Thomas + Sydney {Wedding: Part 2}
Shortly before the ceremony a storm rolled through to the south, creating a stunning backdrop for the detail pictures of the ceremony location. As an added bonus, the storm helped to cool things down a little bit, always pleasant on a hot day!
The ceremony was lovely, attended by close friends and family.
The lake made a stunning background.
Instead of a sand ceremony, unity candle, or anything of that sort; Thomas and Sydney watered a tree they will be planting in the yard of their home. I LOVE IT! I'm a tree person anyway, but this is such a beautiful way to commemorate your wedding. Not only will they have a beautiful tree, they will be able to watch it grow through the years, as their love for each other grows along with it. Perfection!
After the ceremony, we walked down to the beach for a few portraits with the bridal party. Then we sent them off to join in cocktail hour and enjoyed some time photographing Thomas and Sydney.
The late afternoon light through the trees was gorgeous!
When we finished with portraits by the water, the bridal party was announced into the reception.
Thomas' best man and best friend, gave a beautiful toast to the couple, as well as Sydney's maid of honor and sister. The speeches were heartfelt and truly spoke to the love Thomas and Sydney have for each other, their beautiful characters, and the love felt by their friends and family for them.
I love Sydney's gown. The tulle and lace are simply gorgeous! It was quite an adventure for her to find. Here's the story behind her dress:
"I found ‘my first dress’ right away in Cedar Falls a year before our wedding, on a Saturday. The bridal shop would order the following Monday. But the Sunday after finding the dress, I realized I was being too hasty and wasn’t sure anyone if it was the one. The bridal shop was very understanding and canceled my order. Two months later, my mom, middle sister, Brooke, and I go dress shopping a few places and I end up finding ‘the dress’. Several months go by, and one day while my dad and I are on our way home from a funeral in Indiana, my mom calls me. She informed me that Bridal Cottage, where my dress was at, had caught fire and burnt down. My dress was inside. So, Bridal Dreams in Oskaloosa helped me find my third wedding dress. Honestly, this one was by far my favorite and all that had happened was a blessing in disguise. It fit my body perfectly and was exactly what I was looking for."
Shortly before we left for the evening, we asked Thomas and Sydney to sneak out of the dance for a few minutes, as the evening sun through the trees was perfection. Love, love, love their portraits! Beautiful moments with this beautiful couple!
Thomas and Sydney offered some great advice to couples planning their wedding day, "Don’t sweat the small stuff. Everyone says that, but it’s true. When you are walking down the isle, kissing your spouse, or dancing with your husband/wife/mom/dad, you won’t think about if your gossamer is exactly symmetrical to each other in the rafters or if you made enough wedding programs for everyone. What you will remember is the feeling you got when you walked down the isle toward your husband, how your dad almost cried while dancing with you, all the fun you had with your long time friends, and the relief of peeling off your heels and wedding clothes and throwing on your favorite comfy clothes."
Congrats to Thomas and Syndey! Thank you again for allowing us to capture your gorgeous day! It was a joy!
VENDORS:
Ceremony/Reception Venue
Lake Keomah State Park
Oskaloosa, Iowa
DJ/Band
Soundstations DJ
Hair
Signatures Salon
Dress
Bridal Dreams
www.facebook.com/Bridal-Dreams
Men's Attire
Reuman's Clothing
Bridesmaids Dresses
Morilee
Florist
Crouse’s House of Flowers
Invitations/Stationery
Minted
Cake Design/Bakery
Stephanie Graham’s Cakes and More
www.facebook.com/stephanie.graham.cakes
Caterer
William Penn University Sodexo
www.wmpenn.edu/department/sodexo/
Second Shooter
Tim Flynn
Are you planning a wedding and looking for timeless, authentic photos? Contact us here to see if we are available for your wedding day. 2019 dates are filling quickly!
