When I first arrived at the Berry Hill Resort, and found Kristen getting ready…in the first few moments of discussing the day, she said “I have to decide what dress to wear!” Wait, what?!!! In my mind, I was like “girl, you’ve got 2 hours until your ceremony starts, I hope you make your choice fast!” I didn’t say that of course, I just smiled and asked to see the dress options… When I walked into the room that held the two choices, my heart stopped at the sight of Kristen’s first choice in wedding gowns. It was unlike any other wedding dress that I have seen, a perfect swirl of ivory fabric, just begging to be worn by someone as fabulous as Kristen. I couldn’t stop staring at that dress! Her second option was elegant, simple, and more importantly, easy to walk and dance in (little did I know what dancing they had in store for the reception!). I of course had fallen in love with the Vera Wang swirl dress…but Kristen was going to gather her attendants at 5, and make the decision. In the meantime, I ran around the resort, found the guys playing pool, getting their bow ties just perfect, and had heart stopping moments over the drizzle of rain outside. Rain hasn’t stopped anyone from getting married yet, has it?!! A very kind friend of the groom made the hour and a half roundtrip, drive to a store to gather as many umbrellas that he could find, saved the day!
Moments before Kristen was to walk down the aisle, the vote was taken for which dress she should wear. I think everyone in the room gasped when she twirled around in her “swirl” dress. It was perfection. So it was decided that she would wear it for the ceremony and pictures, and for the sake of all the wild and crazy dancing to come, she would change for the reception. Genius!
The skies cleared just before the ceremony, after a riveting processional, and Kristen’s dad gave her away to Zach, the rain started. Just a slow steady drizzle…but everyone had umbrellas (including me! Jamie followed me around holding a massive umbrella…I hope no one noticed ;) so the ceremony went on.
It was a beautiful ceremony with Sawyer (Kristen and Zach’s beloved lab) getting in on the action as the ring bearer. It was so cute! He handled it with much less fuss than I have ever seen from a ring bearer ;)
After the ceremony, we began our race against the fading light. Even though the sun was not shining, and it was still a little drizzly out…Kristen and Zach’s pictures together are some of my very favorites from a wedding. They have so much fun together and they just make each other happy. It was sweet to watch.
We were on to the reception after we had squeezed every last picture out of the available light we had (I could photograph these two for hours!) and what a reception it was. Choreographed dances by Kristen and her Step-Dad, the bridal party, Kristen and Zach…during which, Zach was launched 8 feet in the air by his groomsmen. Let’s get the party started!!!! I have so many fun dancing pictures, I think that they need a wedding album solely of dancing!
Enough of my rambling and on to the pictures! Kristen and Zach – you two are fabulous. I have loved working with you. I hope that you enjoy every moment of your warm and sunny honeymoon!
Cheers!
I must give a shout out to Kristen’s mom… She masterfully created the gorgeous bridal bouquet, and the bridesmaids bouquets as well as the rest of the flowers for the wedding and reception. I was in awe of her talent! She just ordered the flowers up online, had them delivered to the resort and worked on them the day of the wedding. She is amazing!!!!
