I will say this until I am blue in the face, but the most important part, truly the only important part, about your wedding day, is that you love it. It’s a day entirely devoted to celebrating the love you and your partner share. There are people out there who will tell you that you have to do this, include that, dance with this person, dedicate this song, and if that is what you want to do – do it. If it’s not, then please don’t. If you want simple, do simple. If you want something private, do a private ceremony. If you want to do it at home, do it at home. & that’s exactly what Jazlyn and Tyler did. 

After a journey down a long dirt road, twisting between barns, and the most beautiful rolling hills, I came upon a farm on the hill looking over hundreds of acres of family land. This home was a family friend of Tyler’s, someone he had grown very close with over the last few years. When Jazlyn reached out to me originally to schedule their elopement, her exact words were “We will maybe do a private ceremony just us two, or court house wedding. But all I want is beautiful pictures.” After our initial call, I learned just how important this property was to them and we knew they had to do it there. 

So on a warm June morning I packed up my car and headed for Sanford. When I arrived, it was even more beautiful than they had described and I was so excited for them. They did their first look in the front yard, overlooking one of the ponds. Even the summer sun couldn’t hide the joy they had in their eyes. It was beautiful.

After their first look, and a few touch ups we headed to the field for the ceremony. Jazlyn had expressed to me that their only desire was to get married, and be present. With Jazlyn, Tyler, a cooler and myself in tow we headed towards their ceremony spot. A close family friend officiated, and beyond that the only attendees were the birds, bugs, and creatures alike. They said their vows underneath a late morning sun and then, they were married. They took celebratory shots, and signed their license. We loaded up once again and headed towards the pond for their first dance. 

I had my JBL speaker with me, and queued up their first dance song: Give It All We Got Tonight by George Strait. As I stood back and watched them dance away for the first time as newlyweds underneath a large tree next to the pond, I couldn’t help but feel so full. I watched as they finished dancing, and held each other, looking out across the pond as they took it in. Their wedding day, this moment, these feelings. Oftentimes we get swept away into the depths of wedding planning. Making sure this person can be there, and not upsetting this family member, or sometimes it’s just the overall stress of planning an event. Either way, it can get to us and then it begins to take away the magic of what the day is truly about; love. 

If there is one thing that I could tell every person on earth, whether you’re wedding planning or not, is to take a moment, and look around. Soak it in. Feel this moment that you’re in, because it’s fleeting. There’s so many chapters in life, and being able to make it to another one is such a gift. There is so much to think about on a wedding day, whether you have a large wedding, or a small elopement like Jazlyn and Tyler. It can go by in the blink of an eye, but if you are intentional about your choices, and take a moment to slow down, it can truly be the most wonderful choice you’ve ever made. 

I am so grateful that Jazlyn and Tyler let me be a part of their day, and be a witness to their life. Their wedding truly embodied to me what it means to be intentional about your wedding day, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

With love,

Han