Kristin + Edward’s Intimate Lincolnshire Wedding | St. Giles Episcopal Church + Eddie Merlot’s

Some wedding days are big and elaborate, while others are intentionally small, incredibly personal, and filled with only the people who matter most. Kristin and Edward’s May 30th wedding was the perfect example of just how special an intimate wedding day can be.

Their day began at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort, where everyone gathered to get ready before heading to the ceremony. Hair was beautifully styled by Sydney Misseri of Reverie Salon, and the morning was filled with all of those little moments I love capturing before a wedding begins.

One of the sweetest parts of the entire day was watching Edward’s daughter, Dani, get ready alongside everyone else. She was their flower girl, but Kristin and Edward made sure she was included in so much more than simply walking down the aisle.

When Dani was feeling a little nervous that morning, Dad was right there to hold her hand. I also captured a moment of Edward kneeling down to help put on her shoes, and I immediately thought about how incredible it would be if they recreated that exact photo someday on Dani’s own wedding day. 🥹

Before leaving for the church, Kristin and Edward also took some quiet time apart to read letters they had written to one another. I love when couples include moments like this in their wedding day. In the middle of everything happening around them, they each had a chance to slow down and take in what the day really meant before seeing one another at the ceremony.

Of course, no wedding day would be complete without at least one unexpected adventure.

As we were beginning to run a little behind getting ready, we received word that their limo had broken down — and the replacement wasn’t going to arrive until after the ceremony was supposed to begin.

Wedding photographers tend to wear a LOT of hats, especially when there isn’t a wedding planner present. So we rearranged transportation, figured out who was riding with whom, and most importantly, tried to keep everyone calm.

I reminded Kristin of one very important detail: she was the bride. They weren’t exactly going to start without her. 😂

Cars were rearranged, everyone made it to Northbrook, and despite all of the chaos, we were almost completely back on schedule.

A Personal Ceremony at St. Giles Episcopal Church in Northbrook

Kristin and Edward were married at St. Giles Episcopal Church in Northbrook, a location that already held a special connection to their family because Kristin’s mom works there.

She was there making sure everything was perfect for her daughter, even working alongside the florist herself on the flowers and details for the ceremony.

The ceremony was intimate and incredibly personal. Kristin chose only her brother and cousin for the bridal party, and approximately 50 of their closest family members and friends were there to watch them say “I do.”

But this ceremony wasn’t only about Kristin and Edward becoming husband and wife.

It was also about officially becoming a family of three.

Dani sat on Kristin’s lap during part of the ceremony, held Dad’s hand, and was completely included in this new chapter for all three of them. Throughout the entire day, it was so obvious how naturally she had been welcomed and loved by Kristin’s side of the family.

Those are always the moments within a wedding day that I find myself drawn to — the little interactions happening between all of the big, expected moments.

Wedding Portraits in the Gardens

After the ceremony, we didn’t have to travel far for portraits. St. Giles has beautiful gardens behind the church that gave us the perfect backdrop, and Mother Nature definitely cooperated.

It was a gorgeous May afternoon with blue skies and barely a cloud in sight.

We photographed family, the bridal party, and of course plenty of newlywed portraits of Kristin and Edward throughout the gardens.

And Dani even decided to help.

While I was photographing just Kristin and Edward, she wandered off in search of wildflowers to pick and bring back to them. 🌼 It was another one of those completely unplanned moments that ended up telling the story of their day so perfectly.

An Intimate Reception at Eddie Merlot’s in Lincolnshire

After portraits, everyone headed to Eddie Merlot’s in Lincolnshire for the reception.

The restaurant was beautiful and such a perfect setting for the intimate celebration they had planned. Rather than filling a huge ballroom with hundreds of guests, Kristin and Edward were surrounded by around 50 of the people closest to them.

And there’s something really special about a wedding reception that size.

Everyone knows the couple. Everyone has a story. Everyone genuinely wants to be there. The entire evening feels less like a formal event and more like one big celebration with family and friends.

The speeches were easily one of the highlights of the night.

Kristin and Edward originally met through work, and apparently it didn’t take very long for either of them to realize they had found their person. It was love at first sight, followed by an engagement only months after they began dating.

Edward also immediately clicked with Kristin’s family, which became even more obvious listening to the people closest to them talk about their relationship. There were plenty of happy tears around the room as their family shared stories and talked about just how perfectly Edward fit into their lives.

And then Kristin’s brother stood up to give his speech.

With a literal scroll.

Yes. An actual scroll. 😂

In all of the weddings I’ve photographed over the years, that was definitely a first.

Between the emotional speeches, laughter, incredible food, and a room filled with exactly the people they wanted beside them, it was the perfect ending to their wedding day.

Kristin and Edward’s wedding was such a beautiful reminder that a wedding doesn’t have to be huge to be unforgettable.

Sometimes all you need is a gorgeous day, a meaningful ceremony, the people you love most, and one very sweet little girl picking wildflowers for her newly married dad and bonus mom.

Congratulations, Kristin + Edward — and Dani, too. 🤍

It was such an honor to capture the day the three of you officially became a family.