You might remember Katie + Dustin from their engagement session, which, if you’ll recall, included another shorter and slightly cuter Molly. :)
Alas, the other Molly was not party to Katie + Dustin’s August 13th at The Waterview in Monroe, CT, but we survived. That tragedy aside… Do me a quick favor and glance back at your August calendar. Notice anything? Like that August 13th was a Friday? Since I’m here and intact with no broken bones, I’m confident in saying that it was most assuredly NOT an unlucky day. In fact I wish more people would get married in Fridays — 13ths or otherwise. Most venues and vendors offer discounts for Friday weddings, and, bonus, no one has to wake up to go to church in the morning. AND I GET THE WHOLE WEEKEND OFF. THINK ABOUT IT.
For this and many other reasons, these two are definitely another favorite couple of mine. Their whole affair was simple and relaxed, plus their bridal party was hilarious and filled with good sports AND they did a First Sight (more on that in a minute). But you don’t care about that. You care about photos! Okay, one more paragraph and we’ll get started.
The Waterview in Monroe has — prepare yourself — a lovely water view of Lake Zoar. If you look closely at the base of the middle trees, you’ll see the corner of something black floating in the water. See, another reception happening that same evening in The Waterview’s other ballroom was for the daughter of the family that owns a Connecticut fireworks company. That black something in the water? That’s the “boat” from which they launched the THIRTY MINUTE custom pyrotechnics show (there was also a land-based component). Okay, maybe it wasn’t 30 full minutes, but it rivaled any 4th of July extravaganza I’ve ever seen. I’m told displays like that run around $10k/minute and require explicit permission from every lakeside resident. Lucky us. :)
The Waterview does not lack for nice chairs.
Just a few details.
I usually have a pretty keen sense of what type of dress each of my brides will choose before I ever see them, but Katie’s totally stumped me. This was not the dress I expected, but it was lovely and absolutely perfect for her.
Love this detail of Katie’s bridesmaid holding her veil while her dress is laced.
Katie was lovely, if a little nervous. :)
Sidebar: Katie + Dustin were my first couple ever to opt for a First Sight and it. was. PERFECT. For starters, both Katie + Dustin dispensed of ALL of their nerves beforehand, and enjoyed some quiet, private time together. Second, we were able to get all of their bridal party portraits out of the way ahead of the ceremony, which meant that the bridesmaids and groomsmen could head up to enjoy cocktail hour right away, while the bride and groom had some much needed relaxation between the ceremony and the reception. I cannot recommend a First Sight enough; it eases the flow of the day, it allows for more (and more relaxed!) portraits, and it truly calms the guests of honor. And contrary to popular belief (as you’ll see in a moment), it does absolutely nothing to spoil the moment the groom sees his bride at the head of the aisle.
Speaking of…
Dustin couldn’t help but get the full view of his soon-to-be wife. :)
And then it was time for portraits!
I LOVE this photo of Katie. Her look, her adorable dimples, her hand on Dustin’s arm. BEAUTIFUL.
Could Dustin be any more handsome? Seriously? (P.S. I saw their Hawaiian honeymoon photos — Dustin is sporting some SERIOUS muscles under that tux. Good job, Katie. ;) Have I embarrassed you yet?)
I don’t normally post bridal party photos, but I really like this one (and the bridesmaids’ dresses were FABULOUS):
Onto the ceremony! Katie + Dustin hired a guitarist / singer that they saw play at the Burger Bar in Norwalk (If you’ve never eaten there and you live nearby, go. Go now. Eat the sweet potato fries. You’re welcome.). His performance was wonderful, and he was such a sweet guy — he moved to Austin the very next day to be with his long-term, long-distance girlfriend and to follow his musical dreams. Adorable.
Remember what I said about a First Sight not ruining that “head of the aisle” moment? I offer the following as proof:
The Waterview has two reception rooms, each with their own ceremony site. Let me just throw my vote in for the smaller of the two (pictured below). It is intimate, private and gorgeous, but the best part is that it’s completely shaded in the afternoon (the larger site on the other side of the building, which is visible from the parking lot, is in full sun until dusk) — your photographer, not to mention your guests, will appreciate this!
First kiss, followed by the most genuine “HOLY CRAP WE’RE MARRIED” faces I’ve captured yet:
Mr. + Mrs.
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take a few quick portraits of the happy couple in the warm sunset.
Love the one on the left.
Yet another beautiful cake I didn’t get to sample. I work too hard. :)
The Waterview boasts an ENORMOUS dance floor, which was perfect for Katie + Dustin and their friends, who danced the night away. (If you’ll recall, Katie and many of her friends are professional dancers.) But it worked quite well for just the two of them, too.
And lastly, a quick parting shot at the end of the night.
To see the rest of my favorites from Katie + Dustin’s wedding, check out their slideshow (set to a lovely 1932 recording of “You, Just You” by Ray Noble + The New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, courtesy of the Internet Archive).
Katie + Dustin, you are wonderful. It was a joy working with you and a pleasure photographing your wedding day — I can’t wait to see you both again! Enjoy your photos!
by Molly
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