nostalgia, authenticity and being present on your wedding day
The first “yes” to me.
Corryn + Thomas were the very first couple to officially book me as their wedding photographer, and I will never forget it. Going back to the beginning when we did their engagement session... they were kind, trusting, and between them was so much pure chemistry that made photographing their love a breeze.
May 24th, 2025. Their wedding day at the Partington Spring House near Yellow Springs, Ohio was absolutely perfect. Weather in the low 70s, not a cloud in the sky, and nothing about the timeline felt chaotic or rushed. Just pure flow. I knew the day was going to be laidback, simply because they are just chill people but everyone involved matched that energy.
They chose to do a first look with private vows, which I highly, HIGHLY recommend to any couple thinking about it. Not only is it such a romantic, grounding moment before everything begins, but it gives us time to knock out your portraits early, before guests even arrive. That way, during cocktail hour, you can actually enjoy yourselves and not be stuck wrangling people for photos. After their first look and vow exchange, I took their bride & groom portraits. I like doing this because after sharing vows the love is strongggg in the air and the photos will really reflect those feelings. Then following their portraits, we went straight into bridal party photos. By the time we were finishing up, guests began to arrive so we got the bride back inside and had about 30 minutes before the ceremony began.
Their ceremony itself was short and sweet, just the way it should be in my opinion. They had live musicians playing, which added such a warm, intentional vibe. But my favorite part? Walking down the aisle to “Married Life”... the song from Up..... cue the tears. Like are you KIDDING me?? Wholesome, nostalgic, seriously the perfect touch for a day that was already so full of love.
After the ceremony, their bridal party did a champagne toast which made for some really cute photos! Then we did their family photos which were done in less than 15 minutes, very quick and easy. Nobody wants to spend 30 minutes taking a photo with every single member of your family. If you know who to include beforehand, family photos should be very quick. You'll want to enjoy your cocktail hour, so its important to think about that when planning your photo timeline!!
One of my favorite visual touches from the day was their use of vintage furniture and thrifted china. It added such a personal, creative vibe to the space and made everything feel intimate + curated without being overly done. I liveeeee for thoughtful details like that.
The reception started with the first dance, snd shortly after were the other dances. This was incredibly touching + emotional, reallllly pulled all the heart strings. The speeches during the reception were another major highlight for me. The best man and maid of honor both delivered the most authentic, heartfelt words. You could feel just how loved Corryn and Thomas are, not only by each other but by everyone around them.
While guests were at their tables finishing dinner, I pulled Corryn + Thomas for some quick golden hour photos. I wanted to take advantage of the dreamy evening light and the beautiful furniture they had set up, that was literally begging to be used. I always try to be super mindful of the moment during this part of the day. It's important to me that couples stay present, enjoy their evening, and don’t feel like they’re being yanked into another full-on photoshoot. We kept it short, sweet, and fun, just enough time to sneak away, breathe for a second, and grab some gorgeous portraits of that just-married glow.... without missing out on the party. Keeping that balance is everything as a wedding photographer!!!
And the rest of the night? SO FUN. The dance floor was packed, people were letting loose, and the whole space just buzzed with genuine happiness. I truly think that the photos from the reception, are the most important and memorable photos from your night. Yeah, they might not be the one's you get printed and put on your wall... but they will be the photos that spark a conversation about that moment and truly bring you back to the celebration of your wedding day.
I left that night with not only a full SD card, but a full heart!! I am so grateful that this is what I get to do for a living.