I remember when I met these two in a little coffee shop in Northside, that I felt like I just had to photograph their wedding. They were some of the sweetest people and I knew their wedding was going to be a combination of amazing people, love and some serious style. I was not wrong. But they blew my expectation out of the water. Mostly with the sweet love that they had for each other and for family and friends. There were so many beautiful details and the style of the decor and the overall feel of the day was perfect, but even all that beauty was overshadowed by their love. I adored watching the way they looked and smiled at one another, the way they threw their heads back when they laughed. Weddings will always be about that for me. The love – that’s what ties it all together.
“I had bought a V-shaped pin to wear in my hair. It wasn’t anything expensive or special, but I love triangular shapes. My (very talented) hair and makeup artist had tried to put it in but it weighed my hair down so we decided to leave it out. After my (very talented) hairstylist left, my bridesmaids Megan Fett and Erica Crum, who are also hair stylists, could tell I still wanted that V-shaped pin in my hair.
They sat me down, teased my hair, sprayed it and worked the pin in, and it looked awesome. It was less about the pin and more about these 2 women I’ve known for decades doing something so personal and kind for me. It made me feel like we were the same people we were when we met. I cried a little.” – Katie
“What is something from your wedding day that you never want to forget? The comfort and confidence I felt that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.” – Josh
“I stared at Josh’s eyes for a real long time while we were at the altar. Everyone tells you the day ends up being a blur, but I kept telling myself to remember what he looked like, to remember how blue his eyes were and to remember the feeling of being there with him.”
“My other favorite moment was at the altar. Stephen Penrose was our officiant and he was doing awesome, but Josh and I totally weren’t listening. We were giggling and whispering. It wasn’t that we were uncomfortable, it just felt so obvious that we were getting married and we loved it each.” – Katie
“A moment that stands – being at the alter and having our own private moment while the pastor was talking. We were surrounded by people, but if felt like we were the only two in the room.” – Josh
“My final favorite moment was my Dad’s speech. He’s a sensitive guy who tears up on occasion but I’ve never seen him visibly choke up over me. It made me feel loved in a way I hadn’t expected. And the way he described Josh made it clear that he sees deeply into people.” – Katie
“Were there any laugh-out-loud moments on your wedding:
The cake smashing. Once Josh jammed the cake in my face, we all knew I was going to go 2x as strong.” – Katie
Do you have any advice for other couples when planning a wedding?
“The first two months of wedding planning I was a wreck. I’m opinionated on design and aesthetics so I felt a lot of pressure to pick the right thing; have the right vision for how the wedding would; avoid offending anyone; pick out the right hairstyle; etc. By the wedding day, I did not care a lick about any of that. I felt pretty in my dress and I knew I was confident in my decision to marry Josh.
I would tell other couples (especially brides) to just do your best. Even if you have a huge budget, how your wedding looks is not representative of you as a being. It’s an important day – for sure – but the aesthetics are not what make things important. Imagine that it’s a nice party for friends and family – not the most perfect party in existence.
I’d also recommend asking people for help, but know when other people are making you spin out of control with their opinions. At the end of the day, it’s the bride and groom’s decision. Don’t forget that this is your partner’s big day, too. They get a say.” – Katie
“Try and relax. You chose to do this and it is supposed to be a good thing. Don’t let stress or pressure ruin what should be one of the best days of your lives. You get to have a party with all of your friends and family while simultaneously dedicating yourself to your partner for a life time. How cool is that?” – Josh