Sarah & Michael: Autumn Elegance at Sugarland Barn

Wedding: November 7, 2015 Photographer: Laurelyn Savannah Photography Ceremony & Reception: Sugarland Barn, Arena Honeymoon: St. Lucia

While camping at Illinois’ Starved Rock State Park, Michael Bomkamp proposed to Sarah Malz during a sunset hike. After she said yes, the couple celebrated the happy occasion together during a romantic weekend, eating s’mores and talking about their future, which included a fall wedding for this nature-loving couple. After looking at a number of Wisconsin venues, the two fell in love with Sugarland Barn, complete with a charming farmhouse, horse stables and splendidly rustic décor details. The two envisioned sharing their first married kiss beneath the property’s majestic oak tree, but with November 7 as the venue’s only available date, the couple simply had to sign on the dotted line and pray for a mild autumn. “With a forecast of about 45 degrees and sunny, we decided we were going to make it work,” says Sarah, who supplied guests with blankets and bridesmaids with gold pashminas to keep warm during ceremony the couple wrote themselves. The night ended in a true party vibe, when guests gathered in the barn for an evening of dining and dancing, a drink at the whiskey bar and some fresh air by the outside bonfire.