Melissa & Jody - The Wedding

Melissa and Jody came to me about a year ago with an inquiry into wedding packages etc., and it seemed as though their wedding date wasn't getting any closer! Well, October 4th finally came around.

They were to be married at the 1st Baptist Church on Fairmount Blvd,. Shaker Heights Ohio. Now, if any of you know this church, I don't have to tell you how AMAZING it is! It is gorgeous both inside and out!

The rehearsal was held the evening before and this is always a good chance to meet up with the rest of the bridal party and parents etc., and to also get a good idea on lighting, the minister etc.,

Once I arrived home from the rehearsal, I began talking to a friend of mine Michelle, who has helped me out on a weddings before and it turned out her plans had dropped through and she was free to assist if I wanted her! She didn't have to ask twice! As the church is so big, I knew that alone I wouldn't have the opportunity to catch all I wanted but with two photographers, I'd get those shots!

The next morning I arrived at the home of the bride's mother and started capturing the 'prep' moments.

Mara and Allison - make-up and hair - were amazing! The made everyone look as gorgeous as ever and pretty soon, after the dress was on, it was time to head to the church where Michelle was meeting the guys!

En route to the church, the bridal party stopped to have some shots taken by the lake. Now at one point, the sun came out and shone quite literally on the party. The Maid of Honor mentioned later that they felt that it was the spirit of their recently departed grandmother being there! A photographer can't ask for anything else once they get the light from above! :-)

But then a bee started attacking the party and it was time to head out again!

The ceremony was over and done with before we knew it and then it was time to get the formal and fun shots done!

Formal-in-the-church shots are more or less the same all around so they aren't shown here. What I WILL give a sneak peak of is the fun shots that followed! The church in all it's brilliance has a fantastic courtyard that we were allowed to shoot in. On top of the courtyard there is also a fun balcony a la Rapunzel! The Best Man finagled access to that and then more fun followed!

After the courtyard, the couple had expressed an interest in shooting at the Wade Oval lake downtown Cleveland (by Severance Hall). The weather was holding out for us and off we went. Melissa had one shot in mind and I was lucky enough to get it! :-)

Once we had finished there, it was time to head to La Vera Party Center for the reception and that was fun! Dancing, drinking, cake-cutting, bouquet-tossing, garter-throwing and lots lots more..........

Congratulations Melissa & Jody! Thanks for letting us be a part of your great day!

EDIT - I received a fabulous note from Melissa thanking us for the great photos we took and she had some advice for us! We needed to quote "You're a tiger...." more during our shoot! I'll take that under advisement! :-)


assisted by Michelle Rodriguez