I recently had the pleasure of helping to tell the story of Brooks and Jackie Heider's wedding day. Even with the threat of rain, their outdoor wedding ceremony at Stoney Creek Inn in East Peoria turned out to be absolutely beautiful.
The bride arrived at the venue in a Hawaiian print romper, and her attitude remained just as cool as her outfit all day long! Everyone was in good spirits...happy and lively. The girls were giggling and getting ready in the room while the guys had already started to congregate in the bar area, sipping on a few of their own beers since the bartender didn't get in until later in the day. We had the whole bar to ourselves. One of the groomsmen was throwing a stink because he wanted to wear his sunglasses in every photo, and the bride gave orders that he couldn’t wear them at all. We compromised...the sunglasses made their first and final appearance in one photo. See if you can spot it.
Brooks was so visibly excited to see Jackie, and from the moment she tapped him on the shoulder to reveal her wedding day ensemble, the two were inseparable.
Though the day started out overcast with a 40% chance of rain, the bride and groom decided to press ahead with the outdoor ceremony. And then, like magic, just before the wedding began, the clouds gave way. We finally saw the sun peeking through. It turned out perfectly! A family friend officiated the wedding, which included a sand ceremony signifying their union as husband and wife.
Following the ceremony, we took the limo to downtown Peoria, popped around for photos, and landed at Kelleher’s Irish Pub. The party grabbed drinks, and the ladies bustled Jackie's dress in the back of the bar.
After returning to the venue for the reception, the bride and groom were announced and cut their cake from Rise Up Bake Shoppe. A plated dinner catered by Barrack's Hospitality Group was served followed by a party for the ages! The open bar was a big hit, and the music provided by Top Hat Productions had everyone dancing all night long! The dance floor was never empty! Jackie even danced with her Maid of Honor via FaceTime because she couldn’t attend the wedding due to COVID exposure just days before the wedding.
Shortly after their big day, Brooks and Jackie jetted off to Jamaica for a week of fun in the sun as they reflected on the day's details and celebrated the commitment they had just made to one another. I loved every minute of capturing this chapter of their story, and I cannot wait to see where their next chapter will take them!
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