This Illinois Boy Scout Camp Has Plenty of Charming Rustic Elegance for Any Wedding Style

Photos ByTWA Photographic Artists

Written By

Allyson Hutchison

Date

December 5, 2024

Categories

Tags:

The idea for this style shoot came from the venue itself. The design team wanted to collaborate with this space to showcase an emerging wedding venue that might otherwise be overlooked. "Most will walk in and not see the potential as a venue for weddings and special events. This offers outdoor and indoor options and versatility," Nikki Rodgers, the planner for this shoot, explains. Once they had this beautiful venue selected, it was time to start focusing on a theme.

Since the venue was built in 1924 to serve as a scout camp, there are plenty of rustic details already built in. When the team reimagined the space as a wedding venue, they wanted to keep that charm alive while elevating the atmosphere for a proper wedding ceremony. The team also pulled the color scheme for the style shoot from the venue. Nikki shares, "I think the venue has so much versatility but it does present with some rustic colors, like brick red in the doors and soft greens in the ceiling. We chose the color scheme to show the space in a different light and keep it geared towards a nice eye pleasing color combo." Instead of the green, the team chose a navy blue and deepened the red to a nice maroon shade. They also sprinkled in gold to add a flair of elegance!

Once they had the theme and color palette settled, it was time for the team to start developing a list of rentals and décor items that they wanted to use in this space. Many of the elements of this style shoot lend to the elegant side of things. They incorporated gold hammered chargers, mixed burgundy and blush vintage china, gold flatware, blue goblets and assorted vintage stemware to enhance the space and make it look wedding ready. We love the way they laid out the tablescapes to make them look so opulent and stunning with a vibrant array of colors! A unique touch the team included was customized acrylic name plates, which make any guest feel like a VIP.

No wedding scene is complete without florals and this style shoot is filled with plenty of gorgeous blooms! "We wanted three styles of centerpieces to show the versatility of the space," Nikki says. "We kept the stands gold to add an elegance to the space, and in our burgundy, blush and navy color scheme." We love how the burgundy roses in the bride's bouquet pop with the white florals surrounding them. The single flowers on the cocktail hour tables also look absolutely elegant!

This shoot has some of the most delicious looking desserts that we've ever seen! The cake is a simple single-tier confection. Elegance comes into the cake with the icing and decorations. The stunning dessert is an elegant navy blue color with golden details on the top half. You may have missed the other opulent touch at the very bottom, a simple gold line around the cake. To embrace the offbeat nature of the venue and create some fun photo opportunities, the team also opted to have colorful donuts in the shoot!

Last but certainly not least, we have the beautiful bride and the dashing groom! The team opted to have two dresses for this shoot to showcase two different styles within the space. "The first dress we chose due to its elegant long train and delicate intertwined straps since they looked a bit like a tree limb winding," Nikki gushes. Since the venue has the oldest Oak tree in Kane County on site, this dress was perfect for the ceremony. The second gown features a more classic look and shorter train. As for the beauty look, the design team let the hair and makeup artist do as she pleased with the bride. In a unique and almost unbelievable coincidence, the bride's hair almost perfectly matched the burgundy color even though she never talked to the team before dyeing it! The hair and makeup artist chose a wispy updo and subtle yet elegant makeup.