Megan + Cameron: Illinois Intimate Ceremony

Afton Vangsness

Oct 5, 2020

Megan + Cameron's wedding was a long time coming. After over eight years together, and after having to postpone their May wedding, they finally got married on July 5th in front of 50 of their closest family and friends. Trust me when I say, the size did not detract from how truly meaningful this day was!

All photos courtesy of Ebby L Photography

The ceremony was moved to their family's property, which consists of multiple adorable farm houses, their family business Hendrickson Flying Service, as well as all of the green fields rural Illinois has to offer.

The groom is a pilot, so I actually started the day (prior to setup) with a flight overlooking the property. How cool is that? This relaxed vibe set the tone for the day. Everyone was truly there to enjoy themselves and celebrate.

Megan and Cameron decided to wait until the ceremony to see each other for the first time, but they both got ready on the property in two separate vintage houses. With the bride's mom and maid of honor by her side all morning, hair was done by Tamara Holden and makeup was done by LG Makeup + Tans.

The ceremony was set up on the runway, with the field in the background. Going with that theme, there were rustic touches throughout. The gorgeous floral was from Willrett Flower Co., who custom built the arch as well! Due to COVID-19, we actually assigned the ceremony seating and had it spaced out by households.

Illinois outdoor rustic wedding ceremony

The ceremony itself was meaningful and heartfelt. Officiated by the mother of the bride, it was truly personal and provided both funny stories and emotional aspects. Everyone that knows Megan and Cameron, knows how perfect they are for each other, and a standard ceremony would just never have done the couple justice. The bride was also walked down the aisle by her mother to a song made for her by her brother. The flower girl and ring bearer were the groom's niece and nephew, and the readings were done by two of the groom's sisters. By their side was the maid of honor/cousin and best man/brother. Did I mention this was a family affair?!

Both of their dads had previously passed away, but they were a big part of the day as well, both in our hearts, through the words of the ceremony, and incorporated through personal touches like the photos by the ceremony arch and around the bride's bouquet.

The brother of the groom, who was also the best man, is in the Air Force and almost wasn't able to make it due to COVID-19 affecting him being approved to come. It was extremely disappointing to everyone in the family that he wasn't going to be able to make it. However, he worked some things out and at the last minute got the approval. I actually got a call from his sister the week of the wedding so that we could incorporate him in the wedding, and so we could arrange to surprise the bride, groom, and the rest of the family at the rehearsal. It was an absolutely amazing moment to see everyone's reaction to him showing up at the rehearsal, and it also completed the day having him there by Cameron's side!

Wedding party celebrating bride and groom

At the end of the ceremony, the bride and groom kissed, were officially pronounced husband and wife, and went off into the distance as the sun started setting! However, what do you do at an intimate ceremony when you aren't doing a reception? In this case, we decided to do a champagne toast to celebrate!

We had a large champagne wall, so each guest was able to grab their own glass. We also had beers and waters available, as well as hand sanitizer of course! The mother of the groom gave a toast, as did Megan and Cameron. Because they didn't want to do a full reception at this time, we wanted to make sure it still felt like a true celebration!

Overall, this couple, and this day, encompasses exactly what a wedding should be all about - love. Megan and Cameron are a couple that can roll with the punches... even if that punch is a worldwide pandemic. Never once did they get down on things. They were excited to get married the whole way through, no matter what that wedding ended up being.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... an intimate wedding is JUST as special as a large one. At the end of the day, you have the people that mean the most by your side, and you are officially starting a new chapter as a married couple.

Illinois couple in the woods on wedding day

The best part is we are officially in planning mode for their postponed reception at their original wedding venue. I can't wait to celebrate this amazing couple all over again!