Jessica and Lucas

“We’ve had a couple of weeks with the wedding photos now. I still can’t find the words to thank you for what you’ve delivered to us. Before finding your work online, I was so anxious about finding a wedding photographer. I was worried about looking back at pictures and only seeing how uncomfortable I am in front of a camera. I’m amazed at how unfounded those fears ended up being.

When I look at the photos you took, I see so much. I see the big moments that everyone in the room experienced, and the quieter, more private moments that were easy to miss. I see my dad’s joy, Lucas’ family’s energy, the fun that only a dozen small children can bring to a room, and my granddad’s quiet contentment reading the words I’ve never been able to say to him. I see Lucas and I — staring at each other in disbelief in the back hallway right after our wedding ceremony, cracking jokes in the middle of that ceremony, and altogether enjoying every moment of the day. I see what may be my favorite moment of the whole wedding that I was sure no one else saw, when Lucas corralled me and politely said, “It’s time to go,” and I grabbed his suit jacket, smiled, and not-so-politely responded, “I’m not leaving!”

And there’s so much more. Every time I pull up the pictures, I see our wedding. I see exactly what was there, exactly how it was, on that day. A storm rolling through, laughs in the dressing room, my family’s struggle to pull it together for portraits, special and silly moments with the little ones. Every hug showing a personal connection, built over years, captured in a single frame. (And, so many frames! I’m amazed at how many moments you captured and gave to us.)

Anyways, all of this to say: Thank you. You’ve given us such a special gift by doing the work you do and becoming a friend in this special season of life.”

I’m not one to normally post others’ words instead of my own, but Jessica – the incredibly insightful wordsmith and the beautiful bride you’re about to see – managed to do what I’ve always had trouble doing: describe the how and why of how I approach a wedding day. One of the first emails she ever sent me said “I think I’m so drawn to your work because when I look at the pictures you’ve taken, I don’t necessarily see “weddings,” but rather real people in the moments surrounding the start of their marriages.” Which I told her may have to end up being my business tag line one day.

But really, I share her words not to brag about my work, but to state my hope for what I want to achieve at every wedding. To be able to use my gift of observing and capturing moments to give people tangible memories of their wedding day story. The real, beautiful, authentic story: captured as it happened rather than how I coerced it to be. And I’m so incredibly grateful to work with people who see the beauty – true beauty – in realness.

Now below you’ll find the wedding day story of Jessica and Lucas, two souls so in love they couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear the entire day. Rain doesn’t matter when you’re focused on the real reason you’re having a wedding, and these love birds were the perfect role models for how to do life whether cloudy or sunny skies linger overhead. (Also, just to point out how amazing Jessica is one more time: she had the great idea for her and Lucas to handwrite personal notes to each and every guest – almost 100 of them – for them to read at the reception. If you want an idea to make sure there’s not a dry eye in the house….)