Leah & Joe Carmon's Wedding
Vendor List:
Day Of Wedding Coordinator - 618 Events, Kylie Houchin
Venue - Carmon’s
Hair & Makeup - Timothy John’s Salon
Caterer & Bar & Cake - Michaels’ Catering
Photographer - K. Darling Photography
Floral - Fancy Florals by Nancy
DJ - Complete Weddings and Events
Leah and Joe are such a sweet couple. They were so wonderful to work with, and it was a privilege to be a part of their big day. Such a kind couple with so much love to share with those around them.
This was a wedding day out of a dream and it was evident that their family put so much planning into it. Meeting Joe and Leah was such a great experience. They do not live in the Champaign-Urbana area, so we did a zoom call. They were instantly so sweet and bubbly. I met with Leah’s parents at Carmon’s in the fall of 2022 to go over the floor plan and details. They had a large guest count, so we wanted to make sure everything would fit great. Thankfully, Carmon’s has such a great space that can fit lots of celebrations!
The biggest challenge during planning was figuring out where the guests would go while the ceremony chairs were removed and the reception tables put into place. Carmon’s doesn’t have the capability for a full room flip (meaning the reception tables can’t be fully out of the way/hidden during the ceremony) so it’s just a partial room move. With their estimated guest count of 300 people we wanted the guests to be comfortable during cocktail hour and not squished into the corner.
One idea we thought of was renting a tent for just outside Carmon’s for cocktail hour. We had talked about putting a bar out there and Michaels’ Catering would pass apps out in the tent too. However with iffy Central IL weather we didn’t know if we could count on that.
Their guest count ended up being smaller than originally estimated and with a creative room layout we were able to comfortably have cocktail hour in the same space and easily shift the room after the ceremony to be ready for the reception!
Now to the exciting wedding details. Leah and Joe chose to have both their ceremony and reception at Carmon’s in Champaign. Carmon’s also provides getting ready suits for both the bride and groom with their bridal party. Both of them choose to spend the morning on site and get ready in the spaces provided. The girls had a great time all together enjoying the morning and getting all glammed up. It was also great for the guys to have a space to hang that was on site. We LOVE when venues have this to offer as it cuts down on travel time, getting lost in transit, and helps overall to stay on schedule!
Around noon, the photographer arrived and we got the day moving. The girls took some getting ready photos together, before Leah got into her wedding dress. She looked absolutely stunning in her gown. It was so elegant and embodied her sweet personality so well! Leah went out to the rooftop patio to do a first look with her father. They have such a close relationship and it was such a sweet, emotional first look. Her mom also got to be apart and watch this precious moment from a distance.
We took Leah downstairs to the ceremony spot for her first look with Joe. They are college sweethearts, so this was a very special, emotional moment for them. They shared their private vows together during their first look. This is a wonderful idea to keep your vows intimate, or if you get nervous speaking in front of others. This way you can say personalized vows without all of the pressure.
After their first look, they went with their bridal party and immediate family to an off site photo spot. It was great that they were able to get all of their photos done prior to the ceremony and have that stress lifted off of them. While they were taking photos, I was back at Carmon’s finishing set up and coordination with all of the vendors. The bridal party arrived back at Carmon’s and went back up stairs to hide from their guests. The guests started to trickle in and were directed to the beautiful ceremony area of the venue. We placed the chairs in a semi circle around the altar which was a fun and different floor plan.
The ceremony was short and sweet, but so beautiful. Lots of tears of joy were shed by friends and family watching them commit their lives to one another. Everyone was so happy for the couple and excitement was in the air. Following the ceremony was cocktail hour and extended family photos. The guests loved cocktail hour and all of the wonderful passed apps from Michaels’ Catering. The bride and groom went back upstairs with their bridal party for more of a private cocktail hour and to take in the moment.
The wedding day flies by SO FAST. Therefore we love when couples are able to have a private moment to just breath and take a deep breath to pause in the busyness of the day! Those moments are always so cherished.
Once the guests were seated, we did the bridal party introductions. One thing we always make sure before starting the reception with introductions is that all vendors are ready to roll. This means photographer and videographer are set up and ready for introductions and everything else to come during the reception. We check with catering to ensure salads or first course is ready to be served soon after introductions. The DJ needs to be ready as he is the emcee and announcing the party and playing the music. Before the reception begins we always strive to touch base with the DJ and caterer to run through timeline and ensure there are no questions from any of us. This helps the evening to run smoothly!
They had such a fun group and there was so much energy in the room. They had all of their bridal party be introduced together and then they were introduced as the new Mr. and Mrs. The guests were served their salads and then Leah’s parents gave a speech. They were so kind and asked Joe’s parents to join them and officially celebrate their families joining. Following this speech, dinner was served. Michaels’ Catering provided a delicious buffet style dinner. Everyone absolutely loved the meal and was raving over the food. Additional toasts followed dinner and then Leah and Joe had their first dance. This was such a sweet and tender moment for them to share.
They both danced with their parents and then got the party started with open dancing. Everyone had a great time at this wedding and it was evident that there was much love in the room. This wedding was a huge success and I am so grateful that I was entrusted to help with their big day. Leah and Joe were so lovely to work with and I wish them many years of love and happiness. Cheers to the happy couple!!!