Anna & Sean’s Wedding at Deer Path Inn, Lake Forest

A Hallmark Love Story: Anna & Sean at Deer Path Inn

Some love stories feel scripted by fate. Anna and Sean’s began on a first-grade soccer field where Anna’s father was the coach, grew through a high school Spanish class where they were assigned as compañeros, and after their paths diverged in college, the universe staged a “magical” re-encounter in Berlin, a moment their loved ones describe as something straight out of a Hallmark movie. On June 22, 2024, that long-awaited happily-ever-after became reality in Lake Forest, witnessed by the family and friends who watched them grow up.

The Morning at Deer Path Inn

The day began with quiet anticipation at the historic Deer Path Inn, where Anna, her eight bridesmaids, and both mothers filled the bridal suite and glam room with joyful preparation. Meanwhile, at the family home in Libertyville, Sean, his father, and his groomsmen gathered with a different energy, the camaraderie and reflection that define a wedding morning.

Private Reveals

By midday, the reveals began: Anna shared a poignant first look with her father, Paul, while Sean shared a simultaneous moment with his mother. Then, at the Inn, Anna and Sean met for their own first look, seeing each other as bride and groom for the first time within the venue’s timeless English architecture.

The Ceremony at the Church of St. Mary

The ceremony at the Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest was a masterclass in tradition: guests welcomed to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D,” a family processional of parents and grandparents, and Anna’s entrance on her father’s arm to “Ave Maria.” The couple lit a unity candle, offered a prayer to the Virgin Mary, and exchanged vows to remain faithful through every season of life. Sean promised never to forget that theirs is a “forever love that only comes around once in a lifetime,” and Anna declared herself “the happiest girl in the world.” The celebration spilled onto the church steps for a vibrant ribbon wand send-off.

The Celebration in Windsor Hall

Back at Deer Path Inn, cocktails flowed into a reception full of personality:

• The grand entrance: the wedding party entered to “Accidentally in Love” and “Burning Love,” leading into a cake cutting to “I Can’t Help Myself.”
• The speeches: best man Kyle described the couple’s journey as a legal contract, “offer, acceptance, and consideration,” noting that the Berlin re-encounter involved “preliminary negotiations” before a definitive offer arrived on February 18, 2023. The room roared.
• The dances: a first dance to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and parent dances including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
• The finale: an open dance floor, late-night pizza, and a retreat to the suite with leftover cake, the perfect end to the first day of marriage.

Filming at Deer Path Inn

The Deer Path Inn’s refined English inn aesthetic gives a wedding film a backdrop both intimate and grand: the Windsor Hall’s architectural details, the glam room’s light for morning preparations, and the short drive to the Church of St. Mary that keeps the day’s narrative seamless. It is one of the North Shore’s most cinematic venues, and we know it well.

The Creative Team

• Videography: 312FILMS
• Planning: Bweddings
• Ceremony: Church of St. Mary, Lake Forest
• Reception: Deer Path Inn, Windsor Hall
• Photography: Daniela Cardili Photography
• Floral design: Kesha
• Hair: M Salon
• Makeup: Tricia Clark
• Entertainment: An Enchanted Evening

Love Deer Path Inn? See another celebration there: Aimee & Chase’s Lake Forest wedding.

Planning a Deer Path Inn or Lake Forest wedding? See our Deer Path Inn venue guide or check your date →