Angie + Crescent | married at Oak Grove

I have no excuse why I never blogged this wedding (yes I do, four kids, job, homeschool, etc?) but here we are. Last summer had a weird but awesome trend of how wedding days went for me: MAAANY happened at Jorgensen’s Oak Grove. Gorgeous ceremony followed by dramatic rain followed by clear and awesome night!

Angie + Crescent’s wedding, shot on digital and film (a mixture of Portra 400 + Cinestill 800, which is my absolute fave for shooting this venue!) enjoy!

Marie + Derek | Married at Strongwater

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I have ZERO good reason why this 2017 wedding has never seen the light of day besides a social media share here and there. I will say, it likely should’ve been picked up by some blog somewhere along the way buuuut, that’s just not why I do this job. Besides to highlight the kick ass job that Orchard Lane Flowers + the Bliss planning team did, I don’t need anyone else to give me accolades for doing a bomb job. …. it’s MY JOB to do that week in and week out, soooo. Here ya go! Love this couple, loved this day!

Venue: Strongwater Events

gown: Ivy Bridal Studio

planning: Bliss Wedding & Event Design

Hair: Shannon Goode

Emma + Matt | Married at Oak Grove

Emma + Matt spent the week before their wedding checking and checking and totally prepared for snowpocalypse 2019. After all, a perfect snow globe existed for us to view it in: the greenhouse of Jorgensen’s Oak Grove in Westerville, Ohio. Well, as it turned out, like too many Columbus weekends, it was a rainy + slushy day that we were just happy to be cozy + to experience two people in love get to promise themselves to each other!

Images shot digital + on Cinestill 800 + Portra 400 + HP5 pushed two stops to 1600.

enjoy!

Venue: Jorgensen Farms Oak grove

Floral: Evergreen Flower Co.

Rentals: Lost and Found Vintage Rentals

Calligraphy: Bride

donuts: Buckeye Donuts

invitation suite: Rachel Marvin Creative

Bridal Gown: B. Loved Bridal

Bridal Hairpiece: BHLDN

Bridesmaids dresses: David’s Bridal

DJ: Buckeye Entertainment

Emily + Brian | engaged!

a quick + sweet engagement session from this summer (take me back, what I wouldn’t give to be unbearably hot like it was this day!) with Emily + Brian + their pups. shot on digital + film (with double exposed xmas lights // portrait 400)

let's talk first looks

so here’s the thing. I see the “taking pictures part” of my job as secondary to making sure your day is everything you want it to be. Maybe because the taking pictures part is so so so second nature and within every muscle memory I have, that I extend my experience to try to make your day run smooth. OF COURSE I’ll follow any schedule you want, on your wedding day, but when people ask WHY to a first look here are some of my reasons (spoiler, NONE of them are because it makes MY day better/easier/etc.)

it’ll calm your nerves: I’ve had so many couples who just . . . relax, once they’ve seen each other. They pretty much turn into a more accurate version of themselves (vs. wedding day self) once they’re with their partner.

it’ll extend your wedding day: I’d say this is my biggest reason to DO a first look. Do you like the idea of spending *most of the day with your love + your most loved people? Yeah? Then do a first look! otherwise, you’re both hidden away, counting down minutes until wedding time arrives.

logistically, it makes sense: winter wedding? Short on day light hours? A way to alleviate your stress is to do most of the photos before hand - that way if it’s dark just about right after your ceremony, you don’t feel the rush to get things DONE and you can actually enjoy yourself more.

alone time with your partner: Seeing each other at the top of an aisle IS very exciting, but I promise it’ll be exciting no matter whether you’ve seen each other before or not. The thing is, if you don’t do that first look, think of ALL THE THINGS you want to be sharing with your partner about how your crazy day was, about how amazing they look, etc. etc. But, you’re getting married + don’t have the time to be candid with each other.

Now, like I said, that’s not to say if you don’t do a first look you’re doing it wrong, or ANYTHING like that. Your wedding day is all about what you want to make it the best start to your lives together! I just hope that you consider all the options!

Kathleen + Josh | married at the Columbus Zoo

phew what a summer. When I was in it I knew I was creating these timeless, amazing, absolutely beautiful images I was really proud of…but fast forward to 25 weddings later, nonstop editing, and a circus of children in my home life, and it’s pretty easy to have forgotten about all that beauty! Thank goodness for the “off season” if for nothing else, for me to look back in wonder with absolute awe at the job I am lucky enough to do.

Kathleen + Josh have this magic sort of love. I feel like maybe I experienced that a lot this year (which says I’m doing something right about the people I’m reaching ;) is that you!?) that like, they haven’t know each other ages, but it feels like it. They incorporated elements, and people into their day that magnified their love so perfectly. And, of course their sweet son, Dylan was just icing on the cake.

More importantly, it was drip your face off hot out here at the Zoo’s Watersedge venue, and if you follow me on Instagram, you know I’m pretty much down on the winter round Ohio. (I’m obviously KIDDING here about this being the most important part!)

Enjoy their wedding story, as I saw it, below.

(mixture of film + digital shot on Canon Mark iii + Canon EOS1-V + Pentax645n. Film developed by The Darkroom)

Thank you, as most weddings, to Savannah at Ce Moment Photography for being my trusty second shooter!

hotel: AC Hotel by Marriott Columbus Dublin

venue: Columbus Zoo + Aquarium

Florist: Off Broadway Florist

Bride’s Dress: Sarah Seven