Eric + Jessica | A Charleston, IL, Wedding

A few weekends ago I had the honor of spending the day with the lovely Eric & Jessica!!With a shared passion of music, they knew each other through friends for a couple of years in college before they started dating.  And when I met them for the first time, the music for their wedding was what they were most passionate about when discussing their wedding plans.  The trumpets, the singers, and the most original way to leave a wedding ever - an old fashioned New Orleans second line, which is a brass band leading the bride and groom down the street on a walk after they leave the ceremony!!It was a beautiful day for a beautiful couple, and I was so happy to be there to capture it all!Here are just a few of my favorites from Eric + Jessica's traditional and classic wedding! I am ALWAYS in favor of the bride getting ready at the house she grew up in.  And so I was excited to spend the morning at Jessica's childhood home...where it's almost a rite of passage - as the bride ends one part of her life and begins another. Jessica was very involved in sports AND music growing up, and her room was a tribute to her activities.  I love the representation of her childhood on the wall behind her mom, as she gets ready for her wedding day!We then headed outside for a few formal portraits outside her childhood home.

I then headed over to the church and met up with Eric!  He was ready to go on his wedding day!

The sanctuary was stunning with candlelight lighting both sides of the entire aisle!At our planning session, Jessica had teased Eric that he would get emotional at the ceremony, and he didn't disappoint!  I love this image of him seeing his bride for the first time walking down the aisle! The band started the parade down the street....

...with Eric and Jessica leading their guests along the way!

After the wedding, we headed over to Easter Illinois University's campus for wedding party portraits!

One of my all-time favorite images of the day, I love the look in Jessica's eyes at her groom!

Jessica and Eric's reception was held in one of the ballroom's at Eastern Illinois University.  Jessica' mother did a fabulous job of transforming the ballroom into a gorgeous reception bathed in golds, creams, and pinks.

Jessica's brother wasn't quite sure of me at the start of the day...but every time I walked past him at the reception we said 'hi' to each other and by the end of the night we were thick as thieves and he was posing for me!!!

Jessica and Eric ended the night with the very thing that brought them together - the music they loved. After the traditional dances, a band kept the crowd celebrating their wedding all evening long!

Jessica and Eric, thank you again so much for allowing me to be with you on one of the greatest days of your life!  Blessings to you in all you do!

~Kelly~