Rachel + Steve

I instantly fell in love with Rachel and Steve because not only were they incredibly sweet and fun (I know, I think all the couples I work with are sweet and fun, and yes, I do fall in love with all of them), but they started peppering the conversation with words like "herbs," "fiddlehead ferns," and "scabiosa pods" - all very telling selections. It's simliar to when I meet someone who says "I adore peonies" or "Protea/pincushions are so cool!" - you just know where the discussion should go and we just ran with it. We went into succulents and branches and twine and before we knew it, we had a floral vision that fit their theme of organic, earthy, fall, yet somehwat clean and modern.

The venue itself was new and unique for me. It's a beautiful, grand home situated on a lake in Lake Villa with grounds that include gardens, a tree-lined drive into the estate, and much privacy as it was hidden far away from the major roads. Rachel and Steve had their wedding party and family stay together at the gorgeous home for the weekend and had planned to have a largely outdoor affair for their wedding.

Unfortunately, it was freezing that day in early October. We all had anticipated weather in the upper 60's; that day we experienced temps closer to the lower 40's. Despite the major setback, this amazing couple made adjustments and ended up having a stunning tented reception and a clearly blissful day. Congratulations to this gorgeous, lovely couple!

***First five photos credited to Tyler Hamlet Photography***

A quick note on the flower girl bouquets: Rachel's mother made these herself with silk flowers, whcih blended perfectly with all the florals. I also love how this photo relays so much in the general feel and look of Rachel and Steve's wedding. Beautiful shot, Tyler!

***The following six photos are credited to Kristi Michelle Photography***

Those...are my hands. I thought it was a fun lil cameo!

Simply beautiful shots of the flowers by Kristi!

***The remaining photos are from my ghetto point-and-shoot***

The cakes were their centerpieces: hands down brilliant! Rachel and Steve asked me to decorate the top of the cakes in the style of their wedding. We alternated between green/brown for the white choclate cakes and orange/gold for the brown chocolate cakes. All the other accessories on the tables were provided by the couple. The details were wonderful.