Steve proposed to Liz on March 11, 2015 while they were on a cruise with Liz's family in the southern Caribbean. They began their day watching the sunrise as the ship pulled into the port of Castries, St. Lucia. After having breakfast, they took a speed boat to Jalousie Beach. As they were walking on the beach, Steve stopped, got down on one knee, and asked Liz to marry him in front of the iconic Pitons. Of course she said yes!

Photo credit Cassie Schott

Moments later, while splashing around in the Caribbean Sea, Liz discovered that her brand new engagement ring was no longer on her finger... With the help of her family and some wonderful strangers, Liz desperately looked for the ring. Miraculously, it was found and returned to her. Steve (who had gone to get more rum punch) was oblivious to the whole thing!

As Liz and Steve were planning their wedding they chose to tie the knot on the anniversary of their engagement, March 11th. Springtime in Chicago brings with it totally unpredictable weather. We were prepared for wintry conditions, but blessed with an unseasonably warm and sunny day. Not quite as warm as St. Lucia, but pretty nice by our Midwestern standards!

Everyone got ready at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Deer Park, just a stone's throw from their venue. We loved photographing all of Liz's sparkly and romantic details, especially her "something borrowed," her grandmother's gorgeous diamond ring. Thankfully no rings were lost on Liz and Steve's wedding day! :)

Liz looked absolutely stunning, as did her three sweet sisters, it was such a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere as they prepared for the big day.

Steve and Liz exchanged gifts before they said their vows, such a beautiful moment to watch them read each letters written by their beloved.

Liz decided to get dressed at the venue, Makray Memorial Golf Club. We have photographed so many weddings at Makray, but every single time I am just blown away by how beautiful this building is (and how wonderful their staff is!)

Once everyone was ready, Liz made time for a special moment with her Dad. He was just speechless when he saw his little girl in her wedding dress.

Then it was Steve's turn to see his beautiful bride...

We found the most lovely beams of golden light to take wedding party and family photos against the beautiful backdrop of Makray's stone architecture.

From there we hopped on the golf carts and explored Makray's beautiful grounds.

Even though the weather was unseasonably warm, Liz and Steve's wedding ceremony took place inside in Makray's beautiful ballroom. As the sun was setting, Liz and Steve took one last moment together before becoming husband and wife.

Liz's sister Cassie is SO talented, she did all of the design and calligraphy work to make each wedding detail gorgeously unforgettable. You can check out her work at cassieschott.com

As always, the amazing staff at Makray went to every effort to make sure the room looked perfect.

The reception was SO much fun - delicious food, hilarious and heartfelt toasts, and an amazing dance floor thanks to Ken of Amp DJ Services. But the highlight of the night was an epic flip-book photo booth, provided by The Laugh Box.

Congratulations, Liz and Steve, thank you for opening your hearts to us and sharing this beautiful day. We wish you a lifetime of happiness together! XO

To see all of Liz and Steve's wedding photos, click here