Getting Ready in the Bridal & Groom’s Suites

I know I say this a lot but this day was such a dream! Abby & Rob chose Westers Family Vineyard in Rives Junction as their venue and it was stunning. The amount of detail they put into their wedding day really showcased them both personally and as a couple. I loved that they chose to use fall colors for their summer wedding- it was so unique to see this time of year. All of the groomsmen wore dark green suits while the bridesmaids were in terracotta with matching florals.

We started this day off with capturing getting ready details and groomsmen group photos. Abby had taken such care when choosing decor details throughout their venue. They had grade school pictures of them used as table numbers, which was a sweet throwback to see. Abby and Rob had their engagement photos hanging up throughout the venue- it was very art gallery-esque with how large the prints were. I have this documented through my Instagram BTS Highlight– I highly recommend checking it out! Abby incorporated some decorations her students had made in class. They had written out a sentence about what love was and they were all pinned on a board near their head table. The couple also had incorporated special moments of their lives through a crossword puzzle guests could solve right next to the bar. It was definitely a fun little touch to add, and it was almost finished by the time I left for the night!

Another detail that I loved was the custom socks Rob and his groomsmen had. They were so excited about their socks- which was totally valid because they were cool. We had to work them into their group photos. This was an ornery bunch of groomsmen. They were ready to have some fun and it definitely showed. I love when groomsmen get into the photo portion of the day- sometimes they dread it but I always try to make it fun and quick for everyone.

Abby and Rob had opted for a first touch rather than a first look, but they chose to incorporate their parents. I loved how they did this! Abby and Rob met around the corner of the back porch and had a moment of prayer with both sets of parents. Rob couldn’t see Abby, but I think she could see him. Incorporating parents into this moment was such a great idea.

Wedding Ceremony at the Vineyard

Abby and Rob chose to have their ceremony in front of the pond. The water with the willow tree in the background was a perfect choice for this summer wedding. Abby and Rob are both from big families and so her brothers were the ones to marry them. I love how they truly included their families all throughout the day.

Abby had requested a group photo of everyone attending their wedding. I’ve never been asked at any other wedding to do this, but this turned out so cool! Thankfully Westers had the space to do this! I gathered them up on the lawn after the ceremony and stood on the deck overlooking everyone. Not all venues can accommodate a request like this, so if this is something you want to look into I’d highly recommend checking with your coordinator. I loved how it turned out and I know this was a frame-worthy moment.

Wedding Reception in Rives Junction

Cocktail hour kicked off with the best drinks and appetizers. At this point in the day, I had my second photographer stick around cocktail hour to capture moments of guests while I left to capture family portraits and full wedding party portraits. Abby and Rob’s cocktail hour had a photo wall on the patio and the photos of guests there were so fun! When planning photography coverage for the day, the couple had truly wanted to prioritize candids and photos of their guests throughout the night. The addition of the photo wall was a perfect way to get people together to take a fun photo.

After a grand entrance into the reception, speeches were made by the best man, maid of honor, and father of the bride. Abby and Rob also had a short thank you speech- something I love when couples add into their reception. Abby’s sister was the maid of honor and she gave a touching speech about their childhood. She gifted Abby a book of marriage advice made by Abby’s students, an absolute surprise I captured. The advice was so sweet and I have no doubt that her students loved the opportunity to be a part of their wedding day.

When it came time for dances I was totally impressed by all of them. Abby and Rob had clearly been taking lessons and they had a beautiful first dance. The best dance though was the father daughter dance. Abby and her father were practically dancing on clouds, waltzing around the dance floor. Abby then surprised her mom with a mother daughter dance that was super sweet & nostalgic to them. This is a trend in 2024 that I’ve loved seeing and hope happens more. Mother daughter dances are a sweet way to incorporate you mom during the reception.

That dance wasn’t the only surprise for Abby’s mom though. Abby had taken an old family wedding dress and turned it into her reception dress. It was so cute! Her mom was pleasantly surprised and it was the perfect little white dress to dance in. Reception outfits are another 2024 trend I’ve been seeing lately and am all here for. There are so many options when it comes to a reception outfit: short dress, jumpsuit, sweatsuits, etc.

Before we left for the night, the couple wanted to do a sparkler exit. The coordinators helped line up all the guests and passed out sparklers to everyone. We started lighting them up and had Abby and Rob run through the crowd, pausing for some sweet kisses throughout. Afterwards everyone went back inside to continue dancing and partying.