A bride smiles over her shoulder at the camera while the groom kisses her cheek as the sun sets behind them while they stand atop a parking garage

Purposeful Wedding at Reality on Monroe | Ansley and Kyle

& STUDIO

Bloomington IL Photographer

Ansley and Kyle’s relationship is a passionate and intimate one. These two share a wonderful connection with one another, and care deeply for those closest to them. Knowing this they wanted to create a wedding day that celebrates these aspects of their love as they venture into this next chapter of life together. They were able to accomplish that and so much more with their wedding day at Reality on Monroe in Bloomington, Illinois. Keep reading to see how they put their day together and what it all meant to them!

A wedding day flatlay consisting of wedding invites, RSVP's , women's shoes, wedding rings, a necklace, and perfume

Getting Ready, First Looks, and Portraits

Both Ansley and Kyle got ready separately for their wedding day in the company of their closest friends and family. Starting off a wedding day like this always leads to so many fun emotions and excitement, especially with the anticipation of the first look coming after! Ansley did have a first look with her two bridesmaids first though after she was dressed and ready, and their reactions say it all. We met up afterwards with Kyle for the two’s first look which was SO sweet. These two have such a deep and meaningful connection to one another that was incredible to witness and capture throughout their day. The two read private vows to one another after the first look and then asked to have a moment alone to really be present with one another and take in all the emotions they were feeling.

After the first look we had some time prior to their wedding ceremony at Reality on Monroe for both wedding party and solo portraits which we did at the nearby Ewing Cultural Center. The outdoor space at the Ewing Cultural Center gave us a prime backdrop for the portraits, with its lush green grasses, stone staircases, and the stone walls of the cultural center itself. Soon we made way to Reality on Monroe for the start of their wedding ceremony. We had some time for family portraits built into the timeline though which will come in handy later! Once family portraits at Reality on Monroe were through it was time for the ceremony.

A wedding ring sits on an envelope with another wedding ring sitting in a box also on the envelope

A bottle of perfume sits o n top of a wedding invite next to a pair of shoes

A jean jacket with the words "The Bride" embroidered on the back sits on a green bench with white wedding shoes resting on top of it

A bride stands in a room while her mother stands behind her and helps zip up her wedding dress

A bride in her wedding dress smiles while looking down standing in front of a window as her mother behind her helps zip up her dress

A bride stands in the foreground of the photo with her back to the camera looking at her two bridesmaids who also have their backs to the camera

Two bridesmaids exclaim with excitement while standing in front of a window when they see the bride in her wedding dress for the first time

A bride looks in a mirror and adjusts an earring as she gets ready for her wedding day

A groom smiles while standing in a brick room while his father smiles as he adjusts his tie

A groom looks down while adjusting his suit coat as one of his groomsmen behind him adjusts the suit coat collar

A groom in a brick room looks at the camera with a straight face while adjusting his tie

A groom hugs one of his groomsmen before his wedding day as the two get ready in a brick room

Knee down photo of a groom sitting on a blue couch tying his shoelaces while wearing socks with foxes on them

A groom smiles as he turns around to see the bride for the first time during their first look, the bride has her back to the camera, they are outdoors and to the right of them is a sign that reads "Better Together"

A bride smiles as she hugs the groom while holding her white bouquet with the grooms back to the camera

A bride and groom sit on a wooden bench with the bouquet between them, each with their wedding vows in their hands as they read them to one another

A bride stands in the middle of a group of 4 women including her mother, soon to be mother in law, and two bridesmaids

A groom stands in the middle of a group of 5 men consisting of his father, his soon to be father in law, and his three groomsmen

A bride and groom walk hand in hand towards the camera while looking at one another as the 5 members of their wedding parties walk behind them

A bride smiles as the groom kisses her on the cheek in front of a stone staircase and building

A bride has her back to the camera and is holding the hand of the groom who is smiling while his other hand is on her waist as the two stand outside of a stone building

A bride softly smiles at the camera while the groom kisses her cheek while the two stand outside of a stone building

The exterior of Reality on Monroe,. a wedding venue in Bloomington Illinois

Their Ceremony and a Game of Darts at Maguires

The indoor space at Reality on Monroe is SO gorgeous, and the perfect space to host Ansley and Kyle’s wedding day. The space has a rich history, being the center of the 1900’s fire that burnt down half of Bloomington, and it keeps that history on full display while also being updated to include modern features you’d expect from a wedding venue. The exposed wood beams on the ceilings and gorgeous brick walls of the space create the perfect setting for a wedding though as you can see from Ansley and Kyle’s day! After their ceremony the couple headed out with their wedding party to Maguires, a bar down the street for some drinks and a few games of darts! Having their portraits done early let Ansley and Kyle do this which was SUCH a cool way to build their timeline!

The interior of Reality on Monroe decorated for a wedding, in front of the brick wall is a wooden triangle center piece decorated with flowers and with vases on either side of it

Guests of a wedding ceremony at Reality on Monroe are seated and look at the camera while they wait for the ceremony to begin

A groom smiles while hugging a guest of his wedding inside of Reality on Monroe's ceremony space as guests behind them watch

A bridesmaid and groomsmen smile while walking down the aisle together for a wedding ceremony at Reality on Monroe as guests on their right watch

A groom smiles while shaking the hand of one of his groomsmen next to the officiant of his wedding ceremony taking place at Reality on Monroe

A groomsmen acting as the flower boy throws leaves in the air while walking down the aisle as guests watch and laugh during a wedding ceremony at Reality on Monroe

A bride smiles while holding a bouquet as she is walked toward the aisle by her father

A bride and her father walk away from the camera down the aisle of a wedding ceremony as guests on either side watch and smile

A groom gets emotional standing in front of a brick wall inside Reality on Monroe as he sees the bride walking down the aisle towards him during their wedding ceremony

A bride smiles while holding her bouquet and being walked down the aisle by her father as guests watch and tear up during a wedding ceremony at Reality on Monroe

A bride and groom stand side by side holding hands facing away from the camera towards their officiant speaking while standing in front of a brick wall at Reality on Monroe's indoor wedding ceremony space

A bride smiles while reading her vows to the groom who is smiling back at her, in the background their officiant smiles while standing in front of a brick wall in Reality on Monroe's indoor wedding ceremony space

Shoulder down photo of a bride and groom holding hands in front of their officiant and a brick wall

An officiant speaks while the bride puts a ring on the grooms hand as he looks at her during their indoor wedding ceremony at Reality on Monroe

A bride and groom kiss in front of a brick wall and their wooden archway, to the right their officiant speaks to the crowd as they clap and watch, the wedding ceremony is taking place inside Reality on Monroe in Bloomington

A bride smiles at the camera while the groom smiles at her as they walk hand in hand down the aisle as guests clap for them after their indoor wedding ceremony at Reality on Monroe

A bride and groom kiss one another in an alley with their wedding party around them watching

A bride and groom kiss in an alley outside of Reality on Monroe while their wedding parties crowd around them and cheer

A bride and groom stand in an alley outside of their wedding venue Reality on Monroe and look in opposite directions while the groom wraps his arm around the bride's shoulder

A bride smiles at the camera while the groom kisses her on the side of the head and wraps his arm around her shoulder as the two stand in an alley

A bride and groom walk together down an alley and smile at one another while the groom wraps his arm around the bride's shoulder

A bride and groom smile at one another while the groom wraps his arm around the brides shoulder while they walk down an alley outside their wedding venue Reality on Monroe

A bride smiles as the groom stands behind her and hugs her as they stand in an alley in front of a brick wall

Chest down photo of a bride standing in front of a groom with his hands on her waist and her hands over his showing off both of their wedding rings

A groom prepares to throw a dart in a bar as the bride and her bridesmaids stand at a table in the background

A groom reaches for darts in a dart board while the bride and her bridesmaids in the background of the bar smile and laugh with one another

A bride facing away from the camera throws a dart at a dartboard in a bar

A groom throws a dart while the bride stands behind him watching with her hands on her hips as they hang out in a bar

A bride and groom in a bar kiss one another while a groomsmen massages the groom's shoulders

A groom raises a glass with the members of the wedding party around him all raising their glasses as well as they hang out in a bar

A bride and groom stand side by side each with a dart in their hand while at a bar and are about to throw them at the dart board

A bride and groom face away from the camera towards a dartboard in a bar as the groom is about to throw a dart and the bride has a hand on his back

Detail photo of darts on a table next to a Pacifico beer glass and a drink in a pitcher

Black and white photo of a bride and groom sitting with one another inside a bar about to kiss one another

A wooden table with a picture frame on it reading "Table 4" is decorated for a wedding reception with candles and white fabric

Wedding Reception at Reality on Monroe

After their time at Maguires Ansley, Kyle, and their crew all made their way back to Reality on Monroe for the wedding reception. Their ceremony space had been reorganized into the reception space you’ll see. Having Reality on Monroe be the setting of both major portions of their wedding really goes to show just how beautiful and versatile the space can be. After some speeches, mingling, and first dances, Ansley had a quick wardrobe change into her second dress and jean jacket. Her, Kyle, and I then snuck out for some portraits with the sunset for a beautiful final moment on an exceptionally beautiful day.

A white wooden table with a wooden sign that reads "Mr & Mrs" is decorated for a wedding reception inside of Reality on Monroe

A bridesmaid and a groomsman enter a wedding reception and lift their aarms in the air

A groomsman twerks at the bar and makes a funny face while two bridesmaids laugh on either side of him during a wedding reception at Reality on Monroe

A bride and groom smile as they hold hands and lift them into the air while entering their wedding reception as guests in the foreground clap

A bride and groom kiss one another in front of a brick wall that has their head table next to it decorated for their indoor wedding reception at Reality on Monroe

A bride and groom sitting at their head table in front of a brick wall inside Reality on Monroe smile as they sign their wedding paperwork

A bride and groom sitting at their head table in front of a brick wall inside Reality on Monroe kiss one another while guests watch after they sign their wedding paperwork

A bride and groom sit out of focus at their head table in front of a brick wall and a neon sign that reads "It was always you" inside their wedding venue Reality on Monroe

A groomsman stand with a microphone, piece of paper, and champagne glass in hand while giving a speech during a wedding reception

A bride and groom seated at their head table look to their right towards a groomsman standing while giving a speech to them

A bottle of 312 beer sits on a white wooden table decorated for a wedding with the bride out of focus in the background during a wedding reception at Reality on Monroe

A bride and groom dance together and embrace while standing in front of a brick wall at their indoor wedding reception

A bride and groom kiss during their first dance with a brick wall and their seated guests in the background

A bride and groom look at one another while dancing in front of a brick wall in their wedding venue Reality on Monroe

A bride wipes a tear from her face while dancing with her father during her wedding reception at Reality on Monroe with the guests of the wedding seated in the background

A groom dances with his mother during a wedding reception at Reality on Monroe, behind them is the bride sitting at the head table with a drink and a brick wall of the building

A bride and groom seated back to back each have one of each other's shoes in their hands raised in the air for the shoe game during their wedding reception at Reality on Monroe

Guests of a wedding reception at Reality on Monroe dance with one another

A bride and groom stand next to one another and pose in front of an old wooden double door while smiling at the camera

A bride kicks her leg up behind her while kissing the groom standing next to her while they stand in front of an old wood double door

A bride wearing a jean jacket that reads "The Bride" on it holds the grooms hand as the two walk away from the camera down a sidewalk in Bloomington Illinois

A bride and groom kiss one another while atop a parking garage as the groom starts to pull the bride's jean jacket off her shoulder

A bride looks over her shoulder back at the camera while the groom pulls the jean jacket she's wearing off her should while the two stand atop a parking garage

A bride and groom stand side by side and smile at one another while standing atop a parking garage as the sun sets behind them, the bride has a jean jacket over her shoulder

A bride and groom walk hand in hand away from the camera atop a parking garage during sunset while looking at one another, the bride has a jean jacket over her shoulder

A bride and groom kiss one another while the sun sets behind them as they stand atop a parking garage

Shoulder down photo of a bride and groom sitting on the ground next to one another leaning up against a concrete wall

It makes me so happy to have been a part of Ansley and Kyle’s wedding day, and to have seen it come together just as they envisioned. These two are truly incredible people that share such a beautiful connection with one another. Capturing their wedding day at Reality on Monroe surrounded by their favorite people was an absolute joy! For more wedding day inspiration check out my blog page, and if you’re ready to book me for your wedding send me an inquiry through my contac t page.