There was a chill in the air. It felt like the first day of Fall had come early. But it was kind of refreshing. Especially after the hustle and bustle of getting ready all morning. The sun was hidden behind a sea of gray clouds but that didn’t phase them. Now that we think about it, it was the perfect weather for Torey and Brad. Maybe because gray is Torey’s favorite color, but more so maybe because Torey and Brad shine brighter than the sun. We learned this about them during their engagement session. These two radiate such positivity and happiness that all you can do is smile when you’re around them. Torey and Brad’s love for one another was the only warmth and source of light that we needed on this cloudy day. We can’t even get ourselves to call it a gloomy day because even with the persistent mist in the air, it was golden. Love-filled. Happy. And so contagiously joyful.  


Okay, back to the story. We found ourselves holding our breath as Torey made her way to Brad. He was standing on the bridge next to The Bridge waiting for their first look. He was fidgeting. He was nervous. And he was so incredibly excited to finally see her. He kept his eyes shut as Torey smiled for a picture. We saw his nerves leave him as he let out a big sigh, grinned ear-to-ear, and turned around. Let us preface this next part by saying that our hearts were not prepared for his reaction. We know these two adore each other inside and out. We know their love for one another knows no bounds. But wow, Brad truly had both the funniest and most heartfelt reaction any of us could have hoped for. He let out another long breath, chuckled to himself, and said, “Wow, you’re not here for me! No! You’re definitely marrying someone else!” Torey immediately fell into a fit of giggles. She tossed her head back and clapped her hands together. It was one of those laughs where you’re at a loss for words because you can’t catch your breath. So they simply embraced each other and continued giggling. To make the moment even funnier, Brad exclaimed that he “was pretty close” in his guess of what Torey’s dress was going to look like. He was so committed that he even drew a picture. Truth be told, he definitely captured the essence of Torey and her dress in his lovely stick figure drawing. With that in mind, both of them continued to giggle together all over again.


We cannot stress how much we love this moment with Torey and Brad. It is playful. It is honest. It is romantic. It is so depictive of how much these two love one another. And how much fun they have together. The thing that we adore the most about Torey and Brad is their easygoing nature. They don’t take anything too seriously and they simply just enjoy each and every moment that they have together. They are always laughing with each other and they truly bring out the best in one another. Their vows reflected this perfectly. They promised each other the world and their whole hearts while touching on the smallest details that make them who they are. Proving that they know one another inside and out. The credit to each other’s debit, right guys? We love Brad’s reaction during their first look because he’s not afraid to show his feelings and affection for Torey. He LOVES her just like she LOVES him. Can you imagine feeling so strongly about your partner, that all you can do is shower him or her with compliments and be in awe of how perfect he or she is? That’s what it was. If we remember correctly, there were a handful of times throughout the day when he mentioned that Torey is so out of his league with this “I’m the luckiest guy in the world” attitude. And let’s be honest, these two are SO incredibly lucky to have one another. They truly bring out the best in each other. These two were without a doubt made for one another, and we’re currently wearing the “we’re the luckiest photographers in the world” attitudes thinking about the fact that we were able to witness it all first-hand. 


Torey and Brad, we could gush about you two forever. Thank you for sharing your love story with us. Thank you for being so easy to work with. Thank you for trusting us throughout the entire wedding planning journey. We loved getting to celebrate you two because doing so is so easy. You truly are like the sun on a cloudy day and because you’ve mastered bringing out the best in each other, you’ve moved on to doing the same for everyone around you. Your smiles are contagious and your hearts have so much love to give. You will forever have a special place in our hearts and our Love Elle Family. We know you have such a beautiful life to build together and we will be forever grateful to have been a tiny part of the magical beginning. Cheers to you two! 


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VENDORS:


Venue: The Bridge Lemont

Day of Coordinator: Liza Loret Events

DJ: Karl Knutson Boutique Entertainment

Florist: Blush Blooms & Co.

HMU: AW Artistry

Gown: Wedding Design Studio

Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse & Calvin Klein

Rings: Brilliant Earth

Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie

Catering: True Cuisine  

Cake: Milano Bakery Inc.