There had been threats of a hurricane all week. Wind and rain seemed inevitable as Joaquin was bearing down on the East Coast. Kayla and I exchanged a few 'rain, rain go away!' emails as we talked about the possibilities on the wedding day in the midst of bad weather. But I had no worries about these two. When their engagement session ended with a torrential downpour and they embraced the opportunity for pictures in the rain, I knew Saturday would be no less than perfect, no matter what the day held.
Sure enough, their wedding was a beauty from beginning to end. Kayla got dressed with the dearest women in her life while Chris anxiously awaited the moment he would see his bride. I thought I was prepared for the first look with umbrellas, protected gear, and an amazing assistant, but I forgot to prepare my heart. The moment Chris saw Kayla tears welled up in his eyes, and she beamed from ear to ear. He took several moments just to admire the woman who was about to become his wife as they shared their first look.
The rest of the day, from start to finish, was equally wonderful. Not only was the bridal party a blast to be with, but when we got to the ceremony both Chris and Kayla shed tears during their I do's and as they welcomed family afterwards. Their guests stayed and danced for hours, with a flurry of cake cutting and one of the most hilarious best man's speeches I've ever heard. Then they all left to have some more fun, a perfect ending to this amazing day.
Chris and Kayla - even now I can remember how you two looked at each other all throughout the day. To witness that means more to me than I can say. Thank you for being a friend to me. Thank you for loving each other deeply. And thank you for not letting a little thing like the weather change the most important part of the whole day - that you can finally be together forever.
Thanks to this incredible team for making the wedding amazing!
Venue: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden | Photography: Maria Grace Photography | Hair & Makeup: Elle Style Studio | Florals: Petals & Twigs | Dress: Alfred Angelo by Davids Bridal | Cakes: The Buttercream Bee | Catering: Meriwether Godsey | Transportation: BioRide | Assistant: Alexandra Garvey Photoraphy
Like I said...the best man's speech was hilarious!
A few wedding guests told me these cakes from The Buttercream Bee were the best they'd ever had. And they look tasty, too!
And now...time to party!
We snuck out near the end of the evening to grab a few night shots...and I can't think of a better way to end this blog. Congratulations, Chris and Kayla!
