Every wedding has a story. And one of my favorite things is to see it all unfold throughout the season of preparation and on the day of celebration itself! Brent and Tabitha’s was one of the most special that I’ve seen. But, it wasn’t in the way you’d expect. They didn’t have a grand venue or a ton of expensive details. Instead, their wedding was an outpouring of love from their families and church family to them. From the handmade paper floral bouquets to the cake to the catering, it was a huge group effort that was so fun to see!

In all of it, one common thread was easy to pick up on: their love for their people. Tabitha was very clear from the beginning that she would like to have all of their photos taken before the ceremony so she would have time to see and greet all of her guests at the reception! They didn’t want to be rushing around after their ceremony taking all the photos and causing their guests to wait for the festivities to continue. Instead, they chose to share a first look in a park nearby and capture all of the portraits before the ceremony. And it was so fun! Not only did it eliminate stress, but it allowed Brent and Tabitha the freedom to be excited and have margin in their day to spend time with each other and all those who came to celebrate with them! Plus, it basically doubled the amount of portraits they’ll get! If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you already know I have a real hard time narrowing down my favorites, they’re getting so many!!

Another thing that their wedding timeline allowed for was actually one of the coolest parts of the day to witness. Brent and Tabitha blocked in time right after their ceremony to greet each guest that had come. I stood off to the side photographing each of the interactions and the one thing I picked up on quickly was how genuine Tabitha and Brent are! They’re the type of people that when they’re with you, they are all there. No one else matters. Tabitha’s excitement to see and speak to every single person was evident on the beaming smile on her face! It was such a fun thing to witness and get to document! And it was a testament to the love of Christ that shines through both of them. That’s what made this day so beautiful!

I think I could go on typing and sharing all the little moments like those that happened throughout Saturday’s wedding in Dayton, Ohio. But, I’ll just end with this last one. Tabitha surprised her groom with a song at the reception, accompanied by their live orchestra. And as she sang, Brent beamed at her with pride in his new wife! You could just see their love for one another in little ways like that throughout the day. Like when Tabitha would whip her handkerchief out of her dress pocket and blot the tears running down Brent’s cheeks.(yes! Her wedding dress had pockets! best thing ever!) Or when Brent was quick to pick up the train of her dress to make sure it didn’t trip her up. Those little acts of service shared between them both painted the most beautiful picture of what their marriage is going to look like!

Congratulations, Brent and Tabitha! Thank you so much for letting me be the one to document your wedding day and get to celebrate you two! I’m so excited for your future and all that God has in store for you! And I hope you love seeing a few of my favorites from your day!