On Saturday Terice and I spent our day at the lovely Lord Hill Farms for the wedding of Lindsay Bowyer and Jesse McCelland. To say these two are fun loving is an understatement! Jesse loves the camera, and it loves him back.

After shooting this image I couldn’t help but show it to Lindsay. Her smile when she saw the image was fantastic. It was a perfect way to start off the day. For those photographers out there reading this post. I shot this in the middle of the day with strobe. The goal? Over power the harsh overhead light to create dimension and shape. Using strobe allows me to mold the light into what I want it to be instead of muddling through with only natural light as a source.  It’s techniques like this one that are taught during the Indoor and Outdoor Event classes I teach as part of my Momtography School: Photo Workshops for Moms. These classes are coming soon, and space is still open. Please check them out!

Lord Hill Farms has recently finished a number of renovations to their facility. It looks amazing. If you’re looking for a venue for your wedding, this should be on the top of your list!

This shot shows the reception area on the main floor. They also have an indoor and outdoor ceremony site, a must have for any venue in Western WA. Here’s another angle of the table decorations. I love their choice of flowers on the tables. I think it complemented the elegant, yet rustic look that this beautifully converted farm embodies.

While Terice, Jesse, and the groomsmen (Matt and Ryan) were photographing outside, I was with Lindsay as she put on the her final touches prior to the ceremony. For this wedding Lindsay and Jesse opted for “split formals.” Splitting the portrait session into before and after the ceremony is a good way to keep the tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other prior to the ceremony, while still allowing for us to take a bulk of the portraits before hand. This keeps the guests happy, and gives us ample time to get creative shots.  Other couples choose to do a “first look” where we have the bride and groom meet up a private little moment before the ceremony. With this option we get all of the photos out of the way prior to the ceremony. Some photographers want all their clients to do a first look, others always do split formals. Personally, I do whatever make the bride happy.

Once Lindsay was ready for her turn in front of the camera, I couldn’t resist a few shots on the dock. The Snohomish Valley is just amazing, and the sky, looks like something from a childhood memory.

The 5pm ceremony was perfect. Set on the hillside overlooking the river, Lindsay, Jesse, and their families participated in a heartfelt expression of love and unity. Both the bride and groom incorporated traditions from their individual heritage and then sealed their vows with passionate kiss.

And it’s that very idea of passion that I think best encapsulates these two. Their love is infectious and a joy to witness!

As a part of the ceremony, Ryan, the best man read a traditional Irish wedding blessing, which says:

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

The rains fall soft upon the fields.

May the light of friendship guide your paths together.

May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.

May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, A twinkle from your eye.

And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love, May the good Lord embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days.

May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of His hands. And, today, may the Spirit of Love find a dwelling place in your hearts.

Amen.

May I add my agreement to these beautiful words and my wish for a long and happy marriage for Lindsay and Jesse!

To view more of Lindsay and Jesse’s photos please visit our online ordering page. All of the images will be online July 24, 2010.  Please use the following username and password to view the images.

Username: Lindsay & Jesse

Password: 21366

And finally, if you attended Lindsay and Jesse’s wedding and love what we did, please write a review for us! Follow the link below to learn how to win an 16×20 canvas just for telling us what you thought!

http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/06/08/write-a-review-and-win-our-contest/