October Wedding at Hotel Orrington

Nathan met Ellie through a mutual friend at a local bar in college called Kelly’s Pub. After the two dated and fell in love, Nathan asked Ellie to pick a place for dinner after he had just returned from a busy work trip. Ellie chose the Italian restaurant, Campagnola, in Evanston where Nathan got down on one knee before dessert asked Ellie to be by his side forever. Everyone in the restaurant applauded the couple as Ellie stood in complete surprise.

When it came to their wedding day, Eleanor admits, “Other than marrying my best friend, we were both looking forward to being in the same room with all of our family members and closest friends.”

Ellie and Nathan have some of the nicest and funniest friends I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing and it shows in their photos – everyone was constantly smiling, laughing and having a great time!

“It was so special and we definitely felt the love,” says Ellie. “Each one of them  went above and beyond to make sure we were happy and taken care of! It was A LOT of attention but we learned to just go with it and take all the love in.”

What was the best thing that happened at your wedding?

“Our family dog, Bailey, came dressed in a tux to hang out and take pictures with us! He was absolutely adorable, and it was so fun to be with him throughout the day. Actually, having him there also helped lighten the mood and made Ellie less nervous too.”

What was the most surprising thing that happened at your wedding?

Nathan confides, “Ellie wasn’t as emotional or nervous as she thought she would be. Planning our wedding took quite a bit of time and energy… there was a ton of build up, and we were both just so happy that the day was finally here!”

When asked what advice the newlyweds would share with other recently engaged couples, Ellie & Nathan said…

“We know everyone says it, but don’t sweat the small stuff… it’s easy to make yourself go crazy over the smallest details, and in the end, it’s not worth it. The day of goes by incredibly fast … make sure to soak up every moment!!!

Planning a wedding can bring up a lot of emotions … make sure to take time for self care and give yourself the time and space to take a step back when you need it. Keep communicating with your partner and challenge yourself to sit with your emotions and get curious about them rather than race to “get over them”.

Lastly, DO YOU. We can’t stress this one enough … everybody will have a different opinion, and it’s truly impossible to make everyone else happy. Listen to your gut and think about what’s going to be best for you and your partner!“

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Proving also that Ellie and Nathan are the coolest couple on the planet, they honeymooned on safari in South Africa and then kicked it on the island of Mauritius off the southeast coast of the African continent. How cool is that? Amazing!!! I can’t wait to see photos from their trip and hear all about their adventures. In the meanwhile, I couldn’t be more excited to share these stunning highlights from their incredible wedding. Enjoy!