Ali & Liam’s wedding day was long awaited. With Liam being in the Marine Corps and between deployments, these two had a difficult time nailing down a date for their wedding. Eventually, it all came together and we were so thankful that we were able to accommodate their date change to capture their big day.
Ali & Liam married at Ali’s family’s home church, Aldersgate United Methodist, on a warm, summer morning in July. Although we have always been open to it, this was actually our first morning/brunch wedding and we LOVED it. What’s better than a sweet, morning ceremony followed by brunch food at the reception and wrapping up the day in the early afternoon? We can’t think of many things better than that.
Ali & Liam’s wedding day was so full of love and laughter. As their closest friends and family surrounded them the morning of the wedding, you could feel the love and the great support that these two have around their relationship and their soon-to-be marriage. Although living the military life will always leave them wondering where they will go next, it was an honor to capture their big day while they were here in Ali’s hometown of Chesapeake, VA.
We absolutely loved the color scheme that Ali chose for her bridal details because they perfectly matched with her groom and his dress blues. Her royal blue heels doubled as her “something blue” and matched Liam’s trousers. The yellow sunflowers in her bouquet pulled out the gold of the metals, devices and insignia on Liam’s jacket. And to top it all off, Ali also had her florist add red roses to her bouquet to pull the red lines from Liam’s uniform. These two looked amazing!
When it was time to get Ali in her dress, her family and bridesmaids presented her with a few gifts to wear as she walked down the aisle. First up was a pearl bracelet for her “something borrowed.”
Next was a set of gold angel wings from one of her bridesmaids that was her grandmother’s, which represented her “something old.”
And lastly was a small sun charm that was presented to Ali by her sister as her “something new.” This charm instantly brought Ali to tears as it holds great representation of her and her sister’s close relationship. This moment was so sweet to capture, as big sister held onto little sister as she cried.
After they got fancied up, Ali & Liam had their first look in front of the church. First looks are always our favorite for so many reasons, but one of the biggest being that this is one of the only times that the bride and groom will be alone together the whole day. Because we recognize that this time is special to them, we always allow our couple to fully immerse themselves for several minutes before beginning portraits of them.
We are consistently blessed with amazing wedding parties and this group was no exception. Even though it was incredibly hot and humid, this group was so fun and were great sports as we (quickly) ran through their group shots and ushered them back inside.
As a daddy’s girl, I can’t imagine my life or my wedding day without my sweet dad. Because of the bond we share, I chose to do a first look with my dad and it’s a moment I will never forget and will always look back on the photos with joy. Anytime there is an opportunity, I always suggest to my brides that they should do a first look with their dad. It’s a short, but oh-so-sweet moment as she reflects on leaving the arms of the man who has cared for her since before she was born to cling to the arms of the man who she will spend the remainder of her years with.
They are married! Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs.!
For an early afternoon wedding, we were surprised by how many people were dancing during the reception. It seemed that the time of day had no effect on Ali & Liam’s guests and they danced the afternoon away!
Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Brown!
Florist: Mary’s Flower Works
Blessings,
Michael & Chelsea
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Your photography is amazing. Congrats to the happy couple. The color choices and the flowers were the most gorgeous. Sunflowers and roses make such a stunning combination and the addition of the hydrangea was genius. Bravo to Mary’s Flower Works!
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