought them together. When Rick’s profile popped up in her search because he’s 6’7” (she is 6 feet tall), she was able to look past his Cubs photos because he had a photo with a horse…
Ashley and Rick’s shared love of horses brought them together. When Rick’s profile popped up in her search because he’s 6’7” (she is 6 feet tall), she was able to look past his Cubs photos because he had a photo with a horse. Ashley’s childhood was filled with happy memories with horses, and she incorporates horseback riding into every vacation. After their first date, Rick offered Ashley a rose (Bachelor-style!) from his annual Kentucky Derby celebration. Turns out Rick had that photo with a horse in his profile because he loves horse racing. Ashley and Rick went on many dates that summer at Arlington International Racecourse. Their families met there and Rick asked her Dad about proposing at the racetrack.
Ashley and Rick planned their wedding for June 2020 at Arlington Racecourse, but Covid forced them down a different path. They got married on our original date at Immanuel Lutheran Church and streamed it to their guests. After doing their engagement photos at Northfork Farm in Oswego, they decided to plan a celebration for their family and friends at the beautiful venue.
When the day came for Ashley and Rick to celebrate at Northfork, it was HOT. Like “your wedding photographers are sweating profusely and it’s awkward” hot. But Ashley and Rick kept their cool and we had so much fun photographing them with their wedding party and family before the reception kicked off. Once we were inside the tent it was a joyful celebration (we were SO excited to run into Lauren and Pete and watch him bust out some SERIOUS dance moves!) And once the sun went down we headed outside for a beautiful sparkler sendoff with the gorgeous horse barn in the background. It was the most perfect day, a celebration that was truly worth the wait.
Congratulations, Ashley and Rick, we love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
To see all of Ashley and Rick’s beautiful wedding photos, click here
VENDOR DETAILS
Photography
Something Blue
Wedding Coordinator
Emma Pasteris
Wedding Dress
Crystal Bride in Geneva, IL
Wedding Rings
Jared's
Flowers
Stephanie Pinkowski
Makeup Artist
Christy Swain Beauty
Hair
Jennifer Lenci Nowak
Bridesmaid Dresses
Sorella Vita from Crystal Bride
Wedding Shoes
Mischka Badgley
Menswear
Men's Wearhouse