Small and intimate weddings have been fully embraced the past few years and we are all for it! The venue possibilities are endless when it comes to a smaller guest list and one venue you do not want to miss is Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest.

With several different locations to have your ceremony and reception hosted including the Meyer Memorial Pavilion, Celebration Rose Pavilion, Window on the Wetlands, Ed’s Oasis, Council Oak Tree, Heron Field, The Sidetrack, and the Railway Depot. Each location holds different capacity rates depending on your wedding size.

For this stylized shoot, we were located at the Railway Depot which is an old-fashioned train station modeled after a 1920s Railway Depot. With the beautifully done landscaping and a miniature version of various train stations and small towns, this is a beautiful location for outdoor ceremonies and includes an indoor option.

CLP Events created the most elegant tablescape and lounge areas embracing the perfect fairytale tea party. The bold colors of blue, pinks, and gold popped against the background of greenery and foliage. We loved the European vibes the tea lounge gave us.

La Petite Fleuriste did an amazing job with the floral for this shoot! She incorporated hanging amaranth, anemone, Andrea cremon mum, pink Ohara garden rose, Mila gerpom, hypericum, ranunculus, silver dollar eucalyptus, pampas, Italian ruscus, hot pink carnation, bunny tail and pink Floyd rose.

Let’s take a minute and admire the arm bouquet that La Petite created for the bride. Instead of a standard hand bouquet that the bride holds, a winding array of floral going up the bride’s arm is so stunning and unique!

Talking about the bride, our model, Emiley Hunt, looked breathtaking in not just one but TWO dresses provided by Elegance Wedding and Evening Wear. The first form-fitting gown with a plunging neckline was the perfect fit for the bride and the detachable skirt added a dramatic flair. We loved the short veil so you can really showcase the train of the skirt.

When you have a particular cake design in mind, look no further than Designer Desserts! If you can dream it, they can create it. We loved the bright and bold pink, orange and white cake with a heavy border of floral around the two tiers.

The sweets table was so fun and colorful with cupcakes and cookies made by Designer Desserts and popcorn by Chicagoland Popcorn.

The one-of-a-kind jewelry provided by Stephanie Swanson Jewelry Design was gorgeous. The bride wore an 18-karat white gold Double South Sea Pearl and eight and a half carats in diamonds, an 18k white gold and six and a half carats in diamonds, 18k white gold and five carats diamond earrings, a platinum eternity band with four and a half carats in oval diamonds and a three-carat fancy yellow diamond engagement ring in 18k white gold.

The second gown was equally stunning! The sheer long sleeve ball gown style dress gave off a European princess vibe and was complemented with a star-studded crown, of course.

Since the bride had two different wedding looks, our hair stylist, Amber Otto, styled Emiley’s hair two different ways. The first look with the detachable skirt, Amber did a half up-do with loose cascading curls and pinned the face framing hairs to the side. For the second look, Amber did a low updo that still showcased the bride’s loose curls. We loved both looks and they each were the perfect look for each dress.

Jaclyn Sarnecki Licensed Makeup Artist created a very natural yet dramatic look on our bride. The rose and copper eyes with a slight berry colored lip added the perfect amount of color to her face but not feeling like her makeup was heavy.

When you are having an outdoor wedding, you want to make sure you get a wedding photographer that understands lighting. Matt and Jaymi Photography is a two-for-one deal! You get two professional photographers that are the best at lighting. You will have so much fun working with them that you will get the most genuine, artistic photos that you will cherish for a lifetime!