top of the market wedding: liz and andrew

To be entirely honest, photographing weddings can be such an odd emotional endeavor. You meet people maybe a handful of times before you are retained to follow them around with a camera on one of the most intensely emotional days of their lives. You see them at their rawest: before the hair and makeup is done, while changing clothes; crying with their friends and family (mostly happy tears, but often times a few sad one too, at the memories of those who couldn’t be present); and celebrating intensely. It is why choosing a photographer you feel comfortable with, who you connect to, is so important. And most photographers I know chose this job precisely because they cherish documenting those emotions. We’re a feeling bunch. I’m not saying I necessarily weep my way through every wedding, but the entire job is to be in tune to the various emotion pulsing through the day, and there are definitely moments where you can’t help but be moved by what you’re witnessing.

Liz and Andrew’s (remember their engagement session?) day was chock full of those moments. And the perfect example of a day that was both deeply spiritual and exuberantly, giddily joyful. Liz’s bridesmaids, their parents and the couple surrounded each other with prayer before their wedding, and their ceremony centered around the act of service of washing each others feet. But then, man! Could these guys dance :). (And I think Liz might win best “You are now husband and wife” reaction ever!) Liz and Andrew, thank you so much for giving me the honor of capturing your day. Though you were planning from out of town, and we only met all together once before your wedding, I can’t thank you enough for your faith in me, for letting me in and allowing me to document your love, joy and emotion without holding anything back. (And I have to give a special thank you to the ever-amazing, sweet-as-pie Andrea Dozier, who came along and helped me out, and who captured some of the photographs above.)

Ceremony Venue: Centerville Community Church; Reception Venue: Top of the Market; Flowers: Sue Kelzer; DJ: Doug Haney of Absolute DJs