A Country-Inspired Backyard Wedding in Crete, Illinois

When Kristin Veldhuizen (24 and a veterinary technician) met Aaron DaCorte (26 and a police officer) in the fall of 2008, their first encounter wasn't exactly what you'd call romantic. "We met on a Chicago ghost tour!" Kristin says. "We were with friends and since we're both so shy, we didn't talk to each other for most of the night." The following month, the two went on their first date and got engaged five years later when Aaron popped the question using Kristin's grandmothers vintage wedding ring. For their November nuptials in Crete, the couple wed in an outdoor ceremony at Aaron's childhood home surrounded by over two acres of prairie and woodland. Dressed in a white wedding gown that she modified from her mother's original dress, Kristin managed to put a modern spin on a vintage classic. "My sisters each took a piece of her dress to include into their own gowns, so being the last to marry, I decided to use what was left to make it my own," Kristin says. "Being a seamstress, I transformed the dress from an A-line gown to an updated fit and flare. It was truly the dress of my dreams." Southern elements – like rustic cowboy boots and a cotton-infused bridal bouquet – were strewn throughout the day to complete the romantic look that the bride envisioned. "A moment I'll never forget was right after we had our first look," the bride laughs. "Our family and friends were driving us a bit crazy, so we snuck away and took a shot of whiskey together!"