Andrew + Mariah

| Friedens United Church of Christ + SIUE Gardens + The Outlet |

| Wedding |

| Troy, IL + Edwardsville, IL |

you’re all my heart ever talks about.

We’ve probably said it a thousand times, but we truly love being part of a wedding day.❣️There’s joy and laughter everywhere, kiddos giggling, dad jokes, happy tears, loved ones near, and typically a few good “stories” that the wedding party will share much to the bride and groom’s dismay. Even if something doesn’t go as planned, everything always comes together in such a magical way and ends up being perfect. We always say, it’s the little things that don’t go as planned that you’ll look back on and laugh about only to realize that that’s what made your day extra special and unique.

Andrew and Mariah said their vows and held their ceremony at Friedens United Church of Christ in Troy, Illinois. They chose this church because several generations of Mariah’s family have been married there, so it’s tradition! 💒

After the ceremony, we jumped over to the SIUE Gardens for wedding party and husband/wife photos. There was an event there that day, and when we say it was packed—well, add 1,000 cars and families to what you’re imagining and that’s about how packed it was. LOL! However, we found the most beautiful, quiet, little corner waiting for us and it turned out to be the perfect spot for pictures! From there, the crew headed out on the party bus and met everyone at The Outlet in Edwardsville, Illinois for the reception — with shots in hand, of course! 😂

Overall, there’s lots to love about wedding days but we always love the “details” involved too. The bride’s chosen perfume, the “something blue”, the engagement ring, the flowers 💐, the guest book, the cuff links, the vow books with handwritten vows, the patch sewn inside the bride’s dress in memory of someone, and so much more! Andrew and Mariah nailed it in every way possible but the bouquets and floral arrangements might have been our favorite. They were all made of WOOD! Just like little works of art — go check them out in the pictures! If I (Tiff) could go back to our wedding seven years ago, I’d totally incorporate these in because they’re stunning, lifelike, beautiful, and totally re-usable in your home for many years! Brilliant, right?! Way to knock it out of the park, Mariah! (Andrew, we’d include you, but let’s be real, we know it was all Mariah on this one. LOL. No shade!)

One big congratulations, Andrew and Mariah! Ya’ll are one of a kind, truly special people with the deepest hearts. May your journey together be full of laughter, love, and blessings.

💗 Tiffany Amber Schaefer + Christopher Mark Schaefer