This week’s couple is Kitty and Ryan.  They are a couple that met later in life.  Fate brought them together and love is what bonds them. Kitty is a bubbly retired manager  and now with encouragement from Ryan she is an executive assistant business owner!  They both have some wonderful supportive children.

The wedding took place at my favorite venue Naylor Hall. I arrived early to get an idea of the layout since Ryan and Kitty changed plans and decided to have the wedding indoors because of the weather.  The pros at Naylor are nimble and resourceful and can adapt to any situation.  I was greeted by Abby who has been working there for years and is Sunny the owner's right hand.  She is such an amazing person who is cool under pressure and shows such grace.  Whenever I am there I feel like I am coming home to my family.

After I chatted with Abbey I went upstairs and got the wedding dress and shoes.  It was a beautiful evening dress with a slight mermaid cut to it with a small train at the bottom.  It also had some trim around the front of the dress with a cuff around the top.  The shoes were open toed and practical for a wedding where you are going to be moving a lot. Just as I was finishing up with the detail shots the rest of the team arrived.

Sarah and Kaleb came in the door and it was like getting the band back together. Sarah has shot over 100 weddings with me and our styles of photography complements each other.  She has been a great shooting partner for over 6 years.  Kaleb I have known since he was in high school.  He was suggested to me by my son Dylan.  He shoots videos and edits.  He took a break and went to med school and is a few months away from being an anesthesiologist.  When we got together we each knew what to do and where to be during the wedding.

When the bride arrived she put on her dress and as she was doing that we put the groom in his room.  Once she was dressed we brought her down stairs for their first look.  She was tucked behind the curtains in the parlor.   I then brought down the groom and had him put his back to the parlor.  She snuck out from the curtains and snuck up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.  He turned around and saw the most beautiful woman in the world.  He got emotional seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time and she hugged her husband and best friend Ryan.

After the first look we did a few shots outside before the guests arrived.  Kitty and Ryan were so playful like a bunch of giddy teenagers. They were flirty with each other and were enjoying their time together before the guests arrived.  Kaleb directed a few shots for his video and like the bride whisperer she is, Sarah softly directed them to create some tender moments together.  We then went inside for a few more photos and started with the family photos.  Both of their parents arrived.  Kitty’s parents have been married 60 years and Ryan’s parents have been married 50 years. They are great examples of the power of love.  We finished the photos with the children and parents then it was show time!

Since the wedding was inside the guests took their seats in the ballroom. The seating was tight since part of the room was filled with the evening’s band equipment.  It was a mix of family and close friends from Georgia and Florida.  They were giddy with excitement of seeing these two tie the knot.  Once everyone was seated the wedding procession started.  First the minister walked in then the parents were seated.  The bride was escorted down with her father.  It was a fairly simple ceremony with exchanging of rings and vows.  The one thing that was different was after they were announced husband and wife and kissed. The minister did a short prayer over the couple before then they walked down the aisle as husband and wife.

Since we had done all the photos before the ceremony the bride and groom went straight into the reception. There were about 120 guests spread out throughout Naylor.  Once they were out of the ballroom the team at Naylor swiftly swung into action and changed the seating from a ceremony to dining tables in no time flat.  It was a remarkable feat and a true testament to their professionalism.

 After the guests were served dinner  it was time for toasts.  The first one up was Ryan’s young daughter who knocked it out of the park.  She shared how she saw Kitty and Ryan steadily fall in love.  How good she felt when her father found happiness with his best friend.  Then it was time for Kitty’s daughter and she told the story of how Kitty and Ryan met because she was there!  It was a fun little tale and with a lot of good natured teasing of Ryan who pretended to be embarrassed.  Then Ryan came up and spoke from his heart, a place where most great toasts come from.  He was so grateful to all his family and guests but most of all for finding Kitty.

Once the toasts were done the party started in full with the band kicking it off.  They were a great band who knew how to get the group up and dancing.  The singer was all over the place dancing and going around with the guests and getting them singing too.  It was a fun time for all.  

When it was time for the exit the chef made little to go containers with hamburger sliders with tater tots for the guests.  We handed out the rose pedals to the guests and the bride and groom came running out the door to the crowd tossing the petals in the air.  It was a great ending to a great wedding while also being the last wedding of the year for the photographers at Atlanta Artistic Weddings.

Thanks for checking out this Atlanta wedding photographers blog! I hope you enjoyed the read and that it inspired you with some new ideas. Make sure you keep coming back to our blog to see what the Atlanta wedding photographers at Atlanta Artistic Weddings are up to! If you’d like to contact me go to the contact page and drop me a line at https://www.atlantaartisticweddings.com/contact-atlanta-wedding-photographer. I would love to hear from you!

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