Classic Spring Schlafly Tap Room Wedding Reception

From the Photographer

Elizabeth and Pat are so easy together, and you can’t help but have fun when you’re around them. Their Schlafly Tap Room wedding reception was the perfect representation of them: relaxed + fun + fantastic food and beer! I particularly enjoy their sense of humor and share in their love for Dairy Queen ice cream cake. (Back story: they ordered DQ cakes for their wedding cake and had them decorated with “0^th Anniversary”, “Cheers to Us”, and “Wedding Cake”, which I’m still laughing about.)

I love that the focus of their day was on the actual marriage, and not on the details. It’s so easy to lose sight of what a wedding day is actually about when you’re overwhelmed with the planning whole planning the biggest party of your life thing.

My Favorite Moment of the Day

During the chaos of getting ready, Elizabeth’s little brother sat at the piano and played Beatles songs. The last song he played was “Let It Be” which was the perfect song for those emotionally charged moments before the ceremony began. The background noise was chaotic with excited chatter, and as he played on, the room fell silent. Moments later, everyone nervously lined up at the door, ready for the processional.

How They Met // The Love Story

“We met in art class in college. After the classes ended we didn’t think we’d hang out any more, but then found we had mutual friends.”

The Venues

“We had the ceremony at our church which we love because of the great community. It’s like having 30 sets of grandparents. Also, the building is so lovely. We had our reception at Schlafly because we HAD to have good beer. The Tap Room is a neat historic building with character. The food is really delicious, too.”

Decor + Details

“I wanted a lot of greenery because I thought it would feel kind of earthy, but I also wanted yellow accents because yellow is such a happy color. I didn’t make a lot of decor decisions because I’m bad at it and just left it up to my aunt (who did the flowers). She did an amazing job, which I knew she would!”

What She Wore

“I got my dress at The Wedding Belle in Highland, IL (where I grew up). I chose that dress because it made my ass look great and I could pee by myself. Also, the shop would let me buy the sample, which was great. What’s the point of being a size 10 if you can’t use it to your advantage?!? I wore white Chuck Taylor low tops with gold polka dots, as well as compression socks, because I didn’t want my feet to hurt and because I always wore Chucks to prom and stuff. “

What He Wore

Pat says, “You only get a couple of opportunities to wear tails in your life,” so he insisted on tails. He rented from Robin’s Bridal. I think the boys’ boutonnieres were so cool. They were little wreaths and I loved them. He wore black leather Chuck Taylor high tops because as a teenager he told his Mom he’d get married in Chucks.

The Ceremony

“We just left most of it to Pastor Tom. We wanted something kind of traditional because we like traditional. That’s what we loved about it. Doing something like others who have come before you, feels neat, like this thing you’re doing is bigger than yourself. My uncle did one reading and Pat’s Godmother/Aunt did the other. The Corinthians reading (1 Corinthians 13) we chose is very traditional to read at weddings, but I absolutely love that reading because I think it explains the love Christians should have for everyone in the world and just encompasses everything I believe Christianity to be.”

“I was very emotional during the ceremony because I cry about everything, but also, I loved all the feelings. I loved that I was moved and others were moved. And I really liked how we held hands and sang Happy Birthday at the end just like a regular service at our church.”

Music // Reception // Party

“We just wanted everyone to drink a little too much good beer, eat some yummy food and have fun. Fun was a priority.”

Your Photographer (that would be me!)

“I appreciated how efficient you were with group/family pictures. That was one of the top 3 stressors for me the day of, and if I knew ahead of time just how awesome you were working the crowd, I probably would have stressed less. I also like how you’re just calm and seem unfazed all day. I originally chose you because I liked your more “artsy” style and how you use gorgeous light to your advantage.”

Advice to couples planning their wedding:

“Everything turns out fine, and anything that doesn’t go well is a good story. The wedding probably won’t be “the best day of your life” because there is just too much to process. If you get overwhelmed, just think about how you are surrounded by people that love you and who are there to celebrate your love, and that’s really awesome!”