Michael and Jess' wedding day was one full of surprises. At the first look, Jess surprised her groom with a sweet gift that he got to open as tears welled up in his eyes while he looked at his beautiful bride to be. In turn, Michael's mother surprised Jess with a gift that she had worn on her wedding day right before the ceremony was about to take place. The final surprise happened at the beginning of the reception - Michael and Jess, avid swing dancers, choreographed a very special and high energy dance to the tune of their favorite songs. From aerial moves to the theme from the Power Rangers show, each surprise made the day unforgettable.
The sweetest part of their whole day, though, was the vows - Michael and Jess wrote special tributes to each other and it was hard to see through the happy tears in my own eyes as they passed a handkerchief back and forth while their excitement overwhelmed. I wish I could copy word for word what they said here, but that is the advantage of having a videographer - they will get to relive that moment at any point during their marriage and remember their deep love for each other.
I could talk about their day forever, from the gorgeous backdrop of The Manor House at Kings Charter in Richmond to the classic vintage theme carried throughout the day, even to Jess' amazing Watters wedding gown that was layered to perfection and her unique vintage shoes that were simply stunning. Family was central to their wedding, and it was especially touching that Jess asked her brother to stand with the bridesmaids at the altar to witness the vows. And when we finally got to the reception the guests danced like I had never seen before - staying all the way through a long but incredibly fun evening. Ohhhh what a wedding this was!
Click here to see Michael and Jess' engagement session.
Wedding Dress: Watters | Bride's Shoes: American Duchess Historic Footwear | Dancing Dress: Anthropologie | Menswear: JoS A Bank | Hair/Makeup: Elle Style Studio | Bouquets, Boutonnieres, & Corsages: The Green Flamingo Flower Co | Other Florals: Family friend | Venue: The Manor House at Kings Charter | Catering: Edwards Catering | Cake: The Celiac Cakery | DJ: Richard Greene Entertainment (Mike Beene) | Officiant: Whispering Pines Weddings | Videography: Christy Stevens
The ladies got ready in an upstairs suite during my second time working with Elle Style Studio - and I loved every minute of it!
Jess held Michael for a minute just before he turned around at their first look...
Surprise #1 of the day was a custom tie clip especially made for Michael.
After the first look we got to join with an incredibly unique and HUGE bridal party for some fun portraits!
Yep, those were some pretty unique socks!
Even after the first look Michael's face lit up when he saw his bride coming down the aisle.
Props to my second shooter and husband for capturing all the prettiness of the golden sunlight at The Manor House!
Jess made a quick change for her first dance and they showed off some impressive moves!
As the sun was setting we headed outside for a few final portraits...
As the sun set on their wedding day Michael and Jess joined their guests to dance long into the evening for one of the most lively receptions I have ever attended.
