I never cry when I'm photographing a wedding, but during Lauren and John's first look, for the first time, I came close. Their unrestricted admiration for each other shone through as John kept saying "I am the luckiest man in the world", just loud enough for Lauren to hear. It was especially refreshing to work with these two because of their relaxed attitude, and their grounded nature. They truly celebrated their love for one another which was reinforced by the full hearts of family and friends.
Lauren and John shared the bond of friendship for a few years. They had an exceptional first date that lasted 3 days due to the historic snowstorm of 2010. When it came to the proposal, John had planned three separate romantic trips, intending to pop the question, but was delayed by the antique ring's late delivery. In the end, John planned out an evening at home. The two of them were enjoying a bottle of wine, next to the fire pit, with Van Morrison on the stereo. Then, in Lauren's words, "Into the Mystic ( my all time FAVORITE song) came on and the next thing I knew....John was on one knee saying a whole lot of stuff I couldn't hear because I was crying. Apparently he had to ask me twice because I didn't respond the first time."
As an interior designer, Lauren knows that, "design is in the details. Definitely making our day reflective of who we are. We're not the 'wedding factory' type and decided against a lot of expected wedding details. I had more than a few odd looks when describing our pie bar. Also, we wanted to bring our friends and family together for a night they'd never forget.....it probably won't ever happen again - having all of those people gathered in one place to celebrate and have fun. We wanted to make it count."
Lauren explained, "The venue was so pretty that I didn't have to add much but I love Dutch still Life paintings from the 1600's and wanted that vibe for my flowers. I also wanted them to be seasonal and local. Enter Ellen Frost. I showed her a few pics I found on a blog, and we recreated those centerpieces using dahlias, coxcomb, gourds, succulents and other seasonal items." "We're music junkies and that played a huge role in the day.....the table numbers, the music trivia on the backs of the menus were all meant to reinforce the importance that music plays in our lives and a big part of what originally brought us together." They also had an excellent DJ, Neal Beacon, was behind the turn tables, spinning exclusively LPs.
When I asked her what was her favorite part of the day, Lauren explained, "There were so many amazing moments! Seeing John for the first time and having a few moments to ourselves before the ceremony. Walking into the ceremony on my father's arm and seeing all of those faces there smiling and happy to celebrate the day with us. Also, the speeches! Each one was funny, heart-warming and incredibly special to us......oh, and I suppose seeing my Aunt do her Tina Turner impression on the dance floor during Proud Mary. Loved that!" Check out the extended gallery for more. Special thanks to Kristian for his help!
Vendors who helped bring this day together:
Flowers: Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers
Day of Coordination: Rachel Shaw of Plan it Perfect Weddings
Venue: Historic London Town and Gardens
DJ: Neal Becton
Caterer: Jamie Kupstas of Ken's Creative Kitchen
Dress: Watters and Watters, purchased from Betsy Robinson's
