A wedding dress hangs on a brick wall next to a window with string lights hanging next to the dress

Madyson and Ryan’s wedding day shows how the perfect mixture of touching moments and classy details can create a wedding celebration straight out of your dreams. From the emotional first looks and first touch, all the way through their magical sparkler exit, every part of their wedding at Venue CU in Champaign fit together perfectly. I’m so glad that they chose me to be a part of their day, and I cannot WAIT to share it with you!

Wedding shoes, a flower vase, a white basket, and a pearl necklace lay on a wood table next to a brick wall

Getting Ready, First Looks, and a First Touch

To start their wedding day off right, both Madyson and Ryan got ready separately at their wedding venue Venue CU in Champaign. If you’ve been following me for a little bit then you know just how much I LOVE when venue’s have space(s) available for the couple to get ready at. Once ready Madyson had a first look with all of her gals in the ceremony space which was so fun! Her and Ryan then shared a first touch so they wouldn’t see one another before the ceremony started. Then finally Ryan had a first look with his two year old daughter which was THE sweetest little moment to start the wedding day!

A bride's wedding dress hangs on a brick wall next to a smaller white dress with dress shoes on the floor under the dresses

A wedding day flat lay consisting of invites, RSVP's shoes, flowers, rings and fabric

Detail photo of wedding and engagement rings laying on a wedding invite on a table

Black and white photo of a bride sitting in front of a mirror as a woman puts her makeup on before her wedding day

A young girl inn a white dress stands in a room and makes a frown while getting ready for a wedding day

A bride smiles at the camera while holding a drink before getting ready for her wedding day with bridesmaids in the background

A bride crouches and smiles at the camera while hugging a young girl in a white dress while getting ready for her wedding day

A bride in her wedding dress looks over her shoulder while her mother behind her adjusts her veil while getting ready for her wedding day at Venue CU in Champaign

A bride in her wedding dress looks out a window to her right as her mother behind her adjusts her veil

A bride in her wedding dress smiles while looking down as her mother behind her bends over to adjust her veil

A bride stands in a wedding dress and plays with her veil while looking to the left

A bride smiles while in a room wearing her wedding dress while getting ready for her wedding day

A man holding a bottle of vodka drinks from a glass while in a brick room getting ready for a wedding day

A groom stands in a brick room while one of the groomsmen adjusts his bow tie as they get ready for the wedding day

A groom smile while looking at something off camera in a brick room as a groomsmen adjusts his bow tie as they get ready for their wedding at Venue CU in Champaign

A groom puts his suit coat on with the help of his groomsmen as they get ready for his wedding day on location at Venue CU in Champaign

A groom smiles at his mother who smiles back at him while pinning his boutonniere on and smiling back at him while outside the wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A mother smiles while pinning a boutonniere on her son as he smiles back to her before his wedding day

A groom hugs his mother as the two smile towards the camera during his wedding day

A bride smiles with her bridesmaids in the foreground of the photo facing away from the camera, this is during the bride's first look with them in her wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A group of bridesmaids and wedding guests smile and react seeing the bride for the first time in her wedding dress off camera while standing in their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A young girl in a white dress looks at the camera while laying on a blue couch before her father's wedding

A groom leans against a brick wall and smiles while reading a note that he will read to the bride

A bride and groom stand on opposite sides of a wall and hold hands in a doorway in what's called a first touch, so they wouldn't see one another prior to their wedding day

A groom smiles as his young daughter in a white dress is being carried to him by a woman

A young girl is kissed on the cheek by her father as she looks at the camera while being held by him, it's the father's wedding day and they are in their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A groom smiles at his young daughter who he is holding while standing in his wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign. The young girl is looking at the camera and is wearing a white dress

Their Ceremony and Portraits

Madyson and Ryan’s ceremony was simply beautiful. The ceremony space of their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign, is this gorgeous space with a ton of exposed brick and so much natural light to work with. As a venue it’s a great modern and urban space with a bit of its history on display as well, which turned out to be the perfect setting for Madyson and Ryan’s day. After their ceremony Madyson and Ryan took some time to take portrait photos with their families in the beautiful ceremony space before heading outside Venue CU for some portraits with their wedding parties in the streets of Champaign. The brick buildings that line the streets of Champaign were so much fun to work with and really brought a cohesive feel to Madyson and Ryan’s entire wedding album.

An indoor brick ceremony space at Venue CU set up and decorated for a wedding ceremony

The center piece of a wedding ceremony sits in front of a brick wall before a wedding ceremony begins, the center piece consists of 6 pillars with white flowers on them

Detail photo of white flowers in vases sitting on white pillars in a brick room

Guests of an indoor wedding ceremony at Venue CU in Champaign are seated and smiling while waiting for the ceremony to begin

A father and mother of the groom walk down the aisle together as guests watch during an indoor wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign

A bridesmaid and groomsman walk down the aisle together while guests watch during a wedding ceremony at Venue CU in Champaign

A groomsmen carries the groom's two year old daughter down the aisle of a wedding ceremony as the two toss flowers and guests watch during a wedding ceremony at Venue CU in Champaign

A bride smiles as while walking down the aisle of her wedding with her grandfather as guests stand and watch during a wedding ceremony at Venue CU in Champaign

A bride and groom hold hands as their wedding parties stand on either side of them and guests are seated watching while in the indoor brick ceremony space at Venue CU in Champaign

A bride and groom embrace during their indoor wedding reception as their wedding parties cheer for them to kiss

A bride and groom kiss in front of a brick wall as their wedding parties cheer during their wedding reception

A bride and groom hold hands, smile, and exclaim while in a brick room during their indoor wedding ceremony at Venue CU in Champaign as their wedding party members cheer behind them

A bride and groom hold hands and smile towards the camera while exiting their ceremony space at Venue CU in Champaign

A groom smiles at the camera while the bride kisses him on the cheek as guests around them watch and smile with flower petals in the air as they exit their wedding ceremony at Venue CU in Champaign

A groom with his groomsmen pose together outside of Venue CU in Champaign for portraits during the groom's wedding day

A groom is carried by his groomsmen while looking at the camera and showing piece signs to the camera

Portrait photo of a groom standing outside looking at his suit coat while buttoning it up

Portrait photo of a groom with his suit coat over his shoulder while standing on an outdoor back patio

Portrait photo of a groom in his suit on a back deck with his hands in his pockets looking at the camera

Portrait photo of a bride in her wedding dress standing in side of her wedding venue and smiling to the left

Portrait photo of a bride facing away from the camera and holding her veil out to either side of her with her arms extended in her indoor wedding venue

Portrait photo of a bride in her wedding dress in her indoor wedding venue smiling at the camera

A bride crosses a street in Champaign Illinois followed by her bridesmaids after her wedding ceremony at Venue CU

A bride poses with her wedding party in front of a brick wall as they all smile at the camera after her wedding ceremony at Venue CU in Champaign

A bride walks with her wedding party as they all smile and laugh with one another walking down a street in Champaign Illinois after her wedding ceremony at Venue CU

A bride and groom kiss one another while their wedding parties surround them and cheer while standing on a street in Champaign Illinois after their wedding ceremony at Venue CU

A bride and groom walk with one another while their wedding parties make a tunnel on either side of them cheering them on as they walk down a street in Champaign Illinois after their wedding ceremony at Venue CU

A bride and groom run and cheer while holding hands as their wedding parties around them all cheer them on while they stand in a street in Champaign Illinois after their wedding ceremony at Venue CU

A bride and groom walk across a street in Champaign Illinois together after their wedding ceremony at Venue CU

A bride and groom kiss one another with the bride facing away from the camera while they stand on a street in Champaign Illinois

A bride and groom stand on a street in Champaign Illinois as the bride plays with her veil and the groom watches

A bride and groom stand next to one another in front of a black brick wall and smile at one another while outside their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A bride looks down while the groom kisses her on the head as they stand in front of a black brick wall outside their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A bride and groom stand together in front of a black brick wall, the bride is looking down at the ground while the groom embraces and looks at her

A bride and groom embrace in front of a black brick wall and smile while looking at the camera

A bride holding her bouquet smiles as the groom kisses her on the cheek as they stand in front of a black brick wall outside of their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A bride and groom touch foreheads together with their eyes closed and arms interlocked while in front of a black brick wall outside of their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A bride and groom walk hand in hand facing the camera and smile at one another while walking away from a black brick wall outside of their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A bride is kissed and dipped by the groom while the two stand outside in front of a black brick wall

A bride with her eyes closed smiles as the groom kisses her on the head and wraps his arm around her with a black brick wall in the background behind them

A bride smiles while looking down as the groom kisses her on the head and wraps his arm around her with a black brick wall behind them

A bride and groom walk together with their arms locked and laugh with one another while outside their wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A bride smiles while the groom kisses her on the cheek as the two stand outside on a sidewalk in Champaign Illinois

Shoulder down photo of the back of a bride as she holds her bouquet and the groom holds her waist

A Reception to Remember

Talk about ending the night on a high note! Madyson and Ryan along with their friends and family really know how to have a good time, and their reception was a blast from the moment they made their entrance. The reception space at Venue CU is the same as its ceremony space, which meant we got to enjoy more time surrounded by the beautiful brick walls that the buildings of Champaign are known for. Of course Madyson, Ryan, and I had to sneak out for a bit as there was an amazing sunset happening outside. Once we returned they enjoyed a night filled with speeches, cake, and LOTS of dancing, before a final send off with an epic sparkler exit!

A brick wall inside the wedding venue, Venue CU in Champaign has a neon sign on it that reads "The Fykes" hangs above the head table

A sign of a wedding reception sits next to a brick wall and a bouquet of flowers

Detail photo of a small glass with white flowers in it sitting on a bar top

A table set up for a wedding reception with glassware, champagne, a table sign that reads "table 8", flowers, and more

A wedding cake sits on a cake table with large lit up letters on a brick wall behind it that read "R&M" during a wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign

A table list of a wedding reception sits in front of the receptions space at Venue CU in Champaign with a few guests standing in the space

A bride and groom exclaim and raise their arms in the air while entering their wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign as a few guests in the photo cheer them on

A bride and groom stand in front of their head table while looking at and holding one another as guests of their wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign all stand around them and cheer

A bride and groom share their first dance during their wedding reception in their brick reception space as guests cheer around them

A groom smiles at the bride as the two share their first dance during their indoor reception as guests watch

A bride and groom cut their wedding cake during their indoor wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign, behind them is a brick wall and large electric letters of their initials.

A bride and groom feed one another a piece of their wedding cake while smiling during their wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign with a brick wall behind them

A bride and groom kiss one another next to their wedding cake during their reception at Venue CU in Champaign with a brick wall behind them

A father stands and gives a speech while gesturing to the head table during a wedding reception inside Venue CU in Champaign as guests watch

A bride and groom sit at their head table and smile next to their wedding parties as speeches are given, behind them is a brick wall and a neon sign of their last name hangs above them, they are in the indoor reception space of their venue, Venue CU in Champaign

A bride and groom smile while sitting at their head table next to their wedding parties during their indoor reception at Venue CU in Champaign

A groomsmen stands in front of a brick wall with a microphone to give a speech during a wedding reception

A bridesmaid laughs while standing next to the bride who is seated at her head table, the bridesmaid is about to give a speech during the indoor wedding reception

A groomsmen stands while giving a speech, the groom sitting next to him raises his glass and smiles, the bride and other wedding party members also smile and are seated at the table, behind them is a brick wall and a neon sign of the couples' last name inside their wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign

A bride and groom stand in a street in Champaign Illinois during sunset and pose with one another while smiling outside their wedding venue, Venue CU

A bride and groom smile walking with their arms locked down a street in Champaign Illinois at sunset outside of their wedding venue, Venue CU

A bride and groom face away from the camera and walk hand in hand down a street in Champaign Illinois at sunset

A bride walks towards the camera while the groom watches from behind her as the two stand in a street in Champaign Illinois during sunset

Under the bride's veil, her and the groom kiss one another as the sun sets behind them

A bride and her grandfather dance together during her wedding reception at Venue CU as guests watch

A groom and his mother dance together during a wedding reception at Venue CU as guests watch around them

Guests of a wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign Illinois dance on the dancefloor together, one guest is gesturing towards the camera while smiling

Black and white photo of a groom dancing with guests of his wedding during his indoor reception at Venue CU in Champaign Illinois

A groom and a guest of his wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign Illinois gesture and smile towards the camera with a brick wall and lit up letters in the background

A bride smiles while talking to guests of her wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign Illinois with a brick wall and large lit up letters behind them

A bride sits on a bar while the groom stands next to her, each of them have a drink in their hand and are posing for the camera

A bride sits on a bar as the groom stands next to her, they are both holding drinks and they are smiling at one another

A bride and groom clink their glasses together while smiling at one another at the bar during their indoor wedding reception at Venue CU in Champaign Illinois

A bride and groom walk together and smile while their guests around them form a tunnel with sparklers as they exit their wedding at Venue CU in Champaign Illinois

Madyson and Ryan’s wedding celebration was an incredible experience to be a part of and one I’m so happy to finally share with you all here. The two could not have chosen a better venue for their wedding in Venue CU in Champaign. I had so much fun with these two, I wish we could go back and relive their day all over again! For a look at some more of my weddings be sure to check out my blog, and if you’re ready to book me as your wedding photographer head to my contact page to reserve your date today.