Ah, Rob + Carly. Two people I immediately had a connection with & adore! I had been waiting for this day all year! On July 2 I set out to the Nichols Family Farm where Rob + Carly promised forever in an intimate backyard setting with all their loved ones, & the day couldn’t have been better!

I arrived to meet Carly & her bridesmaids to start documenting the day & everyone was so warm + welcoming! The girls were busy doing last minute preparations from getting their hair & makeup finished, to completely building the bouquets & clipping their necklaces with pliers… merely minutes before the ceremony haha!

We snuck everyone into the basement to get the bride dressed & get all her bits & pieces on, then it was time to head out & say I do! Rob & his groomsmen arrived looking sharp as Carly made her way down the aisle with disney music playing in the background… making my childhood heart explode! Rob + Carly said their vows & exchanged rings then it came time to sign the marriage license….. only that small but very big part of the event was left inside! HA! Carly’s Dad ran inside to grab the documents as we all laughed & smiled at this minor mishap. The documents were indeed signed & Mr & Mrs McAlinden were announced!

July 2 proved to be one of the hottest days so far this year & I wanted to get portraits done quickly! We hammered out family photos & then bridal party portraits in record time & then had our fun with the newlyweds. The Nichols farm is so beautiful that everything was done right there which was lovely & easy for everyone!

I arrived back at the reception area with 2 hours to spare & once I sat down I started to feel extremely sick. My second shooter Kaylee was talking to me & I kept slurring my words & even she could tell something was wrong. We quickly realized I had gotten severe heatstroke & all I could do was lay with my head down & try & get down as much water as I could. I went into the bathroom where my beautiful bride Carly had thought of everything, & had a little care basket full of lady essentials & Advil! By the time everyone had showed up, I was good as new & ready to get back to work!

The night was full of wonderful speeches, insanely smooth dance moves & lots of laughs! I absolutely enjoyed every single detail of your guys’ Wedding & all your loved ones who came to celebrate. You both completely blew this DIY Wedding out of the park & everything came together beautifully. Thank you so much for having me & letting me capture the beginning of your story!

Ceremony Venue: Nichols Farm

Reception Venue: Castor Hall

Dress: Mari Lee

Bridesmaids Dresses: Forever 21

Men’s Suits: Tip-Top Tailors

Hair & Makeup: Gale with Scissors Palace

DJ:  Sound Source

Florals: Costco & Hummingbird Dreams

Linens: Shelly

First Dance: John Legend – All of Me

Second Shooter: Kaylee Mohl Photography