Lauren & Mark 's Wedding at the Darby House

Even though we had a hot summer day for a wedding, we could not have asked for a more gorgeous outdoor ceremony at the Darby House. Surrounded by some beautiful greenery and nearby river, the shaded ceremony was perfect for this time of the year. I saw the engagement photos I took for Lauren and Mark throughout their home, where Lauren got ready, and printed for some of the details to the entrance of the Darby House. It is so much fun to see how my clients use these photos and it makes me so happy to see them hanging in their homes.

There was not a dry eye at the ceremony after Lauren and Mark exchanged their written vows to each other, (myself and my assistants included). I just love when couples share hand written vows and they had some of the best I’ve heard in all of my years photographing weddings. This day was so special and you can just see it in their eyes and smiles how happy they are with each other. I was so honored to be a part of their special day and I can’t wait to share these!

Some of the amazing vendors that helped put this beautiful day together!

Venue: The Darby House

Dress: B Loved Bridal

Hair & Makeup: LaPrima Beauty

Cake: Alice’s Piece of Cake

Florals: Hilliard Floral Design

Second Photographer: Jennifer Post

Emily & Ian Wedding

It was a gorgeous drive through the backroads on our way to Century Farms. My second photographer, Jen, and I were finding all of these beautiful landscapes to take photos of as we were driving into the town of Carrollton. After spending the majority of the morning staring at the weather radar, I was excited that Emily took the chance and decided on having an outdoor ceremony. Although it was a hot one, you would never know it with how beautiful everyone looked! We had gorgeous weather throughout the day and as soon as we were done with photos it decided to pour. Talk about perfect timing! This was my first time at Century Farms and I loved the traditional red barn feel along with the tall beautiful wooden doors. We had some amazing fields in the back for photos and just wait until you see the tree swing! Below are some of the amazing vendors that helped put this day together!

Venue: Century Farms

Flowers: Bouquet Studio

Dress and tuxes: Lavender Bridal

DJ: Ohio DJ Pros, Ryan Layman,

Hair: Rig and Co. Studio & Spa

Makeup: Make Me Blush Makeup & Beauty Lounge

Invitations: Shutterfly

String Duo: Chamber Light Players

Cake & Cupcake Bakers: Sugarfuse!

Cookies: Sweets by Mags & Family

Second Photographer: Jennifer Post

Exceptional Wedding Series III

I decided to start a new blog series this year showing some of my favorite things from each of the weddings I photograph. Since I love to focus on creating a unique wedding experience for each of my couples and pride myself on sharing their personalities in my photos, this blog series has been a great way for me to showcase these unique details. I am sharing something specific that stood out to me from each wedding which I thought was special to the couple.

Addison & Michaela had an absolutely beautiful ceremony at a new venue I’ve never been to before. I loved every little detail from their wedding day, but what stood out to me the most was the gorgeous wooden cross they used at their alter for the ceremony. So, I asked Michaela a few questions about the cross below.

What made you decide to use this cross at your wedding?

For Addison and I both, our faith is the most important thing to us. And so we wanted our wedding to be a reflection of the love we have for each other, but also the love and relationship we live out each day with Christ. We did not want to be pushy, but we did want to show how passionate our love is for one another and for God. So in that, we didn't feel a need for a ceremony in a church, but just made intentional decisions about our ceremony. Addison's Dad is a pastor, and was the officiant, and really helped craft a ceremony that helped get our message across. However, as visual people we knew symbols were also sentimental to us and others. I have always seen pictures and loved a wood cross at outdoor ceremonies. We knew that we just wanted it to have simple decorations so it would be noticed, but not overshadowed - which Gina Lynne did an amazing job executing. The cross was meant to be the focus and at the center of the "altar" up front. The cross is where the ultimate act of love was shown, where Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we could live. For us, there is no greater symbol of love than the cross.

Who made the cross?

Addison's Dad is a pastor and also was the officiant of our wedding. So the cross came from their church that they built for their use and also let us use it for the wedding.

Any other notes about the cross you would like to share?

Addison and I love each other so so much and feel so blessed to be in each other's lives. Our love is so great, but we know it is possible because of God's love. Our marriage is bigger than us and that day was a celebration of us, yes. But ultimately a celebration of the love God endlessly gives to each one of us and that is the kind of love we hope our marriage is a reflection of the love that God gives to everyone.

Michaela & Addison Wedding at Crimson Lane

Michaela & Addison had an absolutely beautiful day for an outdoor wedding. Although it was windy, we had a perfectly overcast sky and gorgeous greenery everywhere! If you are still looking for a new wedding venue near Columbus, Ohio, I have one for you! Crimson Lane is STUNNING and there are so many photo opportunities right there on site! With some water in the backdrop, greenery, and a naturally lit white indoor reception area, this place is all you can ask for.

These two were so stinking cute throughout the entire day, and trust me when I say you will want to scroll down to see Addison’s reaction to Michaela walking down the aisle. His reaction was priceless and may have caused some tears in my eyes. Not to be overlooked is Michaela’s first look with her Dad. This too was pulling at my heart strings as did many other moments from their day. Although it was too cloudy for a sunset, we went outside with the string lights and took some more portraits. I had these two dance together under the lights and finally have some alone time on their wedding day to take everything in. I was so honored to capture these moments for them and loved to see another Lindsey Zitzke Photography couple in the bridal party too!

Below are some of the vendors that help made this day come together!

Venue: Crimson Lane

Makeup and bride's hair: Shannan Rebold

Hair (bridesmaids and MOB): Heather Wolfe

Flowers: Gina Lynne design

Dress: Twirl

Earring: Dillards

Suits: Haggar

Styling Surface: Elysian Market

Exceptional Wedding Series II

If you remember back to my first 2019 wedding in February, I decided to start this exceptional wedding series. Since I love to focus on creating a unique wedding experience for each of my couples and pride myself on sharing their personalities in my photos, this blog series has been a great way for me to showcase these unique details. I am sharing something specific that stood out to me from each wedding which I thought was special to the couple.

Natalie & Jason had a beautiful day filled with a lot of unique details including a wood burned letter box, the OSU band introducing them into the reception, and my favorite… sharing a last dance together. Many couples have a last song where all of the guests come together and sing their hearts out to end the night, but these two wanted to share a last song together with just them. I thought this was amazing and loved the idea, so I asked Natalie a few questions about it.

Where did you get the idea of sharing a "last dance" together?
While consulting with our videographer Mark Batke, we asked him what kinds of ideas he had. He mentioned a last dance. The idea is to have all the guests leave the venue and leave the dance floor to the new husband and wife. He explained this as the perfect time to soak it all in and reminisce on the night. We loved the idea! 

How did you feel in that moment?
The last dance was the most memorable part of the night for us! It was such an intimate moment for us after the rush of the wedding. It was just what we needed, to take a breath, look at each other as husband and wife, and feel the love between us. It was so nice to be able to relax and be held in my husband’s arms swaying to the music, just us two. 

Would you recommend this to future couples?
Absolutely! Wedding day can be so overwhelming and it all happens so fast. While taking a minute here and there throughout the night to step back and watch as everyone enjoys themselves can be helpful, the last dance is something I think all couples should do! Believe me, it’s so worth it! And not to mention, it’s the perfect time to have the guests gather together for your sendoff. 

How to prepare for your engagement session

So you’ve never had professional photos done before and you’re kind of freaking out for your engagement session. If you’re worried about being embarrassed in public, how your fiancé will react, or just flat out afraid of being awkward in front of the camera, I’m sharing a few tips on how to prepare for your photoshoot.

Finding a location

Some things I like to suggest when choosing a location for your engagement photos is to brainstorm several places that have a significance in your relationship. Is there a favorite park you guys always go to? A brewery? Where did you first meet? Where was your first date? Do you have a cute home together? Do you both love ice cream, hiking, and your dog? I love the challenge of making strange places look beautiful, so even if you feel it’s odd, I definitely want to hear your ideas so I can help tell your story.

Finding a time

The time of your session will most likely depend on what season you are looking to have your engagement photos. I like to suggest at least booking 3-6 months before your wedding day. If you are planning on using these photos for save the dates then I would encourage these photos to be done even before then. I tend to shoot sunrise or sunset golden hour engagement sessions because the light works really well with my style of photography. Consider when the sun rises and sets for your time of the year. Please also keep in mind that many photographers are busy during the weekends, well, because they are photographing weddings of course!

Figuring out an outfit

Try not to be too matchy when it comes to your outfit choice. Find outfits that compliment each other rather than look exactly the same. Solid neutral colors tend to photograph the best in my opinion and try to be cautious with choosing something with a lot of patterns. Consider the weather when choosing your outfit and please make sure you are comfortable!

Day of preparation

Show up on time so we can make sure we get as much use of the sunlight as possible. Schedule a lot of getting ready time too so there is no stress as you’re walking out that door. You can even plan a little date night after to make the most of getting all dressed up together!

Sometimes I will suggest for you two to have a drink together beforehand to loosen up. I love capturing those silly candid photos where your TRUE selves come out, and it definitely helps after you have some liquid courage/giggles in you. I have several other techniques to help with this to make sure you both are comfortable so we can get those cute effortless moments. You do not need to be a pro at this so you can relax and let me work my magic!