Summer Hudson Farm Wedding Day | Taylor & Kody

I am beyond honored (and excited!) to share Taylor and Kody’s summer wedding day at Hudson Farm on the blog today! This couple is so special to me, and their wedding day was truly a full-circle moment. These two radiate joy, and it was an honor to photograph their big day!

My relationship with Taylor goes back many years to when I babysat her in high school and felt like a “big sister” to her. Fast forward to today – she’s grown up, a wonderful teacher, and just married the love of her life. Getting to reconnect throughout these wedding milestones has been a joy. I cannot fully express how much I cherished being able to photograph her engagement and wedding day. This wedding day truly pulled at my heartstrings in all the best ways!

From the Bride

For my 2023 New Year’s resolution, I told myself I was going to say yes to more things. The first thing I got asked to do was go on a date with a guy I matched with on a dating app! Kody and I started dating a couple weeks after that. After I graduated from college, I moved to start my first year of teaching, and Kody lived 2 hours away. During that time, we both realized we didn’t want to be without each other, and we decided to move in together. After a year of living together, Kody popped the big question! We love playing video and board games (Mario Kart is our favorite), playing pickleball, going to church, and cooking together!

Advice for Engaged Couples

Give yourself at least a year to plan and take it one step at a time!

The Wedding Day

Where do I even begin with this wedding day?!

The morning greeted us with rain, humidity, and a forecast that had everyone keeping a close eye on the weather. But as the day unfolded, the skies cleared just in time for Taylor and Kody to exchange vows surrounded by the people they love most. It felt like the perfect reminder that sometimes the best wedding days don’t begin exactly as planned, but they still turn out even more beautiful than you imagined.

One of my favorite parts of the day was watching Taylor getting ready with her mom. There was so much excitement, anticipation, and just the sweetest mix of happy nerves before everything became official. Those moments always go by so quickly, but they’re some of my favorites to document because they tell so much of the story.

Before the ceremony, Taylor shared a first look with her dad that had everyone tearing up. Watching his face light up as he saw his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time was a special moment. From there, the day only became more beautiful. The colorful florals and pastel color palette perfectly captured the feeling of summertime. Love, love, love!

Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for. Seeing Taylor walk down the aisle toward Kody was one of those moments that makes time seem to stand still. The smiles, the happy tears, and the overwhelming joy on both of their faces said everything that words couldn’t!

As if the day wasn’t already emotional enough, I found myself standing behind my camera during portraits thinking, “How is this real?”… It truly felt surreal to be photographing Taylor’s wedding day after knowing her for so many years. What started with babysitting a sweet little girl had come full circle as I documented one of the biggest milestones of her life. It’s moments like these that remind me why I love what I do so much.

Taylor and Kody – Thank you for trusting me to photograph your wedding day! Your wedding day was overflowing with love, laughter, and genuine joy. I know your marriage will be filled with all of those same beautiful things. Congratulations, you two! I couldn’t be happier for you both.

Kankakee Family Photographer - Kara Evans Photographer