Taylor and Clayton got married on an absolutely perfect fall day in November! The trees were still a golden yellow and glowed against the crisp blue sky. The ceremony was at the bride’s family’s church, St. Catharine’s in Bexley, with an absolutely AMAZING reception at the iconic Ohio Statehouse afterwards. For the bride and her bridesmaids, the day started at the home where she grew up in Bexley. Meanwhile the grooming his friends hung out and prepped for the big day over some drinks and laughs. It was a busy and fun morning for everyone!
Jennifer Kontomerkos of The Finer Things Event Planning was everywhere and nowhere all at the same time! Here she’s helping me get the bride’s dress ready to go. The dress was so light and flowy and I just loved the embroidery detail and the subtle blush hue underlay.
It’s champagne time for the bridesmaids – CHEERS! Meanwhile the groom and his groomsmen had a room at the always stunning Hotel Leveque in downtown Columbus. I really LOVE this place for wedding day prep as there are so many unique details and pockets of light.
Time for the big reveal! The bride and bridesmaids were all such a sweet and fun group to be around all day. These are always fun moments to capture! I especially love all the heartfelt hugs between Taylor and her family.
FUN FACT: Taylor’s sister and maid of honor, Peyton is getting married this fall and I am so excited to be photographing her special day as well!
And a sweet moment for the parents of the bride!
What a cool shot of the groomsmen in front of the Hotel Leveque from my second shooter!
So incredibly stunning!
It had been awhile since I had photographed a wedding at St. Catharine’s and I almost forgot how beautiful it was! The light was pouring through the huge windows.
So grateful when I get a little extra time in between the “big” moments to capture some candid moments of the guests.
This series of the parents and grandparents just before the ceremony begins is among some of my favorites of the day as well. I’ve long since had any grandparents of my own, but if I did I know I would cherish these images. The photos of my parents from my own wedding are some of my favorites as well.
Two of the bridesmaids were sisters of the groom. I love the expressions on all of their faces as they exchanged smiles and some happy tears.
Ok, it’s GO time! I always love the behind the scenes shot of the bride as the doors open.
This whole series of images of the groom waiting for his bride and then seeing her walk down the aisle is priceless!
I shared this image on Instagram shortly after their wedding day and it was one of my favorites from the whole day. I love the light streaming in through the huge church windows, the sweet hug between the bride and her dad, the groom wiping a happy tear, and the expressions from the groom’s parents, guests and groomsmen in the background.
Capturing the bride and groom are of course of utmost importance, but I also always do my best to also capture all of the loved ones supporting them throughout the day. It’s these genuine expressions that simply can’t be scripted and all play a huge part of the whole story.
So let’s talk about “formal” group portraits for a minute. First of all, I wholeheartedly believe in capturing candids of you and your loved ones all throughout your wedding day. I also feel very strongly about planning ahead and setting aside some time for the group portraits as well because the day just has a way of going SO FAST. Keep your list concise, (I can help with this!) but if there are any “must-have” photos that you’d like to have captured, absolutely allocate a specific time for this in your wedding day timeline! I cannot stress this enough. I promise to do my best to make this part of the day (as well as the rest of it!) as organized and efficient as possible so you can get onto enjoying the other parts of your special day!
Sidenote: As fun and amazing as wedding days can be – they can also be tiring! Sometimes you just need to take a load off and pop a squat! I just thought this was so cute, ha!
Cheers! So it’s into the limo and off to the Ohio Statehouse to get this party started!
There is definitely something iconic and classic about those giant stone pillars and steps at the Ohio Statehouse. It was November so the sun was beginning to set and the lights on the building came on and added a little glow.
In love with this bridal bouquet from Dalay Ket. Timeless and elegant with a modern vibe. That’s my jam!
This wedding was heading into the second week of November and I felt so thankful that we still had some beautiful warm color on the trees!
This is the Rotunda space at the Ohio Statehouse where they hosted the cocktail hour. I LOVE this space! It is very popular for ceremonies as well.
Wowzas! This space was spectacular – not a detail overlooked.
I really enjoyed creating some more intimate portraits during these last few quiet moments before making their grand entrance into their epic party to celebrate with all of their families and friends!
This photo really makes me smile! It really captures their personalities and the fun-loving and high energy vibe of the whole day.
I’m pretty sure this crew is ready to par-tay!
Their parents all shared in a moment together of welcoming the guests and expressing kind words for their children. I love this so much! What a special and fun image of their parents together. I definitely value classic posed family group portraits, but these candid shots are truly such gems in my opinion!
And the beautiful maid of honor Peyton! I feel SO lucky that I get to photograph her wedding this year as well. I cannot wait!
This first dance was serious #couplegoals! There were just so much fun to watch it was hard not to smile through the whole thing. These two really radiate joy!
Next up, the parent dances! And could this father-daughter dance possibly be any more fun? I don’t think so!
Now on to the dance party! I have to say, fewer bands do it better than the Conspiracy Band! I have had the pleasure of seeing them perform countless times over the years and they truly are one of the best! Their energy is unmatched and they are just a talented and fun group of entertainers.
The groom’s sisters take the stage to share a song for the newlyweds!
I mean – come on! Look at that dance floor! This sure was one heck of a party.
Thank you again to Taylor and Clayton for trusting with capturing the memories from your special day! I can’t wait to see you all again next year at the Columbus Zoo for the next wedding!
Planning and Design: Jennifer Kontomerkos, The Finer Things Event Planning
www.thefinerthingseventplanning.com
Flowers: Dalay Ket Event Design
www.dalayket.com
Ceremony: St. Catharine Catholic Church, Bexley
www.stcatharine.com
Reception Venue: The Ohio Statehouse
http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/events/weddings
Videography: Prodigy Weddings
http://www.prodigyweddings.com
Bridal Gown: La Jeune Mariée
http://www.lajeunemariee.com
Makeup: Kerry Smith, Full Face Artistry
http://www.fullfaceartistry.com
Cake: Bella Luna Cakes and Confections
Invitations and Paper Details: The Paper Vow
www.thepapervow.com
Reception Music: The Conspiracy Band
www.suttonentertainment.net