“There goes my mind racing, And you are the reason, That I’m still breathing, I’m hopeless now.” — Calum Scott & Leona Lewis, “You Are the Reason”
One man. One woman. And a photographer. All brought together by the woman’s cousin, Jacqui—whose wedding I shot this past October.
Marcie and Matt are the proverbial couple who, anytime they gaze at each other, stars appear in their eyes, and their smiles get larger than the state of Texas. Their wedding day displayed that love in all its’ glory!
While Matt and his groomsmen got dressed and prepped, Marcie and her bridesmaids were busy putting together a dazzling bridal party, full of support, laughs, and just a touch of the usual wedding day chaos, that culminated with Marcie in her wedding dress looking as she had walked out of the pages of a fairy tale. The dress, accented by her beaming smile as she was already hours ahead, looking forward to her and Matt’s vows, sealing their bond as husband and wife.
Fast forward a few hours and it was time for these lovebirds to commit their lives to each other in front of an intimate group of family and friends at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Hampshire, Illinois. If you can imagine a town that is practically pulled from the song “Mayberry” by Rascal Flatts, you can picture Hampshire. It’s charming. It’s cozy. It’s intimate. How fitting that those words aligned so well with Matt and Marcie’s ceremony.
Heading outside after the ceremony, Matt and Marcie soaked in the love, hoping that was the only soaking as some ominous clouds indicated it might start to pour down any time soon. And while there were a few drops and very slight drizzle just as family and group portraits started outside the church, it was just a tease. The pictures showcasing Matt and Marcie’s inner circle, with Matt’s groomsmen upping their camera game by trying to outdo each other on the “silly” images.
Those images completed, it was off to Riverside Receptions, a picturesque location right alongside the Fox River in Geneva.
While family, friends, and well-wishers alike gathered for cocktail hour, it was time to for Matt and Marcie to get some alone time for images. Travelling throughout the grounds of Riverside, numerous pictures were captured, each image showcasing the care and desire they have for each other, evocative almost of Johnny Cash and June Carter.
Wrapping images up, it was officially time for the reception to begin, and for Matt and Marie to let loose and bask in the start of the next chapter of their lives. Introductions were made, their cake was cut. Speeches were given. Tears and laughs were shared. And after a superb dinner, emotions were ramped up again as Matt and Marcie danced to “You Are the Reason” for their first dance.
As the reception continued, Matt and Marcie snuck out for a few more pictures beside the river. Somehow, they made these even more connected, even more intimate, even more tender, than the ones captured early. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
“I’d climb every mountain, And swim every ocean, Just to be with you…”. — Calum Scott & Leona Lewis, “You Are the Reason”
