husband and wife shoot elopements in the shawnee national forest in southern Illinois

Our Story


Hi! We’re Jonathan & Laura Rush, a husband and wife team with a passion for adventure, hiking, & capturing an unforgettable experience. We specialize in capturing Southern Illinois elopements in the Shawnee National Forest.

We have hiked & traveled to numerous National Parks shooting elopements & continue to fall in love over and over again with the Shawnee National Forest in our back yard. We both grew up in Southern Illinois & have loved exploring all that it has to offer. When we aren’t shooting elopements we are full time photographers, having owned & operated Esther Bloom Photography since 2008. We also own Bloom Wedding Rentals where we rent out decor, chairs, tables etc. for all of your event needs.

In our “spare” time, we have four children (Axel, Ayva, Emma & Sawyer) that we follow all over the country chasing their dreams in various sports. We have a big lazy black lab named Mr. Wilson who steals everyone’s heart & has the best personality. We love to travel and we are always waiting for the next opportunity to spend some time out west in the mountains.

Have a question about literally anything? Call, text, or email. We’re here for you! We want to share our favorite shops, airbnbs, trails, & diners. We make sure our couples have the latest & greatest planning info so we’re all prepared. Elope in the Shawnee National Forest stress free.