Abby and Greg Get Hitched!

It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged about anything happening over here, but this marriage/baptism/awesomely fun celebration prompted me to break the silence. As soon as Abby contacted me with information about her upcoming wedding, I knew we were a great fit. She was laid back, understood my style and approach, and was really not into spending much time with posey-posey shots. She actually Googled “Documentary Photographer in Columbus, Ohio” to find me. YES!!!

I got to see Abby and Greg together at their engagement session, which was held at Holy Moses, where she is a male stylist. Ironically, this is also where she met Greg, one of her *ahem frequent-flying clients. They became friends, and the rest is history. Abby and Greg’s energy is so calm and connected, making them so much fun to photograph casually. Abby’s adorable son, Caleb, was also at the engagement session, and we had fun hanging out in the space, snapping some pics, sharing a growler, and generally just getting to know each other. I left feeling like old friends and so LUCKY to share in this experience with them.

Cue the wedding day. I met the girls at The Joseph where they had stayed overnight, and I walked into a room full of excitement, people who obviously cared genuinely about each other, and a mother and mother-in-law tag team that can’t be beat. I’ll never forget seeing Abby’s mom in action and hearing Abby comment lovingly, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!” Speaking of Abby, you’ll quickly see how beautiful and natural of a bride she was. All of the right pieces were in place, and the wedding elements were simple, thoughtful, and light-hearted…leaving room for everyone to just enjoy the day.

Off to the ceremony we went, where the bride and groom exchanged letters and final prep took place. The wedding was held at St. Leo’s in Merion Village, and the crowd was intimate with close friends and family in attendance. A lovely ceremony was topped off with Caleb’s baptism, which I thought was a great and meaningful combo. After a fun shuttle ride around German Village with the bridal party to snap some quick pics at Frank Fetch Park (and a small bit of rain to bless the day), we headed off to the reception at Philco Bar and Diner in the Short North.

This is just one reason why I knew we were kindred spirits from the first interactions. Abby and Greg decided to rent out Philco to be with their closest peeps after their wedding ceremony, and they created a menu with their favorite things from the diner. It was unbelievably perfect. Everyone was able to just eat, drink, and be merry with loved ones…no pressure and a whole lot of heart. Philco is one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus (along with its whole family of restaurants), and the manager and staff there really went out of their way to make the experience enjoyable and easy for all of the guests. It was so unique and meaningful to the couple, as Philco is one of the places they frequent for brunch as a family.

After heartwarming speeches, general shenanigans, and an instance of the bride climbing onto the bar in her fabulous Louboutin’s, Abby and Greg insisted I become a guest and went even further to order burgers for me to take home for my family. Abby and Greg both spent time sitting and chatting with me, and I’ll tell you what…they are just wonderful people, and I’m so happy to be a part of their lives. This job is such a blessing for reasons like this…relationships, connections, and finding people who share my vision and outlook on life.

Throughout the course of the day, Abby sprayed champagne, opened bottles with her teeth, took her hair down, walked around barefoot, threw her bouquet in the air for the heck of it, and gave millions of kisses and hugs. Can’t get much more real and beautiful than that. And Greg went along with the flow, gracious and dapper as can be and so very much in love with his bride. Their bond is strong, and their joint love for Caleb is so very clear and unconditional. These three have my heart forever!

If you are looking for a Columbus, Ohio-based documentary photographer to capture the moments of your special wedding or event, I'd love you chat with you about the possibilities!