Intimate Wedding at Retreat at the Gambrel in Jonesboro, IL.

First wedding at retreat at the Gambrel

Retreat at the Gambrel is a renovated barn-style Airbnb near Jonesboro in Southern Illinois. The property combines rustic and vintage details with a beautifully updated interior, surrounded by woods and enough privacy that it feels completely tucked away.

Although the property wasn’t designed as a traditional wedding venue, Natalie had a vision for how it could work for their small celebration. The owners had never hosted a wedding ceremony there before, making Natalie and Brad’s June 20, 2025 wedding the first.

One of the most unique features of the space is its open two-story layout. Instead of creating a traditional ceremony setup, Natalie and Brad exchanged vows from the upper level while their guests watched from below. For a celebration this intimate, it worked beautifully and made the ceremony feel even more personal.

Getting Ready for an Intimate Southern Illinois Wedding

The morning started quietly inside Retreat at the Gambrel as Natalie finished getting ready surrounded by family. With such a small guest list, there wasn’t the usual wedding day rush, there was room to slow down, photograph the little details and let the day unfold naturally.

One detail came with a particularly good story. Just days before the wedding, Natalie and Brad had gone to see Post Malone, Natalie’s favorite artist. After he signed her arm, she had his signature tattooed permanently and naturally, the brand-new tattoo earned its own place in the wedding day details.

A First Look Before the Ceremony

Before their ceremony, Natalie and Brad shared a first look outside Retreat at the Gambrel. Away from their guests, they had a few quiet minutes together and exchanged letters before everything officially began.

For such an intimate wedding day, there was no need to rush from one tradition to the next. Their first look gave them time to actually be together, take in the moment and enjoy a little piece of the day privately before joining their family upstairs for the ceremony.

A Wedding Ceremony Centered Around Family

Natalie and Brad’s ceremony wasn’t only about the two of them, it was about officially bringing their family together. Their three daughters stood beside them on the upper level of Retreat at the Gambrel as they exchanged vows, while their closest family and friends gathered below.

One of the most meaningful parts of the ceremony was the vows Natalie and Brad made to the girls themselves. They also gave each of their daughters a necklace as a keepsake from the day, making them part of the commitment rather than simply having them stand alongside it.

With only around 15 guests, there was no need for a traditional aisle filled with rows of chairs. Everyone simply gathered together beneath the open loft, looking up as the five of them became one family, an incredibly personal use of a space that had never hosted a wedding before.

an intimate celebration at retreat at the gambrel

After the ceremony, the day stayed just as relaxed and personal. With such a small group, Natalie and Brad were able to spend their reception actually visiting with the people closest to them instead of following a packed traditional reception timeline.

The celebration included a catered luncheon, cake and their first dance, with plenty of time left for family photos and portraits around the property. The smaller guest count made the entire afternoon feel less like a formal reception and more like one big family gathering—which fit their wedding perfectly.

wedding portraits around retreat at the gambrel

One of my favorite things about photographing Natalie and Brad at Retreat at the Gambrel was how much variety we could create without ever leaving the property. Surrounded by woods and tucked away on private property near Jonesboro, Illinois, the setting gave us plenty of space for portraits while still keeping the entire wedding day in one location.

We used the exterior of the renovated barn, the front steps and surrounding greenery for family portraits before taking Natalie and Brad farther around the property for some time alone. The wooded Southern Illinois setting made the perfect backdrop for portraits that felt relaxed and completely different from the indoor ceremony space.

Toward the end of their coverage, I had them dance together one more time—this time to a Post Malone song, which felt especially fitting after the story behind Natalie’s new tattoo earlier in the day. It was a quiet little ending to a wedding that had been personal from beginning to end.