Autumn and Elegance Meet in this Rustic Illinois Celebration: The Real Wedding of Maddie and Ben Ross

While it started as a dream for Maddie and her best friend to be lucky enough to marry brothers, it ended up coming true! Maddie met Ben because he was the younger brother of Maddie's best friend's boyfriend. They dated for a while, and then Ben proposed to Maddie during a hiking trip to Acadia National Park in Maine. "We went on a sunrise hike at five a.m., and he found the most perfect lookout spot over the ocean to pop the question. It felt straight out of a movie!" Maddie recalls.
 

Look at all the intricate details in Maddie's dress! "When I began this process I had no clue what style I even wanted. This was the first shop I looked at and my mother-in-law pointed out this dress that was away from the others hanging on the wall. This was the very first dress I tried on and nothing else compared," Maddie gushes. Even though Maddie looked at dresses in seven other shops, her mind kept drifting to that first one she tried on. We are obsessed with the subtle details in the gown that add so much texture and dimension to her look! It's the perfect gown for their elegantly rustic wedding.
 

For Maddie and Ben, planning began a month after they got engaged. The first thing on their list was to find their wedding date and book a venue. The one they ended up choosing included a coordinator, which helped immensely with their planning. The rest of their vision came together through the use of social media. "We decided on Danielle Schury Photography after checking out her galleries on Instagram. She totally fit the vision for the type of photos I wanted!" Maddie raves. "Danielle also referred us to our incredible DJ and we were so pleased!"
 

Since they were going to get married in the fall, Maddie and Ben wanted to create a rustic and fall-inspired ceremony. We love the way this wedding came together! The unique door entrance and gazebo in the ceremony space are so cute and charming and there are so many natural elements that make the reception even more rustic. The florals help fill the space and add more texture to the beautiful space. They also mixed in some vintage vibes with the antique goblets, distressed mirror and a vinyl guestbook!
 

Advice from the Couple

Maddie and Ben advise, "Our biggest piece of advice would be to let the little things go and prioritize staying next to your spouse the
whole day! It goes by so fast, and it’s very easy to stress over the little things that go wrong. In the grand scheme of things, those little things that went wrong won’t matter. You’ll be happy you were present and enjoyed the day. It was truly the most special day we’ve ever had."

 

 

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