Monica and Matt. Warm, sweet, funny and kind. In the grand scheme of life, these two are crushing it. They are amazing. The have a loving, supportive family, a group of friends who, seemingly, would do just about anything for them, and an extremely charismatic, hilarious, ten year old son.

After I dropped Mike off with the boys, I arrived at a large, beautiful house where the girls were staying. Monica greeted me, glowing, with a huge smile on her face. Her hair and makeup were already impeccable so we went upstairs to find the dress and the rings. The dress was gorgeous with a simple, classic silhouette, a beautiful sash, and, my favorite feature, pockets. After a few detail photos, Monica's ladies gathered while Maid of Honor and best friend Darlene helped Monica into her dress. There were laughs and a few tears as the zipper was zipped, the sash was tied and everyone stepped back to see their beautiful bride. From that point on, for the rest of the day, the smile did not leave Monica's face. After a quick dab with the favorite perfume, gifted by a lovely bridesmaid, and a lipgloss touch up, the ladies were ready to go.

Typically this is the point in the day when a switch is flipped and the ladies go from lazy mimosa drinking to warp speed, frantic rushing around to be ready in time so I asked Monica how she was feeling. With a serene look on her face she turned to me, smiled, and said "I'm ready to go meet my groom". 

A well planned first look can be a wonderful thing. It can be a few moments for just the bride and groom or an entire hour with the bride, groom, wedding party and family. This was the latter and it was awesome.

Monica and Matt chose a sweet little covered bridge for their meeting. It was off the beaten path with no traffic and lots of room for photos. The gents came down the road on one side and the ladies came down the road from the other side (think Sharks and Jets). Matt entered the bridge alone and turned toward the groomsmen as Monica approached from the other end. It was suspenseful, sweet and perfect. After the first look the bride and groom were enveloped by family and friends and we spent the next hour taking photos on the bridge, on a beautiful porch and then a quick but worthwhile stop at Bromley for a little mountain view photo op.

The ceremony was gorgeous and the cocktail hour and reception were perfect. The floral arrangements were absolute perfection and Monica put together the most amazing, hand-crafted, pinterest worthy decorations I have ever seen. 

I could write all day about this meticulously planned event and this amazing couple but I would rather leave room for the images. 

To Monica and Matt, I wish you a long and happy marriage. Thank you for being so gracious, easy going and fun to work with. Your love and friendship are inspiring and you are an incredible example for your very sweet son. You two are the real deal. 

Thanks to Lily of the Valley for the incredibly beautiful florals. You made the venue absolutely stunning! Thanks to the Perfect Wife Restaurant for the beautiful venue, friendly staff and delicious food!