November 3, 2018.
Timeless, joyful, loving, comforting, close, beautiful.
One wedding I will never forget.
Ben and Vanessa said “I do” before all of their friends and family members, and it was one of the most beautiful, loving weddings I have ever witnessed in my entire life.
Their ceremony was held at Sacred Heart Church, and I was alllll about the beautiful wooden + golden elements throughout this beautiful church. The tones added so much warmth and love to the room.
After the ceremony we took pictures at Grandview Drive and in Ben’s parents back yard just down the street. The Fall leaves were EVERYTHING on this beautiful Autumn Saturday!
We celebrated the evening at The Gateway Building in Downtown, Peoria, and I was swooning over the details and picture-perfect opportunities this amazing venue held.
But do you want to know what made this wedding one of the most beautiful and special weddings I’ve ever been a part of?
I used to always separate life’s events.
There are the happy, joyful times.
Then there are the devastating times of mourning.
We all go through both events during at least one point in our lives.
But something we’re never prepared for is when the two are joined.
The evening before Ben and Vanessa were married, Ben’s grandfather, Harry LaHood passed away, at age 85.
He was surrounded by family and loved ones at the time of his passing, and lived a beautiful, long, impactful life.
When I heard of the news, I could not even imagine what this sweet family must have been feeling. Heartache, loss, mourning, grieving, numbness.
I know that’s what I felt when my grandfather passed away, two years ago.
And I began thinking.
When planning a wedding, there is so much time spent on the things that in the end, truly do not matter.
Flowers, center pieces, rose petals, veils, aisle runners, pew bows, sparklers, bubbles, etc. etc.
When in reality, if any of the materialistic things went missing, no one would notice. They would not be missed.
But when a family member who was dear to many hearts, was missing from the day?
Everyone noticed.
I think many weddings are spent on the details, the materialistic things, and the added parts to the day. And we lose sight of who the day is really truly about: the bride and the groom. And all of their loved ones there to witness them to say “I do.”
I arrived in the morning to the hotel to begin photographing for the big day, and from that morning until the moment I left that evening, in every room I was in with each of them, I felt nothing but love surrounding all around.
There was love, there was joy, there was laughter, and there were tears.
But they were beautiful tears reminiscing on the legacy that Ben’s grandfather left for them all – the impact he made on all of their lives today.
I witnessed more hugs, more kisses, more shared tears and held hands, and more love outpouring from every individual that day, than I had ever seen in my life.
And my heart was touched.
This is what weddings should be all about, friends.
Focused on the joy, the laughter, the memories, the couple, the family, the friends, the love.
Heaven gained an angel on November 2, 2018, but that angel was celebrated right alongside a beautiful marriage, just 24 hours later.
And what a blessed marriage this will be for years to come.
Ben and Vanessa, thank you for entrusting me to capture your day. Thank you for showing so many what love truly looks like. And I am so thankful I was a part of such a touching day, to capture the celebration of family, friendships, legacies, and love.
Here’s to your forever.
xoxo
