May the wind be at your back. …and in your face and up your nose and through your hair and…well, you get it. The day was windy, to say the least. When I arrived at the scenic Barn at Kline’s Mill, to the view of rolling hills and 360˚ blue skies all around me, the breeze grabbed a hold of me and nearly gave me whiplash – jolted me right into photo mode quicker than my morning coffee. Good thing, too, because I was in for a photographic treat of a wedding!
This wedding marks a record for me. It was just held on November 2…which means I cranked this sucker out in a whopping two weeks! That never happens…but I couldn’t help it really. The joy of the day was so contagious it followed me home. Plugging in my camera was like opening a really awesome gift. Catie and Daniel hosted their wedding like it was their job and everything was hand touched and personalized. From the homemade wedding arch to the table settings to the wedding dress worn by Catie’s mother and grandmother to the veil that has been worn by every female in Catie’s family to the superhero undershirts worn by the groom and his men. And from the white daisies in empty chairs representing the absence of beloved family members to the superman pin on Catie’s bouquet to memorialize her father to the soil ceremony combining soil from Catie’s hometown (Sterling, VA)/Daniel’s hometown (Blacksburg, VA)/and the town they met and married (Harrisonburg VA). The ceremony included communion served to guests by the almost-bride-&-groom and the wedding cake itself was made by Catie’s aunt! And if that’s not personal enough for you, even the meal was catered by their local favorites such as Mr. J’s Bagel and Deli and Italian Touch which also happened to be the spot of their first date. AND they had a Kline’s Dairy ice cream station with singing and dancing dippers! Their family and friends relaxed and mingled in place of the usual pre-wedding hustle bustle almost as if they were hired to show up and look happy and help out. Talk about a good group of people to be around…I was in the right place. It was great fun to watch this day unfold through my lens and I’m excited to share these images with you.
Category Archives: Weddings
Parks Wedding
I first met Kara and Chris when I was photographing Cassie and David’s wedding. They were this sweet couple at a guest table that asked me for my business card. Fast forward a couple months and we’re sweating our bums off in the middle of a Linville cow field in the June sun. You won’t pick up on the heavy humidity or feel the body heat radiating under layers of wedding attire or even notice the sweat beads gathering around their foreheads. In fact, they may not have even noticed. I’m convinced Kara and Chris felt no discomfort at all during that day. They were just two happy young lovers in love. The kind of love that beams brighter than the June sun? Absolutely. I am so happy I was involved in this local wedding. Cheers to many more beaming years!
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Zweigler Wedding
This certainly didn’t feel like a photography job. I attended this wedding because my good friend, Lisa, was marrying her love, Jim. It was a small, intimate wedding in Lisa’s backyard barn, complete with the classiest chandelier I’ve seen in a barn to date. A wedding that required guests to shoot tequila before the ceremony began and when it ended. A wedding that left me relying on auto-focus with hopes to still capture clear images through tears of joy. Cheers to good friends and good times on sunny days. More please.
Below is a small collection of photos the bride asked me to share:
“I love you the mostest”
Lisa’s hands with her daughter and daughter-in-law.
Gordon Wedding
When I sat down to talk about the wedding photography with Cassie, the bride, she said “I love black and white. I want all the photos to be black and white.” You got it! Cassie and Dave are the owners of Union Station in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and where better to have your wedding and reception than in your very own restaurant?! Cassie was simply stunning with her classic selections and Dave kept the party going to the beat of Girls Guns and Glory! Cheers to one fun couple!
Benjamin-Oglesby Wedding
The beauty of this day truly caught me off guard. I dropped my kids off with their grandpa and hopped on the interstate to Lauren and JoAnn’s wedding. It was a nice day. *for once* I mapped my way to Lauren’s mother’s farm where I found family and friends scurrying around to make sure all the details were in place. I blended into the background for bit to take some photos of the simple and elegant details. Everything fell into place just in time for the ceremony as everyone gathered in the front yard to partake in the front porch union. There was an energy in the air that I hadn’t experienced at a wedding until this day. The birds and the wind and leaves were all on cue. It was a moment I feel so blessed to have shared with the guests that day and it couldn’t have been more reassuring that something spectacular was happening right before my lens.
Flaugh Wedding
This whole bad weather thing is a trend for me. I think storm clouds follow me around. This time, they followed me all the way to Millersburg, Indiana. I was prepared to be cold, I mean – we’re talking about Indiana here. But I was not prepared to be held captive on the second floor of a rickety ol’ barn in the middle of a map-dot for 45 mintues by gail force winds and golf ball sized hail. (I’ve been known to exaggerate.) *Auntie Em! Auntie Em!* I won’t lie, I said a prayer or two. Carrie and Brent were like my flight attendants. You know – when you hit crazy turbulence and you immediately look at the flight attendant’s face? If they’re good-I’m good. If they’re panicking we’re all doomed!! They just smiled and made funny faces and I documented it all with my camera while having an internal meltdown. The storm passed and the sun eventually came out just in time to set. Oh, Indiana. Carrie and Brent’s day couldn’t have been more memorable and I am so happy I was there to be a part of their celebration.
Leary Reception
If you’ve ever met Brian & Reshella, you probably know that there is no better woman to handle all that is Brian than Rashella. They play off of each other so well and it is a joy to be in their presence. They tied the knot over the summer, somewhere in paradise, and had their reception at Packsaddle Ridge Golf Club. We zipped around the course on two wheels of a golf cart, laughing and snapping photos.
Smith Wedding
Donnie and April were getting married rain or shine…or tornado. Yeah, that’s right. On the way to CrossKeys Vineyard that day, there was a dark cloud lurking. I turned on my radio to hear the forecast just in time for that loud WAAMP WAAMP WAAMP followed by a tornado warning for Keezeltown. Didn’t phase April. She was still smiling. It dumped buckets for about 30 minutes and the sun popped out. Men in tuxedos scurrying around, drying off chairs with paper towels was quite a sight to see. Luckily, the rest of the wedding was smooth sailing and the night ended with lots of smiles and lots of dancing.
Miller Wedding
I have photographed Rachel and Daniel’s family in the past and they are so much fun to be around. They’ve made me feel like an adopted member…which I am totally cool with. At one point during the wedding a family member made me put my camera down, fill a plate with food and down a beer. True story. This was a down home, intimate wedding that I am so happy I was a part of .
King Wedding
Holly is my friend and coworker so when she told me she was getting married I was so happy for her! I’ve passed by the United Methodist Church in Luray, Va so.many.times and when I found out it was the location of her wedding, I was excited to take a peek inside. Take a look at a wedding that was…fit for a King.
…a contractor & a teacher…
Brandy Somers Photography 