Josh & Karrie's Woodland Backyard Wedding
Native Ohioans Josh and Karrie met in New York City a few years back. Sparks flew, and Josh couldn't seem to forget this quirky, beautiful Karrie girl who happened to be an artist. Desperate for a reason to see her again, he commissioned her to do a painting for him as a gift for his mother. Fate showed him favor, and his plot to see her again worked. After copious amounts of flirting, Josh finally worked up the nerve to ask her out late one night before heading back to the Big Apple. The rest is history, and on a Friday evening this past June, they promised each other a lifetime of love.
Josh & Karrie's day was so many kinds of beautiful, from the exquisite details of the bride's wedding gown to the gorgeous florals and the perfectly mismatched bridesmaids dresses to the groomsmen and their on-point sock choices. It was all so lovely, but nothing topped the beauty of the love that exists between Josh and Karrie. Enough chattering from me. Take it in for yourself.
This would be that moment when she was out of the car and her bridesmaids were all getting their shot because that's what you do when your friend is looking all gorgeous on her wedding day.
I know I'm going to say this more than once in this post, but Karrie was so very beautiful.
Fabulous sock choices, boys.
The bride sketched up her own design for her wedding gown and took it to a private seamstress to have it tailored.
I adore this shot of them before the ceremony. We got Josh safely positioned behind this brick pillar so they could exchange their gifts without seeing each other.
Karrie is a graphic designer and an artist with an attention to detail that showed up in million little lovely ways as they planned their wedding.
Such a sweet moment in prayer with her bridesmaids before she walked down the aisle.
This is the quintessential world of the bride on her wedding day - tucked away until ceremony time. She was peeking her head out because there's nothing like it being your wedding day to make you want to see what's going on. A moment later she was shooed back inside because Josh was around the corner.
The atmosphere of their ceremony was heartfelt and meaningful. They had a mixture of the traditional wedding vows coupled with vows they'd written to each other on their own. Do yourself a favor and click over to the link at the bottom of this blog post and check out their wedding video by Black Red Media. You can hear their vows, and it's the sweetest thing. ;)
This was the part where the groomsmen played a prank and pretended not to have the rings when they were asked for them. They all dug through their pockets and finally the last groomsmen produced the rings, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief that gave way to laughter at their mischief. Friends who have you laughing when you should be nervous are always a win.
Fun fact: The grove they chose to have their portraits photographed was also the spot where Josh proposed, which made it even sweeter.
Yup, that happened and sent everyone into gales of laughter.
I get it. It's not your traditional wedding photo, but it was a real and unprompted moment that was so them...goofing off, Josh causing trouble, and reminding Karrie of one of the reasons she fell in love with him in the first place - he keeps her laughing. The fun they have together is the kind that you're lucky to find once in a lifetime.
The happy couple and their bridal party, enjoyed a leisurely ride on an exceptionally charming, horse-drawn covered wagon to their reception.
There were so many lovely details to this backyard reception.
Josh & Karrie are a spunky couple. They're the kind of people who live spontaneously, and love with their whole hearts, and feed each other cake like they mean it.
Most of the day was overcast, but the sun peeked out for a few minutes before it headed below the horizon. When God gives you sunshine, you say thank you, and sneak out of your reception to take a photo to remember His goodness.
They spent their evening chatting and laughing the night away as friends shared memories with them and their guests.
The candles burned down low, and joy was thick in that place.
They danced their first dance under an open sky, surrounded by friends.
They lived their wedding day like they live the rest of their lives - to the fullest. When the groomsmen good-naturedly tossed Josh into the backyard pool, like only true love can, Josh talked Karrie into ending the evening with a tandem jump into the backyard pool. It was what love should be: an adventure.
The wedding was a beautiful reflection of these two souls: fun, free-spirited, spontaneous, and full of love and laugher.
Congratulations, guys. Your day was all the right kinds of crazy and wonderful.
Be sure to check out Josh & Karrie's wedding video by Black Red Media!
2ND SHOOTER | Abigail Martin
VIDEOGRAPHY | Black Red Media
HAIR | The Beehive Hair Salon
MAKEUP | Rig & Co.
