Me and my assistant captured well over a thousand pictures of this special event and I have posted just a very few highlights here.
Nicole and Brandon's ceremony and reception were held at her parent's beautiful home in the country, where everyone was welcoming and accommodating and just an all around pleasure to work with.
The ceremony was held a stone's throw from the house, in a pretty meadow lined with rows of white chairs and crowned with a four post trellis all wrapped in tulle and decorated with colorful flowers on a background of dark green foliage.
In the house, where all of the girls and some of the guests were getting ready, there was a pleasantly cheerful sort of organized chaos: curling irons and makeup and bouquets and little girls and big ones all scurrying about, laughing and primping and hugging old friends and making new ones and amongst them all was the shared anticipation of the happy event about to take place.
Despite a late start (and I could probably count on ONE hand the number of weddings I have worked where the ceremony actually started exactly on time!) the ceremony was altogether lovely; filled with tears and smiles and beautiful words and heartfelt emotions.
After the ceremony, we gathered together the bridal party, all resplendent in apple red, tulip dresses and dark striped tuxes, to snap the formal pictures with family and friends. It was a very hot summer day and everyone was ready to get out of the heat and under the refreshing shade of the reception tent, but they all submitted most patiently to my posing instructions and smiled pleasantly for the pictures. Thanks for that, everyone! :0)
And we managed to have some fun, in the process !
Then came my personal favorite part of every wedding I shoot: The artistic formals with just the Bride and Groom. Nicole and Brandon were so very easy to work with and really willing to mix things up to get some unique, fun images that captured a little piece of their personalities.
Nicole's sense of style was unique and really beautiful---note the hairstyle: totally modern, yet with a delicious touch of the retro. And how about that gorgeous dress that so perfectly suited her figure? Just lovely.
The reception was a combination of touching sentiment and joyful frivolity.
The guests were a fun-loving, friendly group of folks who were more than ready to hit the floor and dance the night away!
And this is, hands down, the absolute coolest cake topper I've ever seen. EVER. Perhaps my proclivity for guns is coloring my opinion here, but I stand firm by my judgement. Coolest. EVER. ;0)
The evening ended with the newlyweds dashing through a tunnel of sparklers held aloft by well-wishing family and friends and departing the scene in a splendid white limousine.
I was very thankful to have been allowed to play a small part in such a special day in the life of such a very nice family :0)
Congratulations, Nicole and Brandon!
