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Bayli + Mike
July 31, 2020
Venue Chisca | Peoria, IL
Bayli and Mike rescheduled their wedding day twice before finally tying the knot on July 31st of this year. They had originally planned for March 28th, then June 12th, and thankfully were able to have a small ceremony and reception on July 31st. After drastically decreasing their guest list, Bayli and Mike still had a wonderful wedding day filled with joy. Like many of my 2020 couples, Bayli and Mike showed nothing but patience and grace when coming up with a plan B, C, and D (and honestly, E, F, and G too). There were a few midday Covid Press Conferences from our Governor where Bayli and I were texting (and hoping and praying) we wouldn't get shut down again. Luckily, we had the perfect summer window to have a small and safe wedding for Bayli and Mike! I had a great time coordinating their wedding day, working with their vendors, and ultimately enjoying their wedding day with Bayli and Mike!
Ceremony & Reception: Venue Chisca
Florals: Heaven on Earth Floral Design
Photography: Hayley Nicole Photo
Videography: Anchored Films
DJ & Draping: Sound and Light Creations
Coordination: Greater Joy Events - Wedding Day Coordination
Caterer: Cracked Pepper Catering
Donuts: Dunkers by Matt
Dress: Something Blue
Hair: Taylor Shirley
Makeup: Airbrush by Jessica
Bayli and her bridesmaids got ready in the gorgeous bridal suite at Venue Chisca while Mike and his groomsmen got ready at The Pere Marquette Hotel. Bayli's dress was stunning, and the dark green velvet bridesmaids dresses were the perfect compliment to Bayli & Mike's wedding day design. One highly underestimated part of the wedding day is a "first look" with your bridesmaids - something I 100% recommend! Bayli's bridesmaids were completely speechless when they saw her for the first time in her wedding gown. Meanwhile, the guys were having a great time cheers-ing at the hotel. Mike loved showing off his custom socks, complete with Bayli's face and their adorable puppy!
Bayli and Mike's First Look was one of my favorites. They chose to have their first look in the exact spot they would say their official "I dos" later in the day. This took some planning - we had vendors in and out during the day, setting up before guests arrived for the ceremony. We made sure everyone knew to stay out of the space from 1:00-2:00, just to be safe! Mike was pretty emotional, as Bayli knew he would be (have you watched their wedding film yet?!). They also exchanged private personal vows after their first look, and Mike finally got to surprise Bayli with his socks. I loved this part of the day so much!
Bayli, Mike, and their wedding party took photos around downtown Peoria near Venue Chisca. I love how Hayley Nicole Photography included the brick and bold teal in the background to give their wedding photos an industrial look! Bayli's lace dress paired with her gorgeous white and green florals softened the look, while her loose curls and soft makeup gave their photos the perfect romantic touch.
As their closest friends and family began to arrive, Bayli and Mike took a few minutes to relax before their ceremony.
Their ceremony went smoothly, despite their flower girl and ring bearer completely missing the aisle - they were the cutest! Bayli and Mike's original officiant couldn't travel, so Mike's brother stepped in to officiate. Mike is one of five boys (just like my husband!), so when he said his brother was going to officiate, honestly that made me a bit nervous! However, Anthony did a wonderful job and their ceremony was absolutely perfect.
We quickly transformed Bayli and Mike's ceremony space to their head table while their guests enjoyed cocktails from Venue Chisca and hors d'oeuvres from Cracked Pepper. Two of my favorite details from their reception were their favors - scratch off lotto tickets! - and their calendar guest book where they asked everyone to sign their name on their birthday. How fun!
Their toasts and dances were each heartwarming and special in their own way. And how could I forget?! Their dessert table was filled with donuts and I was ALL about it. As I am sure all of my couples know, I absolutely love desserts. I might have had to taste test a few just to make sure I was putting the signage in the right spot, haha! At the end of the night, I found myself sitting at the vendor table, eating donuts and drinking coffee, and feeling so overwhelmingly thankful for the opportunity to help Bayli and Mike enjoy a truly wonderful day. Thank you, Bayli and Mike!!
