Starting today, I’m trying something new with my posts. See, the better I get at photography (which to my inner critic seems like never, but which is in truth every single day), the more images I love too much not to share. And it doesn’t take but a skim through my previous posts to see that I am a bit, ahem, longwinded on the text side of things. As such, I think my blog posts are getting just a liiittle too long. And darn it, try as I might, I just can’t shut up. So! In order to focus on what I do best (portraits) we’re going to try a mix of stills of my absolute favorites (impossibly hard to narrow down, by the way), and a slideshow of the rest. What do you think? I’d love your (yes, I’m talking to you, dear reader) feedback.
Let me introduce you to our first guinea pigs: Caroline + Jeff.
Caroline + Jeff were married August 7th under a gorgeous oak tree at Manchester Country Club. I had only met Caroline once before, when she booked me almost a year ago — which she did almost immediately, because we really clicked. I knew we got along swimmingly, so I shouldn’t have been nervous while I waited for her in the hotel lobby, but as always, I totally was. At least until she walked in and I saw her smiling face. Suddenly, all my nerves were gone, and, just like always, all my attentions turned to making Caroline’s day as easy as possible for her (and Jeff!).
That Caroline + Jeff chose to wed under an oak tree made my heart smile, because that was one of my only requirements for selecting my own ceremony site for next year. Another neat aspect to their day? They didn’t have their guests sit far from them in traditional fashion. Instead, they asked those in attendance to remain standing for the short and sweet ceremony, and the officiant lovingly requested that they all gather closely around. It made for a very intimate and romantic atmosphere, and was a nice change of pace.
But can I tell you my favorite part of this wedding? I promise, it’s not what you’re expecting. Caroline’s entire family is French Canadian, which means they speak — waaaait for it — French! You may not know this about me, but I’ve been studying French since I was 12; I have a Bachelor’s degree in it, in fact. I even lived in France while I was in college — I returned home five years ago last month (HOLY FAST PASSAGE OF TIME, BATMAN). It’s something that got deep down in my bones; I thought in French, dreamed in French, sometimes even maybe perhaps talked to myself while I was alone in French. But aside from little bits here and there, over the last five years I haven’t had much contact with the language, and I miss it. I miss it often. I try to satiate myself with music and the occasional podcast, but it doesn’t fit the bill. So you can imagine what a treat this wedding was for me. :)
But enough about what I thought. Shall we?
I loved Caroline’s something old and something blue — her grandmother’s costume jewelry, center:
What do you do when you’re limited on space and time and you need a fun place to photograph (lovely!) shoes? How about the fridge? (This was very entertaining to the bridesmaids, by the way.)
Caroline chose an absolutely stunning dress.
And I love her little hands poking out of the top of it!
Caroline. Beautiful.
Jeff. Handsome.
His handsomeness didn’t stop him from feeling a bit anxious before the start of the ceremony, however.
His groomsmen, on the other hand, were not feeling the pressure. In fact, they were teaching each other card tricks to pass the time.
GORGEOUS!
Jeff’s mom and dad, during the ceremony. :)
First kiss, and first smile after the first kiss. :)
Jeff had the perfect look on his face just after the recessional. P.S. That’s their oak tree there on the left.
And now the best part: portraits!
Laughter! My favorite thing in the world!
I think this is my favorite photo from the day. The light, the colors and their expressions. I just love it.
Of course, we needed a few shots under the tree itself.
How about a few very lovely details to round out the day?
Caroline’s shoes look even better on. And I love that you can see one of her Grandmother’s pins tucked away inside her dress.
I don’t know what the heck this is, but it was great for the ring shot.
Caroline’s flowers were simple and beautiful. And I’ve had those things on the right explained to me, but I still don’t know what the heck they’re for. Golfy applications, certainly.
Jeff’s boutonniere, and the luscious bridesmaids bouquets. Love the little green berries.
Just one shot from the reception. This was basically the whole room’s reaction to Caroline’s sisters’ tandem toast. I was wiping away some tears, myself, and this face was too perfect not to capture.
And lastly, the happy couple.
To see the rest of Caroline + Jeff’s favorites from their day, please watch their slideshow. (Set to — surprise! — French music.)
Caroline + Jeff, thank you so much for letting me be a party to your day. Thank you for letting me revel in a beloved language lost to me. Thank you for being such kind people. Congratulations to you both. Enjoy your photos!
by Molly
3 comments