Erin & Evan
Chapter 1: Getting Ready
Months of planning, calls, and meetings all led to this beautiful moment. Through all our conversations, we ended up building such a warm relationship, getting to know each other well. I bring this up because I want to share one of my absolute favorite parts of the entire day.
I started the day with Erin as she was getting ready. She greeted me with so much excitement and even checked in to see if I needed anything. Then, I was welcomed with such warmth and affection by both the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom. Right away, I could feel exactly where Erin and Evan get their warmth from. I know this might sound a little cheesy, but I think it's an incredibly beautiful feeling to meet the people around you who have helped shape you and introduced you to what it truly means to love. That’s what I felt as I kept meeting more and more of the family.
Chapter 2: The Ceremony
The ceremony—oh man, I can honestly say this was probably one where I laughed the most! Don't get me wrong, everything about it was absolutely beautiful. But if you know Erin and Evan well, you know they're wonderfully silly when they're together. From all the funny faces they were making to each other, to playing rock-paper-scissors at the altar to see who would say their vows first, the entire moment was truly captivating.
Chapter 3: The Portraits
Having understood throughout the entire day how incredibly important family was to both Erin and Evan, this was a moment I truly wanted them to have without any rush.
Right after the ceremony, we slipped away, with the rest of their family following close behind. They signed their marriage license paperwork, but were also immediately greeted with so much warmth by family and friends. This was the first part of the day where I learned about a fun tradition they have: from what I could gather, if someone approaches you with a Smirnoff, you have to chug the whole thing! Evan was the first to get initiated, and I think he even made a tornado in the bottle. I know this moment might not have been about formal portraits, but it perfectly represented the genuine fun and care in their family.
Chapter 4: The Reception
As we approached the end of the night, I managed to sneak away from Erin and Evan for a few moments. No, I wasn't sneaking away to grab cake – that came later! But throughout the entire day, I was truly falling in love with the parents. I approached each couple and insisted on taking a portrait of them. Of course, I made sure all the shots we'd planned for Erin and Evan were already taken, so I wasn't neglecting the couple at all. I just really wanted to highlight each of the parents because I could feel just how well they were all connecting. It was in that moment that I could visually see how the love they had been handed down from their parents was the very same love Erin and Evan were now sharing with each other.
If I could describe this entire day in just a few words, they would be magical, animated, and loving. The more I got to know every family member and guest, the more I could feel a common thread of love being shared among everyone. Congratulations, Erin & Evan!
