A Colorful Vineyard Celebration in the Suburbs of Chicago: The Real Wedding of Taylor & Peter Ingallinera

After meeting through mutual friends in 2019, Taylor and Peter spent the evening talking and laughing, forming an effortless connection. Although the timing wasn’t quite right at first, Peter clearly wasn’t ready to let the connection go. He continued asking their mutual friend for Taylor’s phone number, and a few months later, the two crossed paths again at a local bar. They picked up right where they left off and went on their first date just a week later!

After five years together, Peter planned a proposal that was every bit as memorable as their love story. Knowing Taylor loves the outdoors, he found the perfect opportunity when she mentioned a camping trip with friends to Pinnacles National Park. Peter joined the girls’ weekend and enlisted their friends to help plan the surprise. With a park ranger’s recommendation, the group headed toward a scenic reservoir and bridge near the end of a hike. As they walked along the water, Peter took Taylor’s hand, got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. She said yes immediately! Their friends then helped decorate the campsite and celebrated with a mini engagement party.

Taylor’s lace fit-and-flare gown featured delicate floral details, a scoop neckline and an elegant open back. Though she initially envisioned a bohemian look, she ultimately chose the dress that made her feel most beautiful—a timeless style that perfectly complemented the vineyard setting. We think she made the perfect selection!

For their venue, Taylor envisioned an outdoor setting filled with beautiful plants and greenery, and she found exactly what she was looking for in The Barn and Vineyard! Its expansive indoor and outdoor spaces, multiple bars and charming cocktail-hour area with fire pits checked all of her boxes. The fact that it fit their budget was an added bonus! "Looking through the venue’s Instagram and tagged photos was how I first found our photographer, Danielle Schury Photography," Taylor explains. "Her photos and style were enough alone for us to book, but it made us feel comfortable that she was also super familiar with the venue itself."

Inspired by the venue, Taylor leaned into a colorful garden aesthetic for the theme. Light blue, her favorite color, served as the primary shade and was featured in the bridesmaids’ dresses and florals. She paired it with pink, peach and white, along with pops of orange and plenty of greenery. The palette felt perfectly suited to a summer celebration and the vineyard backdrop, especially when brought to life through the floral arrangements!

 

What We Love

Some of the most meaningful wedding details were also the most personal. Taylor and Peter asked a close friend from high school, who has always felt like an older sister to Taylor, to officiate their ceremony. Because she knew them both so well, she was able to share anecdotes and tell their story in a way that brought plenty of laughter and happy tears. The couple also put a thoughtful spin on the traditional unplugged ceremony. Knowing their guests would want to capture the moment, they built in a 30-second photo opportunity after the officiant’s introduction. It gave everyone a chance to snap a picture before putting their phones away, while also allowing Taylor and Peter to pause, laugh and take in the moment together.

 

Advice from the Couple

Taylor shares, "My biggest piece of advice would be to find really great vendors who you genuinely like and trust. You’re going to spend a lot of time communicating with them and on your wedding day, you want to be able to relax and trust that they understand your vision and will take care of everything. I also found being organized from the beginning made a huge difference. Having a spreadsheet with our budget, timeline, vendor information and to-do list helped me keep everything in one place and made it much easier to figure out what actually needed my attention."

She also encourages couples to be thoughtful about D.I.Y. projects and avoid feeling pressured to recreate every idea they see online. “Social media can make wedding planning feel especially overwhelming because there are so many beautiful ideas and it can start to feel like you need everything. You really don’t,” Taylor shares. Instead, she recommends focusing on the details that hold meaning for the couple and being realistic about what they can take on!

 

 

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