Eyes were scanning the radar all morning to see if the rain would quickly pass over for Jordyn & Micah’s wedding day. Even though we had a decent amount of rain, they stuck with it and were able to make their outdoor ceremony work. They sneaked in the ceremony during a very short break in the clouds and as soon as the ceremony finished, it started pouring again. It was crazy to see how perfect their timing was! I am so happy they were still able to have the outdoor ceremony they dreamed of, and like Jordyn mentioned in her vows, they weathered the storm together. I thought this was beautiful and clearly shows how strong of a couple they are. We even had a double rainbow at the end of the evening with stunningly colorful skies, so you could say that it was worth it!
Rachel & Charles Wedding at Jogensen Farms
What a perfect fall day we had celebrating Rachel & Charles at one of my favorite Columbus venues, Jorgensen Farms. This place is truly incredible in the fall and let me tell you, Rachel absolutely perfected the fall details. Everything from the red florals, lace sleeved dress, to the beer truck, were all of my favorite touches to this fall wedding. I had the pleasure of growing up with Rachel and was so excited when she asked me to photograph her wedding day! It is amazing seeing old friends and I feel so honored when I’m chosen to capture their special day. These two were making me tear up the entire day and I can’t wait to share some of my favorite photos with them!
The amazing vendors…
Venue: Jorgensen Farms
Flowers: Hilliard Floral Design
Catering: The Berwick
Beer: The Daily Growler beer truck
Dessert: Nothing Bundt Cakes and Buckeye Donuts
Band: The Martini Affair
Second Photographer: Chelsea DeRoche
Natalie & Jason Jorgensen Farms Oak Grove Wedding
We could not have asked for a more beautiful spring day to have an outdoor greenhouse wedding at one of my favorite Ohio venues, Jorgensen Farms- Oak Grove. The sun was shinning and we had a perfect sunset in the evening behind the gorgeous tree line. Even though there were stunning views and every detail was literally perfect, my favorite part was seeing how happy these two were together. You could just see the pure happiness in their eyes when they first saw each other. After a beautiful ceremony and some fun photos in the field, Natalie & Jason had a little surprise for their guests. They were intorudced into the reception by the OSU band! After a few songs by the band and a wonderful dinner, we partied all night long until it was time to send them off with some sparklers!
I am so grateful to have a part in their big day and can’t wait to share many more photos with them!
Below are some of the vendors who helped make this beautiful day happen!
Venue: Jorgensen Farms Oak Grove
Florals: Bear Roots Floral
Dress: White of Dublin
Suit: Studio Suits
Hair: Haley Garber
Makeup: Rachel Hodnett
Cake: Capital city
Rings: Jared
DJ: Party Pleasers
Videographer: Mark Batke
Reasons why to do a first look on your wedding day
Just another person over here trying to convince you to do a first look at your wedding. First off, I want to share that I never want to pressure my couples into choosing this option. I believe this is completely your decision and you and your fiancé should decide this together. For me, I am obviously biased because I’m a photographer, and I know a first look allows for more photos opportunities. I love photo opportunities, but I also know not all of my couples will choose this option, and that completely is OKAY! I just want to share some of the main reasons why I do love them so much.
To my surprise, it is usually the groom who is not interested in doing a first look for their wedding. I thought about this for a little bit and then came to the realization, DUH, because of the pressure we put on them to have this huge reaction when they first seen their bride. Not all men will cry when they first see their fiancé in her white dress. If it is not their personality to cry, then that is completely fine and this should be understood. But in reality, grooms will have LESS pressure to have a big reaction for their first look than during the actual wedding ceremony, because the entire wedding guest list will not be there watching. It is a shared moment between you two and just you two alone. If you think about it, you really don’t have much alone time with your spouse on the day of your wedding. Sharing this moment together can be so special and a time for you guys to really soak it in together. Everything is flying by at this point and there is no better place to be than to slow it down in the arms of the one you love most.
Another huge reason why I love when my couples choose to do a first look is because of the timeline of the wedding day. When there is a first look scheduled before the ceremony, this allows for more time for portraits and for photos with the full bridal party. If this important to you, then you might want to really consider doing a first look. Typically when there is no first look, the bridal party is split and one photographer will do photos of the bridesmaids while the other photographer will do photos of the groomsman. In this case, the only time to do the full bridal party photos is after the ceremony. Usually, there is not much of a gap between the end of the ceremony and the start of the reception. If there is no first look that means we have to do family photos, full bridal party photos, and all of your portraits during this short time. By this point you may be completely checked out and just want to get the party started with your friends and family. This is why taking portraits before the ceremony always seems to be way less stressful for everyone.
There is also more of a middle of the road option where couples choose to have a first moment rather than a first look. This can be holding hands on either side of a door, a corner of a building, or even a tree. I have had couples pray together during this moment, read each others letters, and just share this special quiet time together before the ceremony.
There are definitely couples who still wish to take the more traditional route and I am COMPLETELY fine with this! I still love a good mix of wedding day experiences and I love when couples are passionate about their choice. These are just a few of my top reasons to organize a first look based upon my time as a wedding photographer.
