From Jaimie
Here we are, 12 hours from an ocean, in the landlocked Midwest. And yet somehow, the remnants of a hurricane became a serious issue. Though Meg + Alex weren’t expecting quite the rainy day wedding that they got, I think in the end it turned out to be absolutely perfect.
And you know what? A rainy day wedding has been on my bucket list for YEARS. It’s always been a dream of mine to shoot a wedding in the rain, with friends and family gathered around under colorful umbrellas.
That’s exactly what happened for Meg + Alex’s rainy day wedding ceremony, and it couldn’t have been more perfect.
If there’s anything that I’ve learned over the last 16+ years of shooting weddings, it’s that those closest to you will make or break your wedding day; not the weather, and not your luck. Meg + Alex have an incredible family and group of friends, and they MADE this wedding. They rolled with it and had a blast.
How would you describe your wedding experience?
Emotional but also casual and lighthearted.
What was the biggest obstacle in planning your wedding?
Sticking to what we wanted, even if that meant opting to not do things people expected us to… like cutting cake or even having cake.
What advice would you give to other couples for their wedding day?
Do what you want and include the things you find important. Remember to eat. Make sure you structure in some private time for you as a couple.
Was there anything that surprised you on the wedding day?
We were both surprised that our nervousness about talking in front of people disappeared in the moment. When we were reciting our vows, it seemed like it was just the two of us.
What was your first thought when you woke up the morning of the wedding?
Today’s finally here!
Let’s do the damn thing!
And oh god, the weather’s terrible. Who cares, let’s still do the damn thing.
Tell me about your dress- where did you find it, how did you choose it, and how did you know it was the one?
My brother lives in Chicago. When visiting him last, I went to Alice in Ivory and tried on a handful of dresses. I went with The Marion by Theia because it looked Art Deco and was form fitting. Other dresses I tried on had too much fabric and volume. It also had a fleur-de-lis in beading on the bottom front of the dress that made me think it had to be the one.
What was the overall theme or “feel” of your wedding? What was your inspiration?
We incorporated a lot of eucalyptus. We loved using it for inspiration for our invitations, floral bouquets, reception decor, and even our guest favors.
Tell me about how you each felt when you saw each other for the first time.
So relieved and content. I think we both immediately relaxed a little. We hadn’t seen each other since the morning and both of us were a little on edge waiting for the ceremony.
What was your first dance song and how did you choose it?
We didn’t have a first dance. Instead, we choose to go straight into open dancing. We think it gave us a little more time to talk with our friends and family.
Tell me how you felt during the reception.
It was a whirlwind. Parts flew by, and part slowed down. It was difficult to attempt to talk to everyone, but we know that’s natural. We felt overwhelmed by the excitement and joy our friends and family displayed for us.
What was your favorite part of the day?
Walking back down the aisle together as husband and wife.
What were you most anxious/nervous/fearful about regarding your wedding day and what was the outcome?
The weather was the thing we were most concerned about. We knew it was ultimately something we couldn’t control, but a lot of what we imagined for our day was outside so we couldn’t help but have it on our minds. It turned out beautifully. Our ceremony was held at a different garden than intended, which was a bit of a bummer, but fortunately it was during a pocket of light rain. We loved the mood it gave the ceremony and couldn’t have asked for something better and more fitting.
When planning your wedding, what photos were most important to you and why?
Candid photos documenting the evening. There are so many things that happened that we weren’t aware of, and seeing those photos later on is so much fun!
Vendors:
Ceremony venue: Missouri Botanical Garden
Reception venue: ANEW
Catering: The Social Affair Catering + Event Design
Flowers: Walter Knoll Florist
Tie and pocket square: Lonesome Traveler
Dress: THEIA from Alice in Ivory
Photography: Jaimie Nicole Krause
I love how you captured their day, Jaime! And is that an IMOs pizza the bride is holding?? Love it.
It’s one of the bridesmaids- and it’s not an Imo’s pizza, but it’s very similar!