Dean-Reed Wedding 09.05.2020

Jordan

Sep 20, 20203 min read

COVID has changed so many things about weddings this year, but my couples are still finding ways to say 'I do!' Alyssa and Nick powered through all of the ever-changing restrictions and were able to have their beautiful September wedding.

As soon as I walked into Alyssa's house for some getting ready images, I heard laughter bubbling out of the kitchen. This set the tone for the entire day-- we didn't stop laughing until it was time to leave. Not only did Alyssa have some of the most beautiful accessories I've ever seen, but she had everything laid out and ready to go for photos! (This is a must if you want us to have enough time to get shots of everything! I can send you a list of things to have prepared for the day of.)

Once we got some detail shots, and once the girls were all finished with hair and makeup, we went outside to get some fun shots of the group. What a wonderful wedding party-- everyone was so nice and up for whatever crazy ideas I threw at them! We grabbed a bottle of champagne and got ready to start the party.

Then it was time to get dressed! Alyssa wanted to do a first-look with her parents, which is always such a beautiful set of images to have from your wedding day. I poked my head in the door to see how close they were to being ready for the first look and saw the girls making videos for TikTok -- you could just feel how close they all were.

First looks between the bride and groom are always special, but there is something about a first look between the bride and her parents that pulls at the heart strings. Not only were Alyssa's parents teary-eyed looking at her, but then she handed them a note that totally let the floodgates open. Then it was time to head to the ceremony location!

Our timeline for this day was perfect! We arrived at the ceremony location with enough time that we were able to get the bridesmaids photos, groomsmen photos, and individual family photos knocked out before guests even started to arrive. This alleviates so much pressure from the hour we usually have between the ceremony and start of the reception to get every shot done. We met up with the guys for the first time at the location, and they were ready to roll! Nick is from out-of-state, so major props to his family for making the trip to PA. He and Alyssa met while she was working as a traveling nurse, and the rest is history.

Not only was the weather PERFECT, but it was one of the prettiest sunsets I feel like we've had in a while! (Stay tuned for photos of that later!) Then it was time for Alyssa and Nick to say 'I do!' They had a friend officiate, which is one of my favorite ways to add a personal touch to your wedding day. Check it out:

Our ceremony and reception were at the same location, so now it was time to grab a drink and get our formal photos finished. I could go on and on about how beautiful it was, but I'd rather show you!

Then the real fun starts! Introductions, cake cutting, speeches-- all the fun of the reception! Something special that Alyssa decided to do was to have a dance with both her mom and her dad. Like I said, you could really feel the love radiating from everyone the entire day!

I delivered hundreds of photos from the reception -- that's how much fun we had!! Can't you feel it? Oh! And during the best man speech, the guys all busted out beers and shotgunned them then and there. Que the party.

So -- golden hour. Let's talk about it. I highly highly recommend going back outside with your photographer/videographer during golden hour and spending 10-20 minutes getting a few more shots! By this point you're probably much more relaxed and your dress will most likely be bustled, so it's a totally different look! Here's why I recommend so highly:

Are you sold yet? I thought so. ;) Can we talk about Alyssa's dress and veil for moment because wowww. She purchased them from the boutique where I had my first job at 16! So much fun to see that come full circle. I'll leave you with a few candids from the rest of the night. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Dean!!