Let’s get real for a second. I know EVERY bride wishes for bright, sunny weather for her wedding day.  Girls, let me let you in on a secret.  RAIN. IS. AWESOME.  Don’t believe me? Check out Becca’s smile in every photo.  She didn’t care if it was raining, and I can’t imagine for one second that she could have been ANY more stunning than she was.  Colors are brighter, you get some UNIQUE opportunities, and it’s not hot.  What’s not to love about rain?

The color palette that Becca and Steven picked, navy and gold, is probably my favorite to date.  I’ve always loved sparkles, and when you give me a bunch of pretty girls in sparkly gold dresses to take pictures of? I’m on cloud 9.

When I do formal photos of the wedding party, the same old things get boring wedding after wedding.  So, when I get a group of guys with as much personality as these fellas had? Yeah, it’s a good day.  PS – groomsmen are occasionally ridiculous.  well, usually ridiculous.

Family means everything to Becca and Steven.  While Becca was getting ready, little sister Kate attended to her every need…including zipping a VERY stubborn zipper. Kate came home, all the way from Africa to be at the wedding.  You could tell that she wouldn’t have missed her sister’s wedding for the world! The gold bracelet that Becca wore was a family heirloom from Steven’s grandmother.

We ended up taking the girls down the road a bit for their formal portraits…well, because the boys were restless and wouldn’t stay in the groom’s cottage.  But those fall colors? Totally worth it! We got lucky and the leaves started turning VERY early in Cashiers.  You’d never know it was only late September.

I love when my couples do a first look.  It gives the bride and groom an opportunity to spend a few minutes together, completely alone, with my assistant and I shooting from afar.  I never would have guessed that Steven would get emotional, but those one or two tears were SO sweet!

Becca might be a little bit of a daddy’s girl too…judging by that grin on her dad’s face when he saw her in her dress for the first time.

What’s better than an impromptu dance party in the bridal cabin before the ceremony? I can’t think of anything 😉

No one seemed to mind the drizzle.  All smiles. Especially Steven and Becca.  Steven had us all laughing with his vows, while Becca managed to make Steven tear up again.  I love crying grooms by the way.

Congratulations to the new MR. and MRS.!

Let the dancing begin!

Toasts from bride’s father, sister and groom’s twin brother and friend had everyone laughing and enjoying themselves!

The cake was amazing. I always wait until the last guest has had their fill before I grab cake.  To say I was a bit disappointed that all of this ice cream cake vanished would be a serious understatement.