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Rustic Wedding at Mountains and Meadows
September 5, 2015 dawned with little fanfare, shrouded in mist, the clouds ready to burst. Normally, this would be the perfect morning atmosphere, but this day was not just any day, This day was Chelsea and Brian's wedding day.
Out of all of the bright sunshiny days from the previous weeks, this one single day decided to be the rainy one; and rain it did. When I arrived at the venue, we all apprehensively prepared for the task ahead, one eye one the gray sky above. But, in true wedding day fashion, the sun made a welcome guest appearance at Mountains and Meadows bathing the ceremony in warmth.
The "best" weddings (in my humble opinion) are those which incorporate the couple's unique characteristics into the details and Chelsea and Brian certainly rose to the occasion. For instance, for the grand entrance, the father of the bride drove his daughter to the ceremony meadow in her almost-husband's fixed-up classic car, graciously opening the door for her green carpet entrance. The reception also showed many personal touches as Chelsea and her family made all of the food, preparing for days in advance. Impressively, Chelsea made 10 cheesecakes of various flavors - including an Almond Joy to die for - showcasing her skills in preparation for her budding catering business. I am not ashamed to admit that I had three slices of cheesecake.
But the most personal aspect of their wedding was the importance they placed on family, namely including their daughter in the festivities. As you could guess, two year olds are not the most stationary beings, and their cute Skyler made quite the impression during the ceremony. Most memorably, when the officiant asked Brian an affirmative question as a part of the vows, Skyler loudly answer "NO!" Hilarity ensued and the slight tension from the stress of the rain and the preparations melted away allowing everyone to enjoy the rest of the couple's celebration. The women of Chelsea's family represented 4 generations: the bride herself, her grandmother, her mother, and her daughter. Brian's family was well-represented as well, but most prominent was his beautiful mother, confined to a wheelchair due to her fight against ALS but no less ecstatic to watch her son vow his love to his new wife.
After a delicious meal, beautiful dances, much more energetic dances (let me see you clap yo' hands!), and tons of groups pictures incorporating the car and the rustic decorations, the sun began to set creating the perfect backdrop for our last few photos.
My favorite part of photographing any wedding is when I get to steal the couple away to take their photos. Not only do I get to take more intimate sweet photos than when the rest of the wedding party is present, but the bride and groom get to enjoy a few short moments to themselves, celebrating their new status. Chelsea and Brian danced in the twilight, gazed out over the pond, and reveled in sweet kisses and laughter.
Perhaps as a sign of their promising future, although the day began gloomy-as-can-be, it ended with a gloriously vibrant sunset as couple, family, and friends celebrated Chelsea and Brian's love for each other.
