Magical Winter Wedding

This past weekend I had the most unexpected magical winter wedding!  In late November,  Sara and Peter were planning a fall wedding, but Mother Nature had other plans!  The day started off with overcast gray skies and mild temperatures.  I prayed the expected precipitation would be snow and not rain.  I never could have imagined that three inches of snow would fall in a few hours in big huge fluffy flakes!  This wasn’t just any snowfall.  It was the wet snow that clings to tree branches and turns the world into a magical winter wonderland!

 

Family Ties

Family is so important to Peter and Sara and that was evident in everything about their wedding day.  From the date itself to the details, to the reception speeches.   Above all, it was evident in their approach to creating a Christ-centered marriage.  They began investing in their family even before the ceremony.   As they spent time planning their wedding day they also attended a marriage class called Becoming One, where they learned tools for building the foundation for a strong marriage.

To symbolize the foundation of their marriage, Sara and Peter choose to incorporate a knot tying ceremony into their wedding.  They made the beautiful wooden plaque they used for this tradition based on the verse  “A strand of three cords is not easily broken” – Ecclesiastics 4:12.

Sara’s grandma, is an amazing basket weaver, and wove  baskets for the wedding day–for the programs, the flower girl…   As Sara was growing up she spent many hours with her grandma sharing their love of basket weaving.  Sara and her grandma have such a close and special relationship.  When she and Peter picking a wedding date, they  choose to share the anniversary date of Sara’s grandparents and an aunt and uncle, too!

 

Something Borrowed, something blue….

Sara had the sweetest, most sentimental bridal details!  All of the women in her family  for three  generations have worn the same necklace on their wedding day.  Sara borrowed her moms earrings, that went beautifully with the necklace!  Just days before the wedding they stitched a heart cut from the lining of  grandma’s wedding dress into Sara’s dress with blue thread.  What a sweet tribute of this bittersweet day for Sara’s grandma, who lost her husband suddenly and unexpectedly over the summer.  Are you crying, yet?  Because I’m crying as I type….

 

First Look with a Twist

I can’t recommend first looks enough!  Sara and Peter put a lot of thought and prayer into their decision to do a first look.  As a result, they put their own twist on the first look.  Before their first look, they had a first touch  around a corner, praying together for each other and their marriage.  Then they moved right into a first look.  A beautiful, emotion filled-first look where he swept her off her feet and spun her around!  We then moved into portrait time and it quickly became time for the ceremony!  That’s when it happened!  We went into the ceremony with drab gray skies, and came out of the ceremony to a magical winter wonderland!

 

I could go on and on about how special this couple is.  How their day was filled with love, joy, fun, friendship and family, but we’d be here all day!  So grab a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy just a few of my favorites from the magical winter wedding!  It was so hard to choose just a few!!!

 

Thank you so much Peter & Sara for giving me the honor of capturing your special day!

 

 

Wedding Venue |Hope Missionary Church

Reception Venue | Wells County 4-H Park

Florals | TL Beck Floral Design Studio

Videography | DE Media Design

Wedding Dress | Jessica’s on Main

Veil | Rachelle Gegg Mother of the Groom

Bridesmaid’s Dresses | David’s Bridal

Hair & Make-up | Lexi Rae Hair Studio

Groom’s attire | Macy’s

Ties Groom & Father of the Bride | Men’s Warehouse

Ties Groomsmen, Ushers, Ring  Bearer | The Tie Bar

Flower Girl Dress | Rachelle Gegg Mother of the Groom

Rings | Vierk’s Fine Jewelry

Cake | Addie Gerber friend of the bride

Tarts | Cathy Bryant -Gegg family friend

Reception Decor| Party with Pizzazz by Connie Sprunger

Catering | Nadean’s 

Stationary | Simply to Impress

DJ &MC | Caleb Bertsch family friend

Second shooter | Isabella Stutzman

 

Recently engaged?  Check out wedding planning tips here:  Top 5 Things to do When you Get Engaged   and  The Next Steps: What to do After You Get Engaged

To learn more about the Simply Seeking Photography wedding experience click here:  The Wedding Experience 

blessings,

Julie