The Wedding Day

So.. I started writing this REALLY great caption for a post I made on Instagram.. come to find out that I couldn’t fit what I wanted to say in my caption box (oops). I decided to post an intro caption— that this would be a fantastic Journal post— since I’m trying to get this rolling again!

What are the most important parts of your Wedding Day?

— you’ll say “Harmony, what a stupid question to ask.. everyone knows the most important moments are the first kiss & the first dance”.

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Let me take you on a journey through your Wedding day—

you’re excited for it to FINALLY be here- your nerves are getting the best of you.. but you have all your best friends by your side. You’re going through the motions getting dressed, and ask your mom to zip you up. You share a split second of a cherished moment with your mother. Now you’re in your dress and about to walk out to see your dad for the very first time as a bride! You view all emotions on his face as he takes in your beauty and flashes back to when you were a kid spinning around in a “princess” dress. As that small moment passes you get antsy to walk down the aisle.

You walk down the aisle, as your eyes meet the one you’re so excited to spend the rest of your life with. You can’t help but smile, and choke back a tear. You’re so happy to be in that moment. Your parents announce they’re giving you away, as your dad places your hand on top of your fiancé’s. That split second when he holds you just a little tighter than he ever has. Another moment— fleeting into the distance of your memories.

You look your partner in the eye, as you pass your beautiful bouquet to your best friend, after they fluff your dress so you look perfect for everyone to see. It’s just you and your fiance now— the only people in the world right now are you & him. You smile back and forth, sharing in every moment as the officiant talks about your love. The time comes to share your vows, your eyes glance between your paper and their face. Everyone watches as the emotion remain, as forever lingers in the distance— but only for a moment. You fiddle your hands together, remembering it’s just you and them. The time comes for the I Do’s- they’re said through joy as your heart is overflowing with love. You fumble again, as you move the ring that you’re gifting to your spouse, and you hope not to drop it as you slide it on their finger. Your hands tingle as you hold onto one another for just a moment longer.

You’re waiting for the officiant to announce that YOU ARE MARRIED!! The anticipation takes over your body! When the words escape their mouth you are met with a kiss but not ANY kiss, the first kiss- the first kiss of forever! As you look into your spouses eyes you can’t help but smile! Everything is perfect— in that moment.

You turn and raise your hands in celebration as everyone cheers and claps! The moment is shared with everyone, and the moment is yours. You take your bouquet from your best friend- and you hold onto the one you love. You’re looking forward- but he is looking only at you, in that moment. As you walk down the aisle as a newly married couple, you walk past your friends and family who are so excited to be a part of this day- this moment! You hold a special place in the aisle for your final ceremony kiss- and everyone watches you exit.

You share your first dance as everyone watches in awe of the love shared. You breathe in deep, just for a moment to cherish this time you’ll never get back. A hold, a touch, your happy ending— just for a moment. As you dance with your parent you remember your childhood, twirling on their finger, dancing on their feet, dreaming of the moment you’d dance just like this, and the time freezes— just for a moment.

You dance the night away sharing drinks, inside jokes, reliving memories, and celebrating, but just for a moment. As you leave your Wedding, you say your thank you’s, you hold close to the people who came, you celebrate and say goodbye.. you hold your forever, and look back at your day, the time, and the memories.. for just one more moment.

Bobby & Joanne Wales; Wedding

True love, it's a funny thing really. It can happen in an instant, or it can progress over time. For some people it hits you like a baseball to the face, for other's it's a slow-and-steady type of thing. Somehow we always know. We know when we've met the one who sets our soul on fire, the one who makes every bad day-- good in some way or another, someone who can see the beauty in our early morning messy-selves, the person that flips our worlds upside down, and then right-side up. True love, it's a funny thing-- a miraculous thing, a mysterious thing-- but all in all, an incredibly wonderful thing! 

Last Saturday, June 9th; I met a true love struck couple-- Joanne and Bobby. They'd known each other for years, Joanne being a close friend of Bobby's sister. A wonderful story of love-- true love, meant to be love, progressing over time love, incredible love. 

I could tell this was going to be an incredible Wedding at the first time that we spoke. Such a fun couple, even through what little I had known about them, they were my ideal couple. They were full of life, and so excited to celebrate their marriage with friends and family. I was almost counting down the days to their wedding, maybe I was almost as excited as they were?! When the day came-- it was everything I imagined.. their love-- was everything I had anticipated. 

Joanne and Bobby decided on Woodloch Pines as their Venue. One of my favorite Venue's to work with. I knew everything was going to be perfect, as that is the following that Woodloch's Weddings are known for. Joanne and Bobby were from Virginia, and had searched high and low for a Venue that fit their exact expectations and needs-- and after so much searching, they decided on Woodloch. They had visited multiple times, and they said nothing quite compared to the area-- our little slice of heaven up here in NEPA. 

Their ceremony was set up to be very intimate, with a small guest list of just 37 people (including their bridal party). It was beautiful. Bobby was walked to the alter linked arm in arm with his parents, and Joanne was walked partially down the aisle by her two brother-in-laws, and then the rest of the way by her mother. Every detail of their Wedding was beautiful- was perfect. The colors, the weather, the smiles, the tears shed, the love of friends and family encompassed the entire day. As Bobby and Joanne said their vows, everyone was overjoyed. Such a beautiful union. Through the entire ceremony I watched as Bobby and Joanne gazed into each others eyes, smiling from ear to ear. You could tell that there was no place these two would rather be than in the arms of the other. Their intimate ceremony included a very special bridal party containing Joanne's two sisters, Bobby's sister, and daughter, and Bobby and Joanne's nieces-- as flower girls.  After the ceremony was over, and they vowed to be husband and wife, through the good and the bad, they walked down the aisle gleaming with excitement! 

Working with Joanne and Bobby was so great. They were so excited to take photos, and also to celebrate their marriage with friends and family. After we finished with portraits, we walked inside for the first dance, and parent dances. Watching Joanne and Bobby dance together was so enlightening, their love shown out of them like sun rays! Everyone watched as they glided along the floor, in that moment I was overcome with so much emotion and excitement for how happy they looked, and how in love-- in true love-- they were. Joanne danced with her mother, which was so heartwarming. We love to watch Mother-Daughter dances, as you can feel the strong bond between the two.. and the love and pride that mother's show for their daughters on their wedding day. We also watched as Bobby danced with his mother. It was a very emotional dance, which always brings a tear to my eye. So beautiful, so much love through both families; now joined as one. 

After all the formal dances were over, and dinner was served-- the excitement and energy filled the dance floor. The DJ's were incredible and got almost everyone out on the dance floor, moving to the beat. Everyone was having fun celebrating Bobby & Joanne and their future as husband and wife. It's always so exciting to see guests enjoying the day just as much as the bride and groom. The room was continuously filled with laughter, stories, and smiles. A beautiful day, for such a beautiful love story to continue.

As I reflect back on the day, I can't imagine a more perfect chapter in Bobby & Joanne's love story. As their lives continue, I hope that they always remember how much love they felt and shared on this day, and how rare and wonderful true love is. Congratulations to such a wonderful couple!  May your lives be blessed with happiness, love, and adventure for many, many, many year to come! We hope you return back to our hidden treasure-- NEPA to remember the glorious place that you made a memory.