Rustic Elegance Barn Wedding at Venue 512

At Venue 5126, Rachel and Michelle filled their fall wedding with romantic touches. While the weather was rainy on and off on their wedding day, the love they have for one another was nothing but sunshine.

Venue 5126

Venue 5126, formally Emerson Creek, is a rustic setting on 7 acres of rolling land and fields, complete with an elegant barn and tented reception space. Michelle & Rachel used the space, both indoors and outdoors (once the weather cleared) to make their guests feel at home. These two are so welcoming and warm, and this venue had the perfect touches of comfortable and tasteful elegance to really speak to them and their crowd.

Located in Oswego, Illinois, Venue 5126 is the perfect space for couples who want an elegant barn wedding with rustic charm. With their beautiful fall florals and thoughtful details, Rachel and Michelle made the space their own for their autumn wedding.

A Rainy First Look

While the skies opened and the rain poured down on the way to their first look at Venue 5126 (which they arrived to via yellow school bus, a nod to their professional routes), the covered awning at the venue lent itself to a picture perfect first look before we dove into portraits of these two love birds.

Romantic portraits of the brides

Michelle and Rachel are so clearly in love. From the way they look at one another, to the reverence with which they speak about the other, their relationship is so beautiful to witness. It was a priority to capture both candid and posed portraits of the couple together, and this portion of the day was so full of laughter and joy. They were truly so thrilled to be marrying one another, and were surrounded by friends and family supporting them every step of the way.

Photographing other queer women is something I cherish so deeply. It’s the biggest honor to be trusted with these moments, and making sure my clients feel seen, celebrated and validated is my responsibility as their wedding photographer! I loved the way these portraits showcased Michelle and Rachel’s vibrant personalities as much as they celebrated their relationship.

Before guests arrived, we sprayed some bottles of champagne with Michelle & Rachel’s wedding party to celebrate the rain settling down! This was one of the most epic sprays I’ve ever photographed, and I loved the way their friends hyped them up. Even more special was how easily brought to tears of joy this crew was! The joy at celebrating this union was so clear to everyone present.

rustic elegance

I love the way this space combines rustic barn vibes with elegant touches. Rachel & Michelle’s wedding ceremony was such a cozy and intimate space, and I loved the custom signage and personal touches.

Some of my favorite photos from this wedding day are these moment right after Michelle and Rachel became wives! These tears of joy and happy hugging outside of the barn were followed by a quick few minutes of sneaking away with the brides to capture some “just married” portraits on Venue 5126’s expansive property.

The wedding decor matched the rustic elegance of this barn wedding, and the cake created by a friend (complete with rainbow frosting to celebrate this queer wedding) took place under the venue’s covered tent. Dinner and toasts wrapped up so that the brides could get out on the incredibly wild dance floor! And let me promise you this: you’ve never seen a bride with moves like Rachel!

Would you like me to photograph your sweet dance moves on your wedding day? I’d love to hear more about your day. Reach out, and let’s get the conversation started!

Thank you to the vendors who made Rachel & Michelle’s wedding day possible:

Florist: Stemming From Love

Hair: Renee Crawford

Makeup: Gwen Sak, Alicia Whittle, Patty McGuire

Cake: Molly’s Cupcakes

DJ: Music By Design

On Michelle: Morilee Aubrey

On Rachel: The Knot Standard