Working with Alli and Dan could not have been better. Normally working with an out-of-town couple can have some challenges. However, Alli’s family was a huge help. Working with her mother before the wedding made all the difference in the world. Plus, I felt a personal connection to Alli and Dan. They were referred to me by friends and live in my old home town – Chicago.

The wedding was entirely hosted by the Renaissance, with the ceremony and reception in different rooms. The design created by Kim Singerman of Noteworthy Events was stylish, opulent and understated all at the same time. Various tones of white were used throughout and it looked amazing. The reception was lit beautifully to really show off the hotel. To compliment the great design, the team at Stephen Tokar Floral & Designs brought in some amazing floral arrangements. They draped a custom-made chuppah in white orchids and used complimentary flowers to decorate the tables.

So what really kept the guests going late into the night? None other than the Jerry Bruno Orchestra. They were so much fun and created an high-energy atmosphere. Below are just a few of my favorite photographs from the day -

Alli’s sisters and mother helped her to slip into her gorgeous wedding dress. The full veil was perfect for Alli. We then headed out into downtown Cleveland for a first look.

Coordinating a first look in an open space can always be tough. Thankfully, it was a little easier this time because we had a great team to help out.

Oooh – so exciting! The anticipation always kills me.

I love Dan’s reaction to seeing Alli for the first time. That reaction is why I always recommend a first look if my clients are willing.

One of the best times during a Jewish wedding ceremony is signing the Ketubah (marriage contract). The families gather around as the rabbi reads the document and the bridal party signs it. I really like the wide-angle photojournalistic shot above.

As I noted above, Alli and Dan’s wedding chuppah was gorgeous. It was draped top to bottom in white orchids, candles and beaded crystal threads.

All happiness and cheers on their wedding day!

The reception design created by Noteworthy Events and Stephen Tokar was lavish and classic! Simple white flowers throughout to match each place setting. Even more so, the lighting design really lit up the room (pun completely intended).

Alli’s sisters gave the most heart-felt and hysterical toast. They know Alli and Dan so well, and clearly love them to death.

Alli and Dan’s first dance backed by the Jerry Bruno Orchestra was great. All of the wedding guests stood and cheered the happy couple.

 The photo above is definitely my favorite. I have a real soft spot for emotional father-daughter dances. Plus, you can just see Alli’s sister in the background snapping a pic of her own.

Of course it wouldn’t be a wedding without the traditional Hora dance. Alli’s mother later commented that it was one of the longest and largest she has seen. I believer her! I was exhausted by the end.

I think you can see the real excitement above. Everyone, including your’s truly, was so excited for Alli and Dan. You gotta love weddings full of love.

To end, the Jerry Bruno Orchestra doing their thing. One of Alli’s bride’s maids jumped in on the singing action. So, that’s all for today. Definitely stop back soon as I have more coming to the website. Also, give us a “like” on Facebook where you can keep up with our current work.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Jessica and Justin really deserved a special day, especially Jessica. As it turned out, everything went smoothly and seemingly perfectly. The Abbey was a gorgeous place to hold their ceremony. Normally only the domain of monks, the Abbey opened their doors just for this lovely couple. The weather cast a bright light over the Cleveland Cultural gardens. Lastly, La Malfa put on a real show for their returning guests. You see, Justin’s family has held their weddings with La Malfa for years. As I said, familiarity is good.

Below are just a few highlights from a good day, one that I felt was filled with friendship -

A new iPad for the wedding? Yes please! Something I saw a lot this year was grooms recording heart-felt videos for their bride to watch on the wedding day. I love the personal touch.

There may have been a little dancing before the wedding ceremony.

This was my first time to St. Andrew’s Abbey at the Benedictine School and I love it for two simple reasons – giant double-doors and a hoop of lights over the alter.

Jessica and Justin are truly blessed – they had four priests to oversee their wedding and received a personal blessing from the Pope (see below)! Remember I mentioned the value of familiarity? Father Michael recognized me and took a moment to make sure I got the shot below. It was welcome and quite embarrassing at the same time (I like to blend in).

I about died when I saw the photo above. This is truly one of my favorites from the whole year. Such a simple thing – a hoop of lights.

I love proud parents, and bless the Jakab’s – two weddings in one year!

Some of my favorite formal photos are actually the less formal ones. Loose groups of friends just seem so much more natural than people standing in straight lines.

Even though it was late October, you couldn’t tell in Cleveland. The sun beaming through the still-green trees was amazing.

The above photo says so much to me. Jessica and Justin seem ready to march into the bright and beautiful future they have ahead.

Jessica and Justin put on a real show at the wedding reception for their first dance. They had practiced a gorgeous dance and executed it to perfection.

Now this is a sight to see – the dance floor slammed packed with people for the very first song. The DJ did an amazing job getting everyone on the dance floor. It was like nothing I have seen before!

Jessica and Justin definitely have a bright and beautiful future ahead. They are an extraordinary couple with wonderful family to support them, and I’m sure they will have very accomplished lives together. That’s all for the moment. More is definitely coming soon. In the meantime, Facebook is a great way to keep up with what we are working on currently.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

They may have been lucky to have had great weather in mid-October, but the fun they created was no luck. Surrounded by a great group of friends and loving family, the day featured one of the most passionate wedding ceremonies I have ever seen. The time we took for formal photos was fun and filled with laughter. Later that night, the reception at Cleveland’s Union Club was magical. The whole day could not have gone any better.

Below are just a few of my favorite moments, with little notes to match -

When I walked in, Jesi rushed to show me here new shoes. I think she was almost more proud of her shoes than the dress.

As a wedding gift, Alex gave Jesi a video recorder for the honeymoon, complete with a heart felt video pre-recorded for her to watch. To say the video was moving would be an understatement.

I think Jesi would have brought her dog do the wedding if she could. Such a cute dog too!

I love all of the mothers of brides. They work so hard to help their daughters plan fabulous weddings in exchange for a simple hug on the wedding day.

Given the a day full of love, I expected tears at the wedding ceremony. However, they came from an unexpected source. This was a first for me, and oh so perfect!

Through the whole ceremony, Jesi and Alex were simply beaming. Below is one of my favorite shots. I love it when couples pause for a kiss during the recessional.

With such a great group of friends, the formal photos were filled with laughter and great candid moments. Jesi and Alex had some big plans for their formal photos and they came out better than I anticipated.

Above is such a simple photo, and I love the sense of space and the little details that provide clues to the downtown Cleveland location. Below are two of my favorites. A private, candid moment and a deep passionate wedding day kiss.

The Union Club really shined for Jesi & Alex’s wedding. The flowers, colors, cake and details looked perfect together, and they really set the tone for a magical evening.

I happened to be with Jesi when she selected the gold-sequined table cloths. She was absolutely right – they sparkled wonderfully in the light.

Alex’s best man gave the funniest toast of the year. The whole room, including yours truly, was roaring with laughter. Jesi’s sister and maid of honor then had the whole room crying with joy.

One thing that really set Jesi and Alex’s wedding apart was the copious use of light. The Union Club features a star-lit dance floor. Added in was additional dance floor and room lighting. It really made the couple, and the room, shine!

Let’s not forget mothers of the grooms. Below is a tight embrace from Alex to his mother at the end of their dance. The photo below demonstrates what I look for most – photos with real, honest emotion.

Party time! And what a party it was. The band had the dance floor rocking all night long. I have never seen a crowd dance so much!

If your looking for one thing to set your wedding apart, love will do just fine. It seems like such a simple thing, but it depends on everyone at the wedding. Jesi and Alex’ family filled the room with love and it made a huge difference. The locations they chose were also magical. To be a small part of their wedding was a joy.

Look for more weddings and engagements from this year coming soon. Also, don’t forget to look us up on Facebook to see what we are working on at the moment.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

The focus of their wedding seemed simply to be love and family. During preparation, the first thing we did was spend time with Molly’s family. Her bridal party consisted of her four sisters, a soon to be sister-in-law, plus a few dear friends. We took the opportunity to capture portraits of the beautiful ladies together with Molly’s parents. I knew going in that a “must have” was a nice portrait of Molly with just her mother and sisters.

The wedding ceremony at Solon’s St. Rita Church overflowed with love. The tone during the homely was simply one of joy as the minister recounted heartfelt stories about Molly and Zac. I must admit that I privately laughed along with the family at the ministers remarks. Thankfully the layout of the church afforded us a unique opportunity to capture reactions of friends and family during the wedding ceremony. A treat I won’t soon forget. Every time someone say “we’re getting married in Solon”, I hope it is soon followed by “at St. Rita”.

Speaking of treats, working for the first time at Cleveland’s famous Landerhaven during the wedding reception was delicious. Seriously, we only get a chance to eat once during the entire day. It really can be exhausting, so a meal is always welcome. But Landerhaven laid out the most amazing spread for us lowly photographers. With batteries recharged, we rushed into the reception. The band struck up and the dance floor was packed. Nearly the entire night, the five sisters and Mother danced together. The entire crowd may have sung a special version of “Goodbye Earl”, but you didn’t hear that from me.

For Molly and Zac – thank you! Your wedding meant more to me than I think you know. Simply, thank you for including us. Oh, and Brooke say “Hiya!” Now, here are just a few of my many favorites -

Molly looked truly radiant in her feathered dress, one unlike any other. It was truly gorgeous. Almost better were the bride’s maids dressed in picture-perfect green seersucker dresses. I remember asking Molly about her wedding colors. When she said seersucker, I nearly fell out of my chair. I have always wanted a seersucker suit (yes, I have an addiction to suits, too). I wonder if I can find that green seersucker fabric? I think I would look sharp in green.

Before the ceremony I spent a little extra time hidden away with Molly and the bride’s maids. Their love for Molly on her big day and the look of adoration they shared was priceless.

It’s rare that we can conspicuously get close to the action during the ceremony. St. Rita afforded us a comfortable vantage point to closely capture all of the wedding ceremony action and reaction.

I believe it was Molly who originally suggested bridal portraits in Chagrin Falls. I wasn’t convinced it would work without being cliche, but boy was I wrong. We ended up there after our primary location was finished. Since that time, Chagrin Falls has become one of my favorite spots. I might claim it’s because Chagrin is a gorgeous backdrop. Other’s know it is really because Jeni’s Ice Cream has a shop in Chagrin.

Molly mentioned wanting a picture of her Grandfather, but she never mentioned that he was a retired photographer. He saw the polaroid hanging over my shoulder and we just started chatting. I’m so happy he found the camera interesting enough to tinker with it for a while.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Katie grew up spending her summers at the Chautauqua Institution with her family. She has many fond memories of the area, so she decided to host the wedding around the Chautauqua area. It’s important to use pieces from your life to design your wedding. The wedding will take on an amazing personal feel, something everyone seeks to accomplish. Because Katie and Mischa had planned such a personal wedding, everyone had an amazing time the entire weekend. Chautauqua is a Victorian-style community, so the wedding was designed to echo the local design. Not just another “vintage wedding”, Katie’s design drew heavily on her actual memories of the area.

Katie and Mischa’s personal touch spread beyond the wedding design. You could see it manifested in their love for each other, love for their friends and for family. Their friends gave amazing, personal readings during the ceremony. The Maid of Honor gave the most heartfelt toast and had everyone in tears. The love that surrounded the entire wedding party made capturing their wedding photos easy – all I needed to do was stand back and not get in the way. The effort they put into the wedding and the love that surrounded the day really comes out in the photographs. I hope you enjoy the highlights below as much as Katie, Mischa and I did.

The wedding rehearsal could not have been more fun. People were rushing to hug old friends they had not seen in years. Even the ring bearer got a standing ovation when he successfully made it down the aisle without getting distracted.

The rehearsal dinner was held on the Chautauqua Belle, an old paddle ship that cruised along Lake Chautauqua during sunset. The scenery was just amazing. However, I think the food was better. Hello lobster!

Katie’s dress was one of the best I’ve seen all year (or all time really). It matched her figure and wedding design perfectly. I personally loved the two-tone style and the detailed embroidery.

First look photos are always my favorite, and they are even better with the family dog. Did I mention we love dogs! We used the porch of the Athenaeum Hotel due to a little rain passing through the area.

Even the horse came dressed for the occasion. Metal hearts and lucky horseshoes covered the carriage and tack.

Following the ceremony, the wedding party simply to the reception – held at the Bell Tower in a gorgeous tent. The flowers and little details were amazing. I hear the food and drinks were even better.

After a sunset cocktail hour on the edge of Lake Chautauqua, it was time for toasts, dinner and dancing. The band played late into the night as nearly everyone was on the dance floor. I think even the grandparents got into the energy.

Katie and Mischa’s wedding ended up being one of my most enjoyable this year. The weather was a little worrying, but it held off until my late-night drive home. If you’re still considering your wedding plans, think about how to make the wedding personal. Buck the “industry” trends and do something important to you. In the end, considering a personalized wedding will make for a better, more loving experience.

P.S. – In hindsight, I should have stayed in Chautauqua through Sunday. It would have given me a chance to produce some nice personal work. The scenery is just so beautiful.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Their wedding ceremony was held in the open air, right on top of the viaduct. From that vantage point, the wedding ceremony featured an amazing city skyline backdrop. Following the ceremony, a gorgeous reception commenced inside Ponte Vecchio, which was just a few feet away. Since that time, I have revisited the viaduct many times, using the location for a couple great engagement sessions.

Katie and Rob are also a great example of how a well-planned wedding can be both amazingly gorgeous and sensibly affordable. They brought together great vendors, locations, decorations, friends and family to make a truly memorable event. Everything was beautifully modest and clean, creating a well integrated setting. Heck, I almost felt like setting down the camera, grabbing a drink and joining the obvious fun.

Below are just a few of my favorites from their city skyline wedding. Further below are some additional details about their wonderful wedding -

“Butters” the dog. I didn’t get the rabbits name.

While waiting for her family, Katie stood peacefully in her living room. The above-right shot is my favorite, because it is natural.

Katie and Rob chose to do a First Look before the ceremony. It worked wonderfully and further convinced me a First Look is the way to go.

Downtown Cleveland is one of my favorite places for formal photos. It offers great backgrounds and unique locations all within walking distance.

Above is a scene from the Superior Viaduct. I just love the cool tones of the building in the background, and the wonderful shadow it creates.

The wedding design inside Ponte Vecchio was to my liking perfectly – simple, clean and beautiful.

One thing I really liked about the wedding was a great opportunity to shoot the food during prep, and the service as well.

Towards the end of the night, when the light was just perfect, we headed outside for a few more portraits. I like to do this whenever possible. The light at sun-down just makes for the most amazing photos.

Why YES, that is too men locked arm-in-arm while drinking Appletini’s! Why do you ask?

Clearly from the above, a good location and some great planning can make for a wonderful wedding. Katie and Rob definitely found a great team. Speaking of which, big thanks to Amy Hissa from At Last Event Planning for amazing wedding plan, design and for being a wonderful host. Off Broadway Flowers provide some really gorgeous arrangements and A Cookie & A Cupcake delivered some amazing treats. Last, the team from Something New Entertainment really got the crowd rocking after dinner. Thank you all for such a wonderful time!

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Their wedding was in Fairflied, Ohio, which is a bit of suburbia near Cincinnati. Suburbia can be good and bad for photos. The good – nice open spaces. The bad – it can look a little like, well, suburbia. We were discussing possible location ideas weeks before the wedding. Fairfield is on the other side of the state, so I couldn’t scout locations and provide advice as I normally do. We had kicked around some good ideas, but trouble was, they were just “good.” Katie and Jerry really deserved GREAT! With a little trust, they let me run with some location ideas.

I contacted a horse farm not far the other wedding locations. After just a couple emails, the farm was happy to let us use their property. I recommended the horse farm as a wedding location for a few reasons. It offered open spaces and great structure. As well, Jerry had rented a vintage Ford Model-A sedan for transportation. I thought the mix of horses and horsepower would work well. In the end, Jerry and Katie loved the location, and the photographs even more so. The farm ended up really fitting well with the flow of the entire wedding.

My clients usually give me a little trust from the start. I think this is because most of them find me through personal recommendations from friends and family. After that, I work hard to build trust and am thankful for every ounce. Hopefully, you can see below why trust works and a little influence can make a big difference -

The note above was written by Katie’s grandmother and the necklace is “Something Old”. I hear from the family that Katie’s grandmother teared up a little when she saw this picture. She loved the photo so much because she was unable to attend the wedding in person.

Katie was kind enough to get prepared in her sister’s old bedroom. The white walls really made for a nice, clean background.

Above you can see why I love the idea of sharing love letters before the wedding. Certainly, Katie’s were tears of joy.

Above, Jerry reading a note from Katie while awaiting her arrival for the first look.

I love the curious nature of horses. When we arrived, they were all back in their stalls eating oats. Within just minutes, they were checking out the new visitors.

Above are just a couple of Katie and Jerry’s first look photos. More are available in a post specifically about the first look.

Jerry chose the perfect tuxedo. It was not a rental, but a custom tailored suit.

Vintage car for the get-away – yes please!

The emotion above is priceless for the grand entrance. The little bit of motion blur really helps to convey the energy.

A funny Best Man’s toast is easy. Jerry’s best man gave the most amazing toast I have ever heard. It was funny and sincerely heart felt. I’m still amazed.

I think Jerry was amazed by the toast as well. His brother left no doubt that he loves Jerry very much.

Yes, that is an auto racing themed cake topper. There’s nothing wrong with that. Oh, time for some dancing!

Shout, Shout, Shout Shout!

Believe it or not, the above dancing shots all took place in just 20 minutes. Katie and Jerry really got the room hopping from the start!

There was one other thing really unique about this wedding for me. I normally work with the same great second photographer all the time. However, Michael needed a substitute for this wedding. Lisa of Brightside was kind enough to step in. She really was amazing the entire weekend. I will be forever thankful for her amazing help.  Also big thanks to the wonderful people at Walnut Creek Stables. They were amazingly generous with their time and so courteous.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Simply put, Katie and Jerry are like family. They were referred to me by close friends and former clients. We share much in common and hit it off right from the start. They had requested to do a First Look before the wedding ceremony, which is one of my favorite things. To make the First Look special, I spent a couple weeks building the perfect plan. I don’t live near Fairfield, so I had to do all the planning over the internet. Using Google Maps, I scoured the area for someplace suitable. I finally settled on Walnut Creek Stables. Walnut Creek is a horse farm and I knew the mix of stables, barns, and open pastures would be the perfect setting. Of course the location was made more perfect by the antique Ford Model-A that Jerry had hired. This most amazing conveyance is from the time when horsepower replaced horses.

There is really nothing more needed to setup the photos below. We simply stood back and waited for Katie to arrive. The rest unfolded perfectly on it’s own. To put a great finish on the First Look photos, we also captured their bridal portraits at the same time. Below are just a few of my favorites from a very large set -

I love the curious horses. As soon as we arrived, they all stuck their heads out to see what was happening.

The above is one of my favorites not because it’s a stunning photo, but because of the emotion of the moment.

Jerry was very wise to select a tailor-made tuxedo for the wedding day. It fit him perfectly and was so much better than a rental.

That’s all for today. Definitely keep an eye out for the second part, which should be posted in just a couple days. If you are considering a First Look for your wedding day, I say go for it. They are simply amazing for more reasons than just the photography. However, the photos always turn out great as well!

See y'all soon,
Hunter

It just rolls off the tongue – “We kissed, under the willow tree” or “He said,’I love you’, under the willow tree” or “We sat and watched the stars, under the willow tree.”

“Perfect” for Brian and Holly was found “under the willow tree.” When their June wedding day finally arrived, the heavy spring rains had just passed. The gardens were fresh and in early summer bloom.

Most meaningful for me was the warmth that flowed from Holly, Brian and their families. I could feel their welcome and kindness the entire time I was working with them. At one point, Holly’s mother could see I was a little anxious. With just a couple kind words, she permanently changed the way I work. Somehow, in that moment, I found a “photography zen” that sticks with me to this day.

Below are some of my favorites from their wedding day. I have become personally attached to Holly and Brian’s images and I had a tough time choosing among them. So, there are more below than usual -

Yes those are leopard-print shoes, and they were smashing!

“Keep Calm and Carry On” sees like as good a mantra as any.

Holly’s sister, in her fine pink dress, was as much a joy to work with as Holly herself.

The Willow Tree (I thought it deserved capital letters). It’s positioned on a small peninsula gutting out into a large pond. The branches descend from the canopy and nearly touch the water, and the leaves are a marvelous teal-green. Underneath rests a bench, with Holly and Brian.

After the arboretum, we headed over to Lantern Court for the wedding reception. Lantern Court is an old mansion attached to the Holden property. Much like the gardens, Latern Court is like a little dream world. The wine was furnished by Holly’s dad and is homemade.

Holly used bud vases and a selection of flowers to help guests find their tables. As intended, all the guest took their flowers home.

No wedding is complete without shots of Jack Daniels…WAIT, what?

Holly and Brian’s wedding cake featured a vintage cake-topper that was used on Holly’s parents wedding cake.

For their first dance, Brian secretly wrote and recorded a song just for Holly. Far from cheesy, it was down-right amazing!

At dusk, the Lantern Court staff lit luminaries lining the drive just for Holly and Brian. As they took an evening stroll alone, I snapped just a few pictures. I’m told the wedding reception ended with non-stop dancing.

Brooke and I are really looking forward to our next dinner with Holly and Brian. At the last one, we got a chance to compare our notes from mutual, but separate, vacations to Napa. Now we just need to find a suitable restaurant.

See y'all soon,
Hunter

Taking a step back, I should note that I didn’t yell the famous Admiral Ackbar quote “It’s a trap”, despite being tempted. You see, this is the first wedding where I have seen rain. I needed a solution and fast. I sent Michael for some umbrellas and I worked with the driver to get the transportation brought closer. In just a few minutes we had everything solved.

We moved off to the back-up location and got some amazing wedding photos. Truth be told, I think the “in case of rain” location worked better.

How about the rest of the wedding? It was simply filled with Jennifer and Chris’ amazing presence. They had such a beautiful wedding ceremony and an even better reception. Their friends were a blast, everyone danced, and the night was picture perfect. Below are just a few of my favorites with some commentary -

Jennifer’s wedding dress was out of this world! It was the perfect dress for her and she looked radiant.

Clearly the Maid of Honor came to party! She was an absolute riot from the start, and really welcoming too.

Just before the ceremony, I went upstairs to spend some time with the ladies. They were all watching the room below, patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin. I snapped just the one photo above.

The lighting throughout the wedding ceremony was simply amazing. Windows on the River has huge banks of windows throughout the building. They were an amazing backdrop on such a sunny day (except for the one moment of rain).

I still cannot believe we got this bouquet toss so perfectly, thanks to my amazing second photographer, Michael.

I hear party went on late into the night. I just wish I could have stayed longer and had more fun. If you would like to see more of Jennifer and Chris’ journey, make sure to have a look at their winter wonderland engagement session and custom designed Save the Date cards.

Now that wedding season is in full swing, I will have quite a bit more coming soon. I just need to find the time to gather my thoughts and work on the site. Cheers until next time!

See y'all soon,
Hunter