English Hills Terrace Retro Wedding | Robert & Katie
I have repeatedly said in the past that I would die for my brides. That’s how special all of my wedding couples are to me! The fact that you trust me with your most important day is not lost on me one single bit. Every once in a while though, a certain wedding or couple will stand out just a little bit above the rest, like Robert & Katie’s English Hills Terrace retro wedding.
I met with Robert & Katie while Robert was on his lunch break at work. Not only could guys typically care less about wedding planning, now he’s gotta deal with it in the middle of a work day while scarfing down lunch? Robert came with his guard up and extremely skeptical, determined not to like me. Thank goodness I was completely unaware of this! I chatted with them like normal, and got SO excited about their plans! A 50’s diner theme for the dinner portion of the reception, followed by an 80’s dance party! Once I asked about the playlist they had going, Robert really lit up and his guard came tumbling down.
By the time our consultation was over, I couldn’t leave without hearing a “yes” from them! I actually asked them “PLEASE can I shoot your wedding?!” I am so glad they agreed! Not only was it an awesome wedding, Robert & Katie have now become good friends of mine and my husband!
The theme started with this super cute record invite designed by Sol Paperie!
I kind of can’t get over how stunning Katie is <3
She did a first look with her dad, which of course turned out precious!
They got married at Katie’s church, Plainfield Christian Church, where she also works in the music department! She has an incredible voice!
Meanwhile, the guys got ready by playing a little pool!
Robert & Katie were high school sweethearts, so they both wore items that called back to their Prom, like Robert’s white jacket!
Pro-tip: when signing the marriage license, you sign with your new name. Katie got it wrong on the first form, but had a second chance….and then still did her old name haha!
We headed out to the Rockford Dam for their photos, just like we did for their engagement session! This is a special place for them, so it was perfect to come back here!
I MEAN HELLO GORGEOUS!
Robert & Katie are such an ideal couple of mine because they match my energy and humor. So it’s very easy to get them laughing – my favorite!
Definitely one of my favorites from the day! (Ok, I have a ton.)
Another favorite for sure! Especially because we shot on this wall for their engagement session too!
It was completely overcast day, so when the time came for sunset portraits, I couldn’t believe my eyes! A huge bright rainbow was right over the venue! I RAN inside (apparently so fast that guests thought someone got shot in the parking lot!), immediately found Katie and yelled “KATIE! RAINBOW! LET’S GO!!” Since we already vibed so well, she understood the urgency, found Robert and yelled “ROBERT! RAINBOW! LET’S GO!”
A few minutes into the photos, I noticed that Robert started tearing up. I figured it was just emotions of the day catching up with him, but when I shared this photo the next day, I got a text from Katie. A close friend of Robert’s had passed away, and rainbows held a special meaning – not only in his life, but a rainbow even appeared at his funeral as well. So when the rainbow appeared right over Robert & Katie’s reception, it was a clear sign <3
Instead of one cake or a bunch of cupcakes, they had a handful of these super cute round cakes from the Cakabakery!
Side note: this was not a real milkshake haha!
This photo cracks me up, because Robert was very particular in his playlist of songs. This included NO “dance-alongs” like the ChaCha Slide. Somehow it got squeezed in and he got tricked into dancing to it anyway!
This photo is not perfect or even in focus, but I just love it so much, because this describes how I feel for each and every wedding, and how I want you to feel! Crazy excited and ready to party! After all, I am the photographer for couples who love to have fun!
Thanks so much for checking out Robert & Katie’s English Hills Terrace retro wedding! I had an absolute blast and I’m so glad that I was able to be there for them! Don’t forget to follow Jessie Silva on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest updates!
