“The first day I met you, I knew we would be standing here today … You are so easy to love … My goal is to make you laugh at least 10 to 13 times per day. I will be thoughtful and listen to you. I will support any dreams you have, even if I have to make sacrifices to help you achieve them. I will stand behind you no matter what happens. If we run into trouble, I won’t push away, but rather hold onto you even tighter. All I can give you, is forever yours to keep. I love you today, tomorrow and forever. These promises are more important to me than anything else in the world — I won’t ever let you down.”
There’s something about these two. Something magical, something eternal. Her beautiful smile and laid back attitude — the way her face lights up when their eyes meet. It’s his heartfelt laugh and tear-filled eyes as he reads his personally written vows … his self-proclaimed “dorky” sense of humor — his jokes that are “so bad they’re good.”
As I said goodbye to Erin at the end of their big day, I asked her if they could get married every weekend. (Hey, it’s worth a shot.)
***
Early last spring, I sat down in a restaurant and waited for our wedding consultation to begin. I looked out the window and saw two people crossing the street. They were all smiles, laughing with each other as they walked hand in hand. “This has to be them,” I hoped. John led Erin through the door, protecting not only her, but also the precious baby they soon would welcome into their world. Within minutes of meeting, a sense of comfort filled the room. After chatting about the plans they had for their big day, we got to talking about her pregnancy. I then told them my husband and I were also expecting a baby at the end of the year. John’s face lit up, we exchanged congratulations, and Erin reassured me the pregnancy would turn out beautifully. A year or so later, we sent a few emails back and forth about our beautiful baby girls. 🙂
Something tells me these two have a comforting effect on anyone who’s fortunate enough to cross their paths. When I see the way John looks at his baby girl, Ava, I see the same love I know my husband has for our little Gracey. When I catch a glance of Ava’s expressions as her mommy holds her close, I feel my own little girl in my arms. But when I listen to the words these two use to express their feelings toward each other, I realize the greatest gift they’ll ever give little Ava is the love they share for each other.
Erin and John’s ceremony, photos and reception all took place at the ever-so-gorgeous Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan. It was a dream to spend such a beautiful day right on the water — everything a photographer could ever ask for was just a few steps away: A great getting-ready room with tons of natural daylight coming in through the windows, a perfect outdoor ceremony site right on the beach, wooden plank walkways, tall grasses, gorgeous rocks to climb, and of course the perfect sand down by the water. That said, it wasn’t just the venue to thank for the beauty of this wedding — Erin and John planned every last detail in coordination with their organic, natural beach theme. It truly felt as though I was shooting a destination wedding.
Ava’s dress was made from Erin’s mother’s wedding dress. Siiiiiigh, so beautiful, so meaningful. And yes, that’s a baby corset back … LOVE.
I couldn’t get enough of this bouquet. Burlap wrapped around the base — such a pretty idea.
The moment she saw him, her face literally glowed.
A special thanks goes out to the hard-working, talented pair at Jonathon Link Studios — Jonathon and Kristin are an incredibly creative videographer team. I enjoyed sharing the day with them as well!
Erin and John could have been laughing at us in the photos below — who knows, I’ll take it. 🙂 This type of laughter is genuine of their personalities. It’s how I’ll remember this pair …
While we were shooting photos on the beach, Erin and John’s guests were enjoying some ice cream at the local parlor just across the street.
There’s nothing better than documenting the union of two people who are so obviously destined to be together. Thank you, Erin and John, for choosing me to capture your special day. Words can’t express how much I enjoyed my time spent getting to know the three of you. 🙂 Congratulations once again — I wish you all the love and happiness this wonderful world has to offer.
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