I talk about being a wedding photographer for joyful people and I couldn’t find a better adjective to describe Candice and Alex! On May 6, in an intimate ceremony with their closest family and friends, Candice and Alex renewed their vows to each other in one of the most heartfelt ceremonies I’ve ever witnessed. These two live on the west coast and actually eloped last year, but knew they wanted to come back to Ohio and celebrate. So this was such a fun celebration to be part of! When I walked into the Lodge at Allardale Park, I gasped at the all the details. They were absolutely stunning! (You’ll see what I mean below.)

When Candice arrived at the venue to get ready for the first look, I could tell how excited she was to see Alex. I had never met Alex before, but as soon as I saw the two of them together, I could see just how perfect these two are for each other. After the sweetest first look, Candice said to Alex: “Are you ready to go take some pictures?” And he replied in the most sincere tone, “I’m ready to go take a thousand pictures with you.” YOU GUYS- I about died right there. It was literally one of the sweetest moments I’ve ever witnessed and he truly meant it. We immediately went into their portraits and my only regret is that I didn’t have several hours to spend with just the two of them- because let me tell you, I could have photographed them for days. They also had the best bridal party and we had a great time walking around the park to take photos.

Then it was time for the ceremony, but not before an emotional first look between Candice and her dad. The two of them also danced down the aisle and it made me so happy! I also want to point out how excited Alex was to see his bride coming down the aisle, even with a first look. I tell so many of my clients that just because you do a first look, it does not mean that the moment you see each other walking down the aisle isn’t special. I truly believe it’s even more special because you’ve already seen each other and had time to love on each other and

Another highlight from their wedding was the mobile bar. Yes, you read that right! Sweet Water Caravan  was parked right outside the venue and served guests moscow mules (Candice and Alex’s favorite drink) and homemade beer that Candice’s dad made for the big day from their vintage camper. Such a fun treat!

The rain held off most of the day, but right after dinner, I noticed it was started to look dark outside. I ran up to Candice and Alex and asked if we could head outside for sunset photos early because I was nervous we were going to get rained out. Let me tell you, I am so glad I trusted my gut with this one. We were able to take so many incredible photos (some of my favorites from the day) in about 10 minutes. And right as we walked back to the lodge, it started pouring. After that, the guests hit the dance floor to the live music of The Honey Badgers. This folk duo from Delaware knew Alex from his hometown and came in to sing at the reception. I didn’t want them to stop singing because they were absolutely incredible! Candice and Alex even jumped  up to the microphones and sang a few songs with them. It was seriously so much fun!

Candice & Alex- thank you both so much for inviting me to share in the joy of your wedding day! I’m so happy for you guys and wish you both all the happiness in the world! Remember that when you travel back to Ohio, I’ll always be down to take a thousand more photos of you both! xoxo