Melissa + Nick | A Surprise Wedding!
This wedding was a surprise! (more on that later…)
If you know much about me, you probably know that I’m obsessed with old photos. When I was a kid we had this giant Longaberger basket on top of our wardrobe that housed piles of old photos. I would climb to the top of the wardrobe and dig out a handful of photos to look through. When I finished that handful I would climb up and grab more, until the entire contents of the basket were now on our living room floor. I think the appeal was both of love of nostalgia and an appreciation for stories.
A little over a year ago, we received an inquiry for wedding photography. Here is a direct quote from that inquiry…
“When I was little, every time I went to one of my grandma’s houses, I was always itching to pull out the old photo albums. I was very lucky because there are many. I became very familiar with them. Whenever we have welcomed someone into our family throughout the years, it never fails that we pull out the albums. Pointing to the most embarrassing pictures. Arguing over who that baby actually is. Reminiscing on weddings, graduations, and holidays. I want that for my family. It is obvious in your work that you love what you do. Your images (and videos) seem to capture the intangibles – personalities and emotions. They are intimate and unique.”
Ummm…..DREAM BRIDE ALERT! It was as if this bride was speaking to my heart. Like she knew the value I place on old family photos and the very reason that I am a photographer in the first place. The first time we met up with Nick and Melisa it was at a coffee shop in New Albany and she brought some of her favorite family photos with her. If you can have client crush, this would be it 😉
Getting to the surprise part…
As you would guess, we all drank coffee, became friends, and a year later (This past Saturday) we photographed their wedding! One thing you should know is that this wasn’t just any ordinary wedding. This wedding was a complete surprise to their family and friends who thought they were attending a couples wedding shower. When guests arrived, they received a letter from Melissa and Nick telling them that they would actually be witnessing a wedding ceremony! Obviously, this totally upped the fun factor and the shock and excitement were evident. Check out one of the most fun weddings we have ever witnessed.
“To me, it felt like Nick and I were in a bubble and that everyone else was on the outside looking in. So seeing him had this very calming effect on me; it was so comforting. It was very reassuring to be with the person who could relate the most to me and see this thing that we had planned for so long come to fruition. ”
“We felt so much love from everyone. I can’t tell you how many times the bridal party huddled together just to say that we loved and appreciated each other. They did so many check-ins and pep talks during the day and truly just stuck by my side. And our families… seeing them roll with the surprise and be genuinely excited was the best. ”
As guests arrived they read a letter that said…
You may be wondering why the chairs are set up in such a ridiculous layout for a shower. Where are we going to eat? How will we all enjoy each other’s company? Well, the time has come for us to confess. You did not just walk into a poorly organized couples shower. Instead, you have arrived at our wedding. That’s right, we are getting married this very evening. Surprise! We hope you forgive us for our little white lie. We thought this might just be more fun for you, and especially for us!
“For me, it made total sense. We have always marched to the beat of our own drum. And have always kind of created or own path, so a wedding that relied solely on us together was exciting. We also wanted to do something that was fun for our family, something that they would definitely remember.”
“The ceremony was way too perfect. Emily spoke as if she known us forever and through the course of our relationship. Melissa’s words were so beautiful and the nerves were all gone as everyone joked and had a good time.
I loved how hyped the wedding party was after the ceremony it was a huge celebration and it felt so good. After being life long friends with all of them, it was so great to finally be celebrating that moment. It was so genuine and you could feel the love.”
To Nick and Melissa, congratulations on your wedding and more importantly your marriage. We look forward to watching you as you grow in love and continue to challenge and support one another. Cheers to a life of laughter together!
