From the first time we met with Lauren and Jason, they were both insistent that “we knew best”–that is to say, they put so much trust in us as photographers to document their wedding day. Now, that always feels good to hear, and it always feels good to have that creative freedom! But to be totally honest, it also always makes us feel a bit of pressure to give ‘em what they want! However, now that we’ve gone through them all, assembled our favorites, and looked back to relive the day, we’re really excited to share these. We had such a blast the entire day with Lauren and Jason, from her parent’s beautiful house, to the outdoor ceremony in Granger, to the reception at the Hilton Garden Inn in South Bend…

We’ll just get to the pictures. Our favorites:

Lauren wore a Paloma Blanca gown and the earrings worn by her grandmother on her own wedding day in Italy.

I have to say that parents are one of the make-or-break factors for a wonderful wedding day (that may sound extra-obvious to some, but it’s true!). When Lauren came down the stairs in her gown, her dad was going up, and when they met, they exchanged a big hug and big smiles. It was a good sign that Lauren and Jason’s parents would be such a wonderful presence throughout the day…which they were.

Jason’s first look at his beautiful bride:

Lauren and Jason’s transportation for the day was her uncle’s vintage blue Impala.

Even the first time we met with Lauren and Jason, we heard a lot about Henry and Wesley. Jason and Lauren are two wonderful, proud parents.

Wesley, the youngest, had this hilarious way of, well, doing this:

The behind-the-scenes of a bride & flowergirls picture.  Sometimes it does take this many people…

…but lollipops go a long way, too.

Grandma’s “OK” is perfect.

Their reception venue had such beautiful lighting. Beyond flowers and vases and table numbers and everything else, dramatic, bold lighting can really make a difference in the overall look and ambiance of a reception!

The first dance…

My favorite.

Lauren’s dad gave a wonderfully touching–and funny–toast to her and Jason, which obviously had Lauren and her sisters in stitches!

This guy danced like there was no tomorrow. And he was good, too! I think his big grin could have landed him on The Sandlot.

…and a few more portraits. Inside, first.

…then out.

Two more favorites:

Lauren and Jason, it truly was an honor to be invited into your lives and families for this beautiful day. Really.

Yes, we know. You don’t see a sunset…or a beach. But! There will be a sunset, a beach, and Amy & Grant–all together–in their engagement session post coming up in just a few days.

For now, just one favorite:

One would think that Leandra and I would go into a wedding day with wisdom to give the bride and groom–dozens of wedding days’ worth of experience, plus three years of marriage to our favor. And it’s true, we do know the ins-and-outs of wedding days more than the average bride, and as far as post-wedding day life together, yeah, I have healthy amounts of  the “make sure you remember to do this,” or the “never, ever, ever say that” sort of advice. But when we photographed Amanda and Jason’s wedding day, and witnessed how present they were for every bit of their day, it made me realize that I had something to learn. About appreciating life, and people, and those times and instances that always go by too quickly.

So, thank you, Amanda & Jason, for going through your wedding day so well. I pin a mad boutonniere (and I spelled it without a dictionary! Booyah!), and Leandra might know what makes stubborn zippers give in (candle wax!), but we were humbled by how you took it all in on that beautiful, beautiful wedding day of yours!

So, our favorites from the day:

We both loved the first look. Their expressions were priceless.

The floral work, by Procedo, was absolutely perfect.

After the first look, we rode the trolley to a beautiful little marina for pictures. The location was arranged by Amanda’s planner, Cindy Crocoll. She was a joy to work with–the day was in part so enjoyable (and beautiful!) because of the exhaustive preparation and expertise she brought to it.

Love these two.

Yuki and Asti, the ringbearers.

I love these “behind the scenes” pictures. The self-named “ring bearer bearer,” the flower girl (and mom), Amanda, and the maid of honor.

I love this moment between Amanda and her mom.

And… back on the trolley!

…with a little stop in downtown Saugatuck for Amanda and Jason.

Two of my favorites.

The ceremony and reception were both at the Laketown Conference Center. It was a beautiful, bright, open reception, with beautiful flowers, and delicious food (by the Gilmore Collection).

Later in the evening, Amanda changed from her Priscilla of Boston gown to a shorter dress  to enjoy dancing into the night.

We were honored to be a part of this day, and enjoyed ourselves so much. Thanks, Amanda and Jason!

We had such a blast with Lauren and Jason last Saturday, photographing their wedding in South Bend. You’ll be seeing more of their beautiful faces (and that beautiful car!) very soon.