Megan & Chris | Schlitz Audubon Wedding Photographer

Megan & Chris were married on a late fall day that offered sunshine and golden light. Their bright north shore church hosted their I Dos beautifully, and set the stage for an intimate and beautiful reception at the ever-engaging Schlitz Audubon nature center. Rustic details like burlap wrapped flower stems made total sense for the Great Hall at Schlitz but Megan made sure it all stayed very bridal – adding silver chiavari chairs and enough candle light to make one want to slow dance all night. But before they welcomed their guests under the porch at Schlitz they had to get some sand on their toes, making the most of the almost-secret beach at Schlitz. I love how the periwinkle blue of the bridesmaids’ dresses suggested a lakeside day all along and the guys made sure the day never got too serious – clad in grey suits and big smiles they were a wonderfully rowdy bunch that Carolina and Sara tamed just long enough to capture a few handsome beach shots. As the bridal party headed back up the hill from the beach, through the woods to the Great Hall, Megan and Chris stayed behind for some quiet moments together. The setting sun painted the sky and they held one another – thrilled to have fun with their guests in a bit but also just calmed by the fact that they were finally Mr. & Mrs. Later that night the revelry would be interrupted by a medical emergency as Chris’ dad ended up making a trip to the hospital. It was scary and intense, but Chris and Megan made it back to the reception – relieved to report that Dad was doing okay and that he had clear instructions for everyone: Get the party started and everyone dance. So they did, first Megan and Chris alone under the soaring vault and then Megan with her dad. By the time their dance dissolved into something with more of a beat the entirety of the dance floor was filled. Just as Dad had directed – they got the party started and celebrated all night long.