Saturday was the first day of summer.  And it was a hot one!  And when Bess and Andrew told me halfway through the day how glad they were that they’d opted to NOT have an outdoor wedding, I almost tackled them with a hug!!  But looking back at the photos, you would never know that the temperature was in the 90s and that the humidity was as high as it was.  Sure, we all had something to say about the heat, but not ONE person had a bad attitude about it.  Every single person in the wedding party and every single member of Bess and Andrew’s family were amazing.  But after knowing these two and knowing Bess’s family and serving with all of them before, I wasn’t surprised at all with how wonderful everyone was on Saturday.

Bess and Andrew have been together since high school and even after attending different colleges, they never turned away from where God was leading them and they continued to work at their relationship even though they were a couple hours apart for several years.  This was such an anticipated day and Bess was giddy with excitement when I walked up the stairs to see her and wish her a happy wedding day!  They day they’d waited so long for was finally here and they’re now husband and wife!!

This past Saturday, there were so many smiles, so much laughter, and lots of tears that were full of joy!  Bess couldn’t have had sweeter girls to stand next to her.  And Andrew couldn’t have had funnier guys stand beside him (no, I’m serious, they were HILARIOUS!).  From morning until night, they were surrounded by people they’ve grown up with, people that have loved them through thick and thin, people who have helped direct them towards Christ, people who will continue to stand by their sides as they walk through life.  It was such an incredible day and we are so thankful to have been there with you guys.  Bess and Andrew, thank you for letting us capture your wedding day for you.  Thank you for allowing us to see Christ in and through you.  Much love to you both!

As if I wasn’t excited enough about this day, I saw her dress and then her flowers arrived.  So much beautiful all in one place!!

I could have photographed these all.day.long.

That smile is one that only Andrew can pull out of her… even in a letter.

The tears came when her dad saw her for the first time!

And then it was time to see her groom…

I LOVE this one that Ben captured during their first look.

Seeing each other before the ceremony gave us plenty of time for portraits!!

Oh my heavens, these girls were the cutest!!

Girls, you are all so beautiful!

Guys, you clean up really well too!

Oh my cuteness!!!

Loved this!!

And so did Bess!

So. Much. Joy.

Loved this frame!!  It says, First Day, Yes Day and Besst Day (get it??)!

These girls and their leaders were all in the same high school discipleship group and only a couple were missing on Saturday.
I can’t tell you how much I love these girls and the opportunity I’ve had to watch them grow since their junior year of high school.  And now they’re college graduates!

It so fun to see the parents enjoying the wedding day too!

So thankful for everyone that made this day as wonderful as it was!
Ceremony | Grace Church, Downtown Campus
Reception | The Davenport
Ceremony Coordinator | Carrie T. Moore Weddings
Wedding Dress | Magnolia’s Bridal, Maggie Sottero
Bridesmaids Dresses | Wedding Shoppe, Inc.
Groomsmen’s Suits | Thomas & Sons
Hair Artist | Lindsay Hess, Andrew’s sister
Makeup | the bridesmaids!
Florals | Renee Burroughs Design
Ceremony Musicians | Jonathan Allston, Caitlin Hoffman, Will Vaughn
DJ | Jacob Kalu
Wedding Invitations | printed at home
Cake | Stax Bakery
Catering | Jim Albergotti, family friend