I absolutely LOVE a good wedding…and this one was BEYOND good. You’d never know (except for a few raindrops) by looking at the pictures that it was monsooning on Mike + Nikita’s wedding day. They were SO full of joy, and so stress free the entire day. They were so relaxed and put so much faith in each of their vendors to take care of them and do great work despite the tropical storm. There are SO many stories I could share about their wedding day, and SO many pictures and sweet moments that are getting left out of this blog post (if I add too many more, the page might not load!). I’ll share a few of my favorite details and moments, but if you missed this wedding, you missed out on SO much love, goodness, and true joy. Enjoy!

Nikita is an absolute gem. I can’t get over just how truly beautiful she is inside and out. The joy and giddiness she felt throughout the day showed and it makes me smile every single time I look at their pictures. Mike, you are a lucky man!

When we arrived, it wasn’t quite raining yet…10 minutes later and it was POURING. Glad I grabbed this wide shot when I did.

Nikita wasn’t the only joyful one all day. This smile didn’t leave Mike’s face. Except for when he cried during the ceremony. (And all of the times he was trying not to cry during the ceremony.)

They opted to do a first look before the ceremony, and it was so precious. AH! I can’t look at these pictures without grinning really big!

 

They are just perfect. <3

On to the ceremony, which was decorated to a T!!! I didn’t include all of the sweet, special details and decor in this post, but trust me when I say Nikita worked so hard to make everything GORGEOUS and meaningful!

Mike went from nervous, to about to cry, to smitten, to extremely joyful, as she walked down the aisle.

Can we talk about how perfectly he’s got the dip down? They win the medal on that for sure.

The rain held off for about 30 minutes after the ceremony so we could finish bridal party pictures and family formals! Yay!!

This photo was a special request from the bride, and I love it! These flowers girls were perfection!

PHOTO BOMBER

 

Like I said, they’re perfect. <3 And that dip…

Before moving on to the reception photos, I have to preface it by saying that this reception was one of the most fun and eventful receptions I’ve ever been to. There was something happening the entire night, and I absolutely loved it. I didn’t include ALL the photos, but each event was so special. There were toasts from their best friends and parents, sweet dances, a fun money dance (pictures included!), a special song sung by Nikita (beautiful, smart, and talented…like I said, she’s a GEM), plus so many other fun moments. The words said about them, and the hugs shared that night were so special. Mike and Nikita, you two are SO LOVED.

This cake/cupcake table was gorgeous, and *cough cough* I got a nice little debut with my pictures decorating it! I had my own little gallery of pictures at their wedding and I was smitten!

 

Ah, the first dance is always my favorite. <3

And it wouldn’t be complete without a dip. (: Seriously…how do they get it so perfect every time? Mike got skills.

 

Bring on the money dance! Spoiler: Nikita won!

The cake got a little messy….I like how Mike snuck a cupcake to rub in her face as she was kissing him.

It was a beautiful night of fun that ended with a line of fireworks and of course, another perfect dip from Mr. and Mrs. McDonnell!

Want to see all the pictures you missed? They can be found here. You’ll just need to ask the newlyweds for the password. Did you miss their engagement session? Find that here.

Congratulations you two!! I will forever cherish these memories. Thank you so much for letting me join you and capture such a sweet day!!!

Also, a special thank you to my wonderful second shooter, Lorin Marie, who helped me capture these moments!