Made with love – Erin’s mom made her daughter’s wedding gown

During my first meeting with Erin and her mom, Melissa, I learned that Melissa would be making her daughter’s wedding dress. I asked if I could photograph a fitting and they promised me they’d call when they were going to have one of the last fittings.

In July they called and said they were having a fitting at the beginning of August. I was thrilled to make the drive down to the Edwardsville area to photograph Melissa making adjustments to Erin’s dress and Erin, her sister, her aunt, and her future mother-in-law bonding over a love (and admiration) of sewing skills very few have anymore.

In addition to making her daughter’s dress, Melissa also incorporated lace from her own wedding dress into Erin’s. What an amazing gift to be able to give your daughter.

Erin's mom, Melissa, made Erin's dress from scratch and incorporated some lace from her own wedding dress into the elaborate, layered train. Here Erin and Melissa look at a drawing of the dress during a fitting a couple of months before the wedding.
Erin's dress hangs in the bride's room at the church the day of Erin & Greg's wedding.
Erin tries on her wedding dress during a fitting a couple of months before her wedding while her mom, Melissa, makes some adjustments and her sister, Hannah, holds a mirror.
Melissa and Hannah pin the hem of Erin's train during a fitting a couple of months before Erin's wedding.
Erin's train - on the dress made by her mom

Posted by Tiffany, of Warmowski Photography, who loves to photograph not just the traditional moments of a wedding, but the relationships that surround the day.

Park Grill @ Millennium Park

A bride called recently asking about our services and said she plans to have their reception at the Park Grill restaurant at Millennium Park. We have photographed there before, so I thought I’d post some photos. Anne & Anthony got hitched June 27, 2009. The Park Grill was the perfect spot for their reception.

Anne & Anthony arrive to their wedding reception at the Park Grill in Millennium Park in Chicago.
A young guest toasts the newlyweds at the Park Grill in Millennium Park, Chicago.
Anne & Anthony share their first dance during their wedding reception. at the Park Grill in Millennium Park in Chicago.
The Park Grill in Millenium Park, Chicago.
Anne & Anthony in Millennium Park on their wedding day.
Anne & Anthony walk through the crowds in Millennium Park, Chicago, on their wedding day.

Posted by Tiffany of Warmowski Photography, who loves to photograph weddings in Chicago, St. Louis, Springfield, London, Seattle – anywhere, really!

Reception & decoration highlights – Erin & Greg

Erin & Greg's head table was decorated with their monograms. The brown circle table cloths over the white led the guests eyes right to the happy couple.
Instead of a traditional guest book, guests wrote messages to the couple on small cards and tied them to the tree branch at the table outside the dining room.
Erin & Greg's cake had the wedding colors on alternating tiers and used flowers as the topper. It was also decorated with a monogram.
Place cards kept with the wedding colors. The cards were stuck in a patch of grass - which continued the "earthy" theme of the wedding.
Guests found favors at each setting - a potted succulent they were encouraged to take home.
The centerpieces were varied and included cake stands, coffee beans and candles. Instead of table numbers, each table was given the name of a type of tree.
Erin & Greg's wedding stationary was handmade by Erin & her mother, Melissa. The earth tones carried through from the invitation and wedding program to the centerpieces and other decorations.
Eucalyptus and fiddlehead were used in the bridal bouquet as well as reception decor.
Erin & her mom, Melissa, celebrate how well everything came together after the months of planning.

Posted by Tiffany/Warmowski Photography who really enjoys photographing all of the details you worked so hard on – but might miss during the excitement of your wedding day.

Outdoor photos at Pere Marquette State Park – Erin & Greg Guntren

Erin & Greg chose Pere Marquette as the site for their reception. The space is perfect and the service and food is very good.

When we first arrived to Pere Marquette, we used the available light that was left of the day and photographed the newlyweds on the grand porch outside the lodge.
The large porch overlooks a huge lawn and the Mississippi River. The weather was perfect for outdoor photos.
For a few minutes during the reception, the couple took an after-dark walk along the lit walkways near the lodge.
We spotted some ornamental grasses near the lodge and, with the help of the landscape lighting, took a silhouette of the couple.

Posted by Tiffany/Warmowski Photography. Warmowski Photography has photographed weddings & receptions at both Starved Rock State Park near Utica, Illinois, and Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton.

Ceremony highlights – Erin & Greg Gutren

Erin (Marks) & Greg Guntren were married Saturday, October 2, 2010,  at the Prebyterian Church in White Hall, Illinois.

The church was probably one of the oldest in which we have photographed a wedding (in the U.S., anyway.)
There were many partitions and doors inside the church. I am assuming they were used to keep from heating areas of the church that were not being used - back when it was heated by fireplaces.
Erin chose brown and green as her colors. Erin's sister, Hannah, was her maid of honor and their cousin, Caylee was the flower girl.
The afternoon light came through the windows during the ceremony - shining perfectly on the happy couple.
The church had beautiful architecture and the organ pipes were the focal point of the alter.
Following the ceremony, best man Collin Foster ran up the stairs to ring the church bell.
When Caylee learned she was to be a flower girl in Erin & Greg's wedding, she asked if she could wear a pink dress. Pink didn't go with Erin's color scheme, but Erin's mom, Melissa, did line Caylee's dress with hot pink when she made it.

Posted by Tiffany/Warmowski Photography. We love to photograph weddings in old churches, new churches, or anywhere, really. Traditional or off-the-wall, we  capture real moments all day.