Intimate Summer Camp Wedding | Casey & Brennan

Deep in rural Illinois at Camp Manitowa, Casey and Brennan celebrated their wedding weekend with rock climbing, tie-dying, and lakeside games. The couple’s summer camp wedding prioritized family and close relationships as much as it prioritized fun. The wedding was intimate, hosting only their closest friends and family. Brennan’s grandmother was the officiant, his niece the flower girl, and Casey’s son was her Man of Honor.

While some couples make it clear that no children are allowed at their wedding, Casey and Brennan couldn’t have been more opposite. Their wedding was a kid’s dream! The morning of the wedding was spent indulging in typical camp activities, from climbing the outdoor rock wall up to a zip line, to cannonballing off a floating trampoline into the lake. The kids spent time making friendship bracelets and playing soccer and basketball, making sure to end the wedding day with an impromptu breakdance performance on the camp stage.

The Morning

Earlier in the day, I gave the flower girl (Brennan’s niece) a waterproof disposable camera to play around with. The wedding was so kid-friendly that I thought it would be fun to see the day from a child’s perspective! She ended up taking it with her to the lake, and we got these great shots!

Getting Ready & First Look

The photo below is one of my favorites from the day. It was so special to be able to capture the moment the kids first saw Casey in her wedding dress. Their reaction was the sweetest thing!

The Ceremony

The ceremony space was beautifully decorated with sheer ivory fabric draping the altar and aisle chairs. I especially loved the pink flowers hanging from the ceiling like a chandelier. With such a soft, romantic ceremony, it was difficult to remember that the wedding was being held at a summer camp!

Newlywed Portraits

We took most of the newlywed portraits before the ceremony, hopping from a sunflower field to the lake to the old summer camp buses. Casey and Brennan were such a fun couple to photograph; they weren’t afraid to run through a field or hop onto the side of a dusty bus. My favorite images of the day came after the ceremony when we snuck out before the reception to a nearby grassy field for sunset photos. Love and joy really shine through in these as Casey and Brennan ran playfully through the field, hugging and falling into the grass.

The Reception

After dinner and cake, we got word that the kids were putting on a performance on the camp stage outside. It was so cute to see them dancing and doing cartwheels around the stage, having the time of their lives!

Super 8

Details

Venue: Camp Manitowa