An Intimate Backyard Wedding in Naperville

Some weddings ask you to reimagine everything.

After three rounds of planning during the pandemic, Kristine and Topher let go of their original downtown Chicago plans and turned their attention somewhere more personal. Their newly purchased home in Naperville. What began as a pivot became something entirely their own.

By the time guests arrived, their backyard had been transformed into a garden party that felt both effortless and considered. A clear top tent stretched across the lawn, long tables layered beneath it, and an overhead canopy of white and green florals suspended in full bloom. It was romantic in that quiet, unmistakable way. Classic Midwest summer, but refined. Thoughtful. Completely theirs.

Earlier in the day, Kristine got ready at home with her closest friends as the space slowly came to life around her. Topher, always intentional, had installed a custom plaque by the front door that read “The Kings, Est. 2021.” She was told to step outside to find her gift. It was simple, personal, and exactly right.

They chose to see each other before the ceremony at Hotel Arista. Their first look was filled with the kind of emotion that doesn’t need direction. Happy tears, quiet laughter, a moment to take it all in together before the day began to unfold.

From there, we spent time around downtown Naperville with their wedding party. The light was bright and warm, lilacs in bloom, the kind of spring day that feels almost too perfect to plan.

What stood out most, though, wasn’t any single detail. It was the way they moved through the day. Steady, playful, completely present with one another. After everything it took to get here, they weren’t holding onto the pressure of it all. They were simply enjoying it.

As the sun set, the tent shifted. String lights and candlelight took over, the space softening into evening. Guests gathered for dinner beneath the florals overhead, and later, the dance floor filled quickly. At one point, Topher reappeared in a tropical-inspired dinner jacket, a small shift that changed the energy of the room in the best way. It felt celebratory, a little unexpected, and completely in line with who they are together.

Throughout it all, there was a lightness to them. The kind that doesn’t ignore what’s been hard, but chooses something else anyway.

Kristine and Topher, thank you for inviting me into a day that felt so full of intention, ease, and joy. It was an honor to witness.