The month of July was filled with beautiful wedding days! I’m honored to share a look at Ivanna and Chris’s Broadway Food Hall wedding in Urbana, Illinois today!
You might remember these two from their Champaign-Urbana engagement session last fall. It was my first time officially meeting these two in person after emails, texts, and FaceTime dates. I just adore these two.
From the Bride
Chris and I attended the University of Illinois at Champaign together and met when I was a freshman and he was a sophomore. We both initially lived in the same dorm and also attended the same small group bible study through InterVarsity. We started out as friends but grew to realize that we absolutely loved talking to one another and spending time together… Perhaps a little bit too much to be just friends! In March of 2014, Chris asked me out on a first date and the following month, we became boyfriend and girlfriend.
And though Chris tried to hide the proposal surprise within the guise of my birthday celebration, I was a little suspicious at the grandeur of the weekend. First, he took me the mall and tried to buy me a new birthday outfit. Then, we stopped by Barnes and Nobles and browsed – something we both love to do! It’s important to note that this was also something we did during our first date! He then brought me to lunch at our favorite restaurant in Champaign and suggested that we stop by the Hallene Gateway afterwards. It was there, at the spot where we ended our first date that he proposed and I said ‘yes’! He even surprised me by coordinating an engagement party back in our hometown with both of our families and closest friends!
It has been 5 wonderful years filled with inside jokes, board games galore, and trying new recipes together! Mix in a few years of long distance dating and graduate school work, and we are beyond ready get married and finally live in the same city again!
The Wedding Day
Can you already tell that this couple is as sweet as can be?! Kyle and I loved arriving to the getting ready Airbnb on the day of Ivanna and Chris’s wedding. The girls were getting ready, and I loved seeing all Ivanna’s thoughtful details come together. Ivanna has a beautiful eye for pretty things and created almost all of the wedding decor, calligraphy, and DIY flowers. The modern romantic theme that combined blush, dusty rose, burgundy, navy, and gold was oh so pretty!
As the the girls finished getting ready, Kyle traveled to meet Chris as the guys prepared for the day ahead. Before we knew it, it was time for Ivanna and Chris to share their wedding day first look at Hallene Gateway on the University of Illinois campus. And you’ll love the sentiment behind this location… This was the very spot that Ivanna and Chris ended their first date, and it is where Chris proposed, too. Of course it was a must for their first look!
The first look rolled into bridal party photos at the University of Illinois Arboretum. Are you sensing a U of I theme here? I loved it! We were all thankful for the beautifully warm summer day and a refreshing little breeze that kept rolling through. Ivanna and Chris couldn’t have asked for better weather!
Soon enough, it was time to travel up the road to Twin City Bible Church where Ivanna and Chris’s dear friend would marry them. This church is another part of their wedding day that holds so much meaning to the couple. It is where they attended church throughout undergrad and it feels like home for them. Heart eyes!
After the ceremony, it was time for a little fun with the bridal party! Everyone traveled to downtown Champaign for urban bridal party photos… And I LOVE these photos so! After their engagement session, Ivanna and Chris shared with me that their very favorite photos from the session were the urban photos. So again, it was only fitting that we sprinkled in some urban bridal party and couples photos on their wedding day!
Then it was reception time! I adored their reception venue – Broadway Food Hall. It was my first (of hopefully many!) weddings at this venue, and it is a gem. The exposed ceilings, wood tables, and Edison bulb lighting among other architectural details make this venue a stunner! And it was so fun to see Ivanna and Chris’s loved ones send them off in style with a sparkler exit at the end of the night.
Looking back on this wedding day, I was in awe of the love that Ivanna and Chris have for one another. If you know them, you know that their love comes so naturally between them. They share a deeply rooted faith and constantly lean on each other and the Lord. They are quirky, cute, and I believe, meant for beautiful things in this life together!
Ivanna & Chris – Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing your Broadway Food Hall wedding day with us! We are praying for you two and all your married days ahead. Sending so much love to you both!
Creative credit goes to…
Bride’s Attire: Galina at David’s Bridal | Bridesmaid Attire: Azazie + David’s Bridal | Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse | Hair: Timothy John Salon & Spa – Urbana, IL | Makeup: Eli Yu | Jeweler: Flora Gems – Champaign, IL | Ceremony: Twin City Bible Church – Urbana, IL | Wedding Officiant: Justin Sebastian | Reception Venue: Broadway Food Hall – Urbana, IL | Wedding Planner: Madeline Kim | Florist: DIY | Catering: Broadway Food Hall – Urbana, IL | Invitations + Paper Goods: Vistaprint | Calligrapher: The Bride
P.S. – Wanna read more love stories and get wedding inspiration? I love sharing more wedding days here!
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