This has been one fantastic week. Seriously, one of the best. On Tuesday I bought my first HOUSE… EEK! It’s so crazy to say that. I will be blogging about the whole house buying process soon, don’t you worry. I’ve been busy trying to organize a move and I should be packing right now but I just had to get this blog post up. There’s not been a single day that I haven’t edited on this wedding. I usually have a chunk of time to sit down and edit but it’s been super crazy around here the last couple of weeks and I only had an hour here and there to work. It was driving be crazy because I just can’t wait to show you these images.

I had the pleasure of working with one of the sweetest brides of all time. Nichole contacted me well over a year ago for her wedding day. I’ve never been a bride before but I’d like to think I’d be something similar to Nichole. She valued the wedding photography and wanted a lot of photos. She asked a lot of questions but nothing I wouldn’t have done myself. When you’re excited about something, you want to know all there is about it. Her enthusiasm about her wedding day wasn’t only about having great photos, she was pretty smitten with Derik and couldn’t wait to call him her HUSBAND. They chose to have their wedding at the beautiful Wedding Garden in Carbondale, IL. It’s an amazing one-location venue where you can have a sunset ceremony and then walk right over to the reception immediately following. The colors were turquoise and lavender (two of my favorites) and there wasn’t a table that didn’t have a floral arrangement on it or beautiful candles and decor. What I like most about this venue is the light and airy feel you get when you enter the reception. And for a wedding photographer who has a light and airy editing style, I was in heaven!

There were so many favorites from the day, but my favorite was at the very end of the night where Nichole asked if I could take a few photos of her and Derik outside under the pergola. As we were taking a few portraits she asked Derik, “Can you just hold me?” It was the sweetest thing. She just wanted to be loved on and Derik literally swept her off her feet. I remember walking away from that wedding thinking how lucky I was to witness true love. In a world where there is constant negativity and hatred, I’m surrounded by love. There’s nothing better than that.

Nichole’s dad was blown away when he saw her in her gown. It was a pretty special moment.

But nothing was sweeter than watching Derik lay his eyes on his bride!!!!

Nichole, you are seriously such a gorgeous bride!

You may now kiss your bride!

AHHHHH! Look at that gorgeous light!