kara evans

WEDDING

Shadowland on Silver Beach Wedding Day in Saint Joseph, Michigan | Shelby + Tim

October 12, 2017

Hey, I’m Kara!
Hey, I’m Kara! A wedding and family photographer based in Kankakee, Illinois! Whether I’m photographing your wedding day or everyday milestones and memories as a family, this job is my joy.

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Another wedding day means another wedding blog post! Since Shelby and Tim booked wedding photography with me last September, I have been counting down the months and days until their wedding day. Now, I’m over the moon excited to share their wedding photos with you!

Shelby and Tim’s story goes back to their undergrad studies at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. These two met while working on campus at the college, and you could say the rest is history, but Shelby and Tim’s love story is still unfolding! After they completed their undergrad and then grad school for Shelby + law school for Tim, these two made downtown Chicago their home. So, when the proposal happened last summer, Tim proposed to Shelby along Lake Michigan after dinner and a ferris wheel ride… How perfectly representative of their life in the city together!

Oh ,and you know I’m a sucker for puppies, so I have to share that they even adopted a sweet little puppy (fun fact – from the same rescue we adopted Georgie from!) named Wells after the first street they lived on in the city together. You can see photos of these three from Shelby + Tim’s engagement session last fall here. These two (sometimes three if Wells can tag along) love to enjoy the beautiful sights and food throughout Chicago in their free time along with spending quality time with their best friends and family.

In the months leading up to Shelby and Tim’s semi-destination wedding day (more about that soon), I have LOVED every minute of working with these two! They are so easy going and joyful that I couldn’t help but have fun with them throughout the entire eprocess. Shelby is incredibly organized (#soulsisters), so I immensely appreciated and loved experiencing this part of the process with her, too! This girl was on top of all the rustic + romantic details for her wedding day, and it came together without a hitch! And this time getting to know Shelby as a bride has also been so fun because I’ve known Shelby for as long as I can remember since we grew up in the same town and were only a couple years apart in school. This job is so sweet!

On the day of Shelby and Tim’s wedding, the girls and guys were so relaxed and laid-back when my second shooter Emily and I arrived. We both ooh-ed and ahh-ed over each and every one of Shelby’s details as we photographed them… From her intricate floral lace gown to their rings to her shoes to the florals with tons of greenery + succulents and more. We were in HEAVEN! Our excitement for the day was building even more as we saw their wedding day vision come alive.

Soon enough, it was time for Shelby and Tim to share a first look near their ceremony and reception venues on Silver Beach in Saint Joseph, Michigan and start the day together. This wedding location was so special because these two LOVED visiting Saint Joseph for a little vacation before they got engaged, and as soon as they got engaged they couldn’t imagine their wedding day taking place anywhere else. And it was so perfect for these two! After their sweet first look with giggles, smiles, and a few happy tears, we rolled into bridal party photos in the crazy end-of-September heat. If you had told me that the temperature would be nearly 100 degrees on September 22, 2017 – I probably wouldn’t have believed you!

All throughout this wedding day, Shelby and Tim were so grounded in their love for one another and their family and friends celebrating alongside them. They were full of laughter, playfulness, and of course, shared their quirky personalities – LOVE IT! I am truly thankful that I could document this wonderful occasion for these two and their families.

Shelby + Tim – Congratulations again! You two made a wonderful bride and groom, and I know married life is going to treat you both well! I am so excited for you two to experience all of your married years together. Cheers + lots of love to you both!

P.S. – From one cake lover to another, thank you both for introducing me to Gigi’s Cupcakes!

 

Bride’s Attire: BHLDN – Chicago, ILBridesmaid Attire: LulusGroom + Groomsmen Attire: Men’s WearhouseHair + Makeup: Beauty and Bliss – South Bend, IN | Ceremony Venue: Shadowland Pavilion – Saint Joseph, MI | Ceremony Decor: 1928 Planning Co. – Saint Joseph, MI | Reception Venue: Shadowland on Silver Beach – Saint Joseph, MI | Venue Coordinator: Amy Parnell at Shadowland on Silver Beach – Saint Joseph, MI | Florist: Stella Event Design – Saint Joseph, MI | Entertainment: Drew Behringer – Guitarist/Singer/DJ – Grandville, MI | Transportation: B&W Charters – Kalamazoo, MI | Catering: Shadowland on Silver Beach – Saint Joseph, MI | Cake + Cupcakes: Gigi’s Cupcakes – Wilmette, IL | Invitations + Paper Goods: Paper Culture

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Chicagoland wedding & family photographer based in Kankakee, Illinois

@karaevansphotog