Woodsy Cabin Wedding // Louisville Kentucky Wedding Photographer

Kate & Rob // Airbnb & Gingerwoods // Louisville, KY // April 2017

When Kate emailed me the link to the Airbnb they chose to get ready in I was *so* excited — what an amazing idea! So often I see couples squished into hotel rooms or their parent's spare rooms, but Kate and her friends were able to spend the day enjoying the cozy cabin and amazing views as they got ready for the wedding. It was also the PERFECT place to do the first look and spend some time before heading over to Gingerwoods for the ceremony and reception. If you're looking for a way to make your wedding experience (and your photos!) more personal and unique you should seriously consider looking at your Airbnb or other local rental options! 

My favorite moment of the wedding day, hands down, was when Rob saw Kate for the first time. In ten years of shooting weddings, I don't think I've ever seen such an immediate and intense reaction from a groom. I already knew they had an amazing relationship and connection from the time I've been able to spend with them over the last year of planning, but it was really humbling to be part of this intimate, emotional moment. Another favorite part of the day was when Kate surprised Rob by walking down the aisle to "Across The Universe" played by a string quartet. He's a huge Beatles fan and wasn't expecting it at all — it was such a sweet and magical entrance. 

Keep an eye out for: Kate had pieces of her grandmother's wedding dress incorporated into her own dress — you can find them by looking for the slightly darker parts of lace. 

A few other weddings with emotional first looks include Rachel & Kyle at Copper & Kings, Katherine & Eric at Whitehall, and Erin & Chris at Yew Dell Botanical Gardens.

Featured on Brides & Weddings and Honeysuckle Brides

Caterer: Orange Clover // DJ: Hay DJ // Event Designer: State and Arrow Design Co. // Hair: Jack Johns // Makeup: Trista Hughes // Rentals: Millennium Decor // Venue: Gingerwoods Event Hall

Wedding in the Oak Grove at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

I first met Dana & Patrick at a house party in Chicago a few summers back. We totally hit it off— Dana and I were both teachers and the two of them together just radiated this amazing energy. When they asked me if I'd be interested in heading out west to photograph their wedding I had to rewrite my email a handful of times to edit the exclamation points down to a socially acceptable level. So that's how we got here! 

On their wedding day, I drove up the coast from LA to Santa Barbara and nerded out over the rolling hills covered in wildflowers along the highway. I don't have the right words to describe their wedding day— it was just as intimate and honest as it was wild and fun. Their informal theme became "disco forest" and they drew inspiration from free-spirited gatherings with firepits and huge dance parties. My personal favorite moments include their purely unique and earnest vows, getting the full wedding party into the creek bed and yelling "I'm going to blog the shit out of this!", and the flash mob their friends secretly choreographed and practiced from all across the country in the months leading up to the wedding. It was flawless and magical and totally surprised Dana and Patrick. 

I'd also have to agree with Dana, she said, "The moments that we had with just the two of us and Sarah taking our couple photos were honestly some of our favorite memories from our whole wedding day because she made us so comfortable and really allowed us to feel like we had some alone time to breathe." Those are legitimately always some of my favorite moments— I love getting to photograph couples, but I also love giving them a moment away from it all to just enjoy each other. It's so easy to get swept up in everything that couples often don't get the chance really look at each other and process the day. Well, I think it's time to let the images speak for themselves! I hope you enjoy them.

If you're craving some more earthy goodness, check out Olivia & Daniel's lovely wedding or you can see Boho Wedding’s feature of Dana & Patrick’s wedding here.

Wedding vendor team:

Venue: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History // Wedding Coordinator: Jaime Kostechko with Wild Heart Events // Florist: Tracey Morris with Ella and Louie // Caterer: Seasons // DJ: Michael Easbey // Lighting: Cristina Bentley with Bella Vista Designs // MUA & Hair: Nickie Dipierri with Pretty Please Beauty // Furniture Rentals: Party Pleasers

Erin & Chris // Yew Dell Botanical Garden Wedding // Louisville Kentucky Wedding Photographer

Featured in Louisville Bride Fall/Winter 2017 and on The Knot.