A December Wedding: Warm Light & Winter Greenery at Ashton Hill Farm

There’s something about December light in Galena that makes you want to shoot all day. It hangs low, pours through every window, and wraps everything in this warm amber glow that you just can’t replicate any other time of year. This Ashton Hill Farm Galena wedding had all of that, plus Christmas trees lining the ceremony space, two French Bulldogs stealing the spotlight during portraits, and a reception that glowed with candlelight and fresh pine. Honestly, it felt less like a wedding and more like the best holiday party we’ve ever been invited to.

First Look, Fur Babies, and All the Feels

Before anything else even happened, the details had us excited. Pearl-studded bridal booties perched on Christmas tree branches. A bouquet of white roses, eucalyptus, and pine with a crystal brooch tucked into the stems. Every piece felt intentional, and we pulled in close on all of it because those textures deserved their own moment.

The first look, though. That’s where the day really started for us. The groom turned around inside Ashton Hill Farm’s bright white hall, saw his bride, and just completely fell apart in the best way. Then their two French Bulldogs came bounding in, and the whole mood shifted from tears to pure chaos and laughter. We live for that kind of shift. Those pups absolutely stole the show, and our shutter count from that ten-minute window was ridiculous.

Golden Hour in the Galena Hills

Outside with the full wedding party, we shot wide to take in the scene. Bridesmaids in deep green and black gowns with white fur stoles. Groomsmen in classic black suits. Behind them, tall winter grass catching that low December sun. Dark fabric against amber fields is one of those combinations that never gets old, and this group absolutely nailed it.

For the couple’s portraits, we walked out into the countryside surrounding the venue and just let the light do the work. It was warm, hazy, and impossibly soft. They held hands, laughed constantly, and moved through the tall grass like nobody was watching. Those twenty minutes gave us some of the most stunning winter portraits from our entire season. If you’re considering a December wedding out here, know that this golden hour light is real, and it is spectacular.

A Ceremony Framed by Christmas Trees

Back inside, the ceremony space took our breath away. Full-size Christmas trees flanked the altar, and floor-to-ceiling windows let soft winter light spill in from every angle. Guests sat in crossback chairs arranged in a warm, intimate circle. The whole room felt like a living room on Christmas morning, just bigger and full of people who love these two.

One of the moments that stuck with us was the wine box ceremony. The couple sealed a bottle to open on their tenth anniversary. It was personal, meaningful, and perfectly them. Their first kiss happened right between the Christmas trees, framed by a chandelier overhead and fading afternoon light. That single image tells the whole story of this Ashton Hill Farm Galena wedding. We pulled in tight for it, and the frame practically composed itself.

Candlelight, Pine, and a Packed Dance Floor

The reception was a completely different mood, but equally gorgeous. Long farm tables dressed with evergreen garland runners, taper candles in black holders, deep green napkins with wax seals. Mercury glass vases held white hydrangeas, burgundy roses, eucalyptus, and pine. As the evening settled in, all that candlelight turned the room golden. From a photography standpoint, this is the kind of reception that practically lights itself.

Instead of a traditional tiered cake, they went with a bundt cake topped with burgundy roses and a custom “The Rufeners” script topper. Cupcakes and cookies rounded out the dessert spread, and guests were all over it. From there, the first dance was pure magic. Twinkle lights from the Christmas trees glowed in the background, chandeliers hung above, and the two of them were completely lost in each other. That shift from polished ceremony to candlelit intimacy on the dance floor is something we absolutely live for.