Jess + Drew

October 10, 2020 | Intimate wedding - upstate new york

Allow me to present to you, my first (and only) featured wedding of 2020!

By the end of this past summer, all of my 2020 weddings had been postponed or cancelled, and we all know why. While it’s been a pretty hard and emotional hit, it’s also allowed me to have more time to focus on my family, as well as having the time to capture many other families safely at my home studio! If COVID has taught us anything, it should be that family rules all.

Jess reached out to me just weeks before their big day. No, it wasn’t a wedding that had to suddenly scale down and scramble at the last minute to find all new vendors. They did not plan to tie the knot until a couple weeks prior to connecting and just wanted to be married, have their close family present and get it done!

Somehow, in such a short period of time, they put together a perfect day nestled deep in the woods. They made a solid choice in having the Old Daley Inn on board for catering and set up to pull in the perfection. It was warm, sun kissed and drenched in the peak of Autumn colors. Intimate weddings have always been my favorite kind to capture. I LOVE getting to watch the different dynamics between guests and a scaled down guest list really makes for some amazing candid moments and honing in on capturing their spirits.

While I can also usually be found tearing up at every wedding, the ceremony hosted by their brother in law/officiant, had me struggling to choke back sobs. It wasn’t pretty and I’m glad I could lurk in the bushes. As a Step Mom, hearing his words about the bond and role Drew has played to Jess’ son Nash, hit me so hard. It was beautiful and had most of us struggling to keep it together!

I could tell Drew and Nash were best buds and bonded for life while they patiently awaited a first look with Mama. I also have to mention that these two are a parenting rock star team! I can’t lie, and speak from experience, it’s really hard to feel like a Bride when your kids are in tow. Not only was Jess the most stunning Bride, but she handled a cranky baby who just wanted to be held and all of the madness that comes along with little ones with absolute grace. I was amazed. An attentive Groom and helpful Grandmas, Aunts and Uncles were certainly a bonus, but man, could I relate to these guys on their day!

I am so happy the stars aligned and I was able to be a part of it all. In just three short hours, I was able to document so much love and joy, which is a huge perk to this job. The rare chances to see mask free smiles, while capturing moments that will be cherished for years to come.

Wishing you all a lifetime full of health, laughter and love!