Mr. & Mrs. Gilliam: Purdue Memorial Union Wedding

Quin & Grace became husband & wife at Our Lady of The Lakes Catholic Church in Monticello & celebrated with a Purdue Memorial Union wedding reception.

As Grace and Quin planned their wedding, they had three big goals:

To find a local venue that would allow them to invite all of their loved ones (There were approximately 300 guests present!)
To get married in a Catholic church
To not have to wait terribly long to get married after getting engaged

With these goals in mind, they decided The Purdue Memorial Union would be the perfect place to host their large reception. With just one available date left in 2022, Quin and Grace jumped on the opportunity.

Quin and Grace were a little disappointed to discover that there weren’t any Catholic churches available in the Lafayette area for their wedding day. However, this actually worked out well, because this gave Grace and Quin the opportunity to get married in Our Lady of The Lakes Catholic Church in Monticello, Indiana—which is the church Grace grew up in.

Grace and Quin’s joy-filled wedding day started with both the ladies and the fellas staying and getting ready at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University—which is gorgeous by the way!

After hair, makeup, and getting-ready photos were complete, Grace, Quin, and their bridal party took separate party buses to Monticello for their ceremony.

Their beautiful ceremony was followed by family photos at the church, and then, Grace, Quin, and their bridal party met Ryan Kingma (their incredible videographer whom I highly recommend) and I in front of Purdue’s Administration Building for both bridal party and bride and groom photos. This was a great spot on campus because there was enough shade for Grace and Quin’s HUGE bridal party (which included a total of 20 people), and the neutral colors of the building allowed Grace and Quin’s copper and navy colors to really pop. (By the way, Quin chose these colors. I think he’d want you to know that!)

After photos were finished, Grace, Quin, and their bridal party joined guests for cocktail hour. On this note, I do want to give a shoutout to Lori Anne Events. Lori and Annie put together such a flawless timeline that Grace and Quin actually had time to take a deep breath and enjoy cocktail hour—which is typically something couples have to miss.

After cocktail hour, Grace and Quin made their grand entrance to their floral-filled Purdue Memorial Union wedding reception, which was just gorgeous! Between Lori Anne Events’ implementation, Wright Flower Shop’s gorgeous florals, and decor rentals from Luva Events & Party Rentals, every inch of Quin and Grace’s ballroom was just beautiful. I mean, wait until you see the photos!

I think it’s safe to say that their reception was the part of their wedding day that Quin and Grace were most looking forward to. I’ll explain more below, but you could certainly tell by the way Grace teared up during her parents’ speeches, by the way Quin cried during his first dance with his mama, and by how these two beamed and smiled from ear to ear as they visited with guests and hit the dance floor, Grace and Quin were so happy for the chance to celebrate their relationship with the people they love most.

On their wedding day, it was clear what Quin & Grace value most: their family & friends.

As a wedding photographer, I’ve seen all kinds of weddings of all sizes. That said, more often than not, when a couple decides to have a big wedding and a big bridal party, this is often because they feel pressured to do so. They don’t want to leave anyone out, and before they know it, their guest list is long, and their bridal party includes people they aren’t actually close to.

Well, this was most definitely NOT the case for Grace and Quin. You see, in a day and age where life is demanding and no one ever seems to have a minute of free time, many of us struggle to maintain and foster relationships. But, this doesn’t seem to be the case for Quin and Grace.

While they had nine bridesmaids, nine groomsmen, and approximately 300 guests, Quin and Grace have genuine relationships with each and every one of these people. You see, guests included many family members and friends that either Grace or Quin have known for their whole lives, and both Grace and Quin have made it a priority to get to know the other’s loved ones.

And, Quin and Grace’s bridal party consisted of 18 people who are very active in Grace and Quin’s lives—several of whom were in the waiting room when Lyla (Grace and Quin’s daughter) was born. Grace and Quin have known some of these friends since the day they were born; they met others in college; and they met a few through one another. But, all are like family. (Some are also literally family but are still some of Grace and Quin’s closest friends.)

I think it’s safe to say that Quin and Grace’s relationships are so strong because Grace and Quin love others so well and truly prioritize communication and quality time with others. And, just like in the way Grace and Quin live their lives, on their wedding day, it was clear what matters most to this sweet couple: their family and friends.

Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Gilliam!

Quin and Grace, congratulations! I hope your wedding day was everything you dreamed it would be. More importantly, though, I hope you’re thrilled to finally be husband and wife. I hope and pray that you’re always best friends, that the life you share is full of blessings, and that every trial brings you closer together.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for trusting me to be your wedding photographer. I cannot wait to share your full gallery with you, but for now, I hope you love these previews from your Lady of The Lakes Catholic Church and Purdue Memorial Union wedding!

Navy invitation for wedding at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Dress hanging up for wedding at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Bride's blue shoes at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Bridal details at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Invitation and ring detail at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Bridesmaids in matching robes at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Bride with daughter at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Bride helping daughter get ready at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Bride putting on dress at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Flower girl helping bride get ready at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Bride putting on earrings at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Father of the bride first look at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Father hugs bride at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Bridal portrait at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Groom getting on tie at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Groom buttoning jacket at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University Groom portraits at The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University

Groom with groomsmen by steps at Purdue University Grace and Quin had 19 friends in their bridal party, which is a HUGE bridal party, but this group was so kind and fun! Bride and groom walking together at Purdue University Quin and Grace chose such classic, timeless looks for their big day. This was such a wise choice, because 50 years from now, I can almost guarantee that their grandkids will only say, “Grandma, you looked beautiful!” The focus of their photos will be kept on Grace and Quin’s love and not on trends and fads that lasted momentarily. In case you missed the note at the top of the page, Quin chose the colors for his and Grace’s wedding. The copper and navy color palette came together flawlessly!