I am beyond excited to be sharing Carmen & Aaron's wedding day with you on this fine Saturday.  

Their day arrived with a bit less sunshine in the forecast than they'd been hoping, but the rain held off most of the day and the sunshine in their hearts more than made up for the moody Ohio rainclouds.  

These shoes won my heart.  Enough said.

Sisters + best friends + now both have played the role of maid of honor to the other.  Husbands aren't the only people we're lucky enough to grow older alongside.  God made sisters and friends for the journey too, and growing and experiencing new things together has been this ever-changing comfort zone because the other is along for the journey.  Here's to new phases of life, ladies, and walking beside each other in fresh seasons.  I adore you both.

The word you're looking for is radiant.  She was the very definition of it.  So lovely, Carm.

I love the getting ready process.  I love the way it inevitably feels like this celebration of who someone is.  I love the way delight becomes this tangible presence in the room.  I love the looks on faces happy to be celebrating this moment with the bride.  Life is so beautiful, and relationships are the heart and soul and substance of its beauty.

This would be the moment when Aaron's sister saw him in his suit and happy, I-can't-believe-it's-your-wedding-day tears found their way out the corners of her eyes.

First look and Aaron's face says it all.

And now her face says it all.  

It encapsulates so much of what I love about witnessing the moments when a bride and groom first see each other on their wedding day.  

One of my favorites!

Carmen and Aaron's style is modern and classic, so I loved that the way this clean, architectural space created a perfect canvas on which to paint their romance.  

This might be my favorite of the new Mrs. Hilbert.

Because I believe life + photos should sometimes be a little quirky and a lot of fun.

Bridal Party.

Something they don't tell you is that sometimes the moment right after the moment is the one you really want.  There's the photo of both of Carmen's brothers giving her a peck on the cheek, and she'll get that one too...but this was the moment right after and the spontaneity of it makes it my favorite.  

Can we just take a minute to honor women everywhere who have tromped through grass in heels?!  It's a whole thing.  It is a minefield and a danger zone and asking-to-get-your-ankle-twisted.  So here's to all you brave souls out there who've navigated green pastures on wet days.  I salute you, because heaven knows most of the universe is deeply unsympathetic.  Your pretty heels make my camera happy.  I'm hoping that'll be enough to keep you going next time your heels think their purpose in life is to be your personal tent pegs.  I feel ya.

Because Carmen and Aaron's nieces are just too adorable not to share. Also, Nora has Aaron wrapped around her itty bitty fingers.

So happy to have joined the Mr. + Mrs. club.

In case you missed it, Carmen loves sparkle and bling (which makes my photographer heart love her even more).

Such sweet moments during the maid of honor's speech, like icing on cake or the whipped cream on top of a good latte.  This moment was just a taste of a relationship that's good all the way through.  The tears in Carmen's eyes tell the truth that words are just scratching the surface with these two.

Carmen's father had kind words of blessing for her and her new groom.  He validated Carmen as a person and noted many of the wonderful qualities that she brought to their home growing up.  He noted her generous spirit and the way she loves to give gifts.  It was all true and a worthy tribute.

They fed each other cake...

And fought a little...

And made up and cleaned up the damage they'd done...

...and it was a good day.

For them, I'm thinking it was the best of days, with only the promise of more good days to follow the brilliant one they'd just experienced.

Congratulations Mr. + Mrs. Hilbert!  You two are brilliant together, and it was an honor to witness your love story.