Last weekend I had the privilege of photographing Cass and Sam’s, beautiful, intimate wedding at Sabot at Stony Point in Richmond. From the first conversation I had with Cass I knew that this wedding was going to be something truly special.  A lot of brides get caught up in the planning and stress of such a huge event so much so that when the day actually comes one of the biggest emotions they feel is relief that it’s all over.  And honestly who can blame them; they spend the better part of a year arguing with caterers, finding a dress that looks good on both their 5 ft 11 and 4 ft 9 bridesmaids while not clashing with the flowers, and choosing between the cream or ivory napkins(trust me, if you’ve ever been a bride you can probably name at least 6 shades of off-white).  But Cass exuded this aura of enlightenment where you could tell that while yes, having a delicious caterer and fun band was important, they were not nearly as important as what the day was really about-her and Sam’s love and commitment to each other.

When I arrived  Cass and Sam were both so calm and serene, it was hard to believe that they were the bride and groom!  The only thing occupying their minds was their excitement to be with each other.  Which made their wedding an absolute dream to photograph.  Without the normal stress and pains, they put together an absolutely gorgeous wedding that was completely centered around their personalities and the things that make them perfect for each other.  Their wedding party consisted of just family members, with Sam’s sister officiating (I think she may have found her calling :)) and the guest list was comprised  of only those nearest and dear to the couple.  Cass and Sam’s warm, calm vibes spread throughout the day and made this one of the most laid back, sweet weddings.   My favorite photographs are always the ones that aren’t staged but show emotion and honesty, so you can imagine how hard a time I had narrowing it down to just a few for the blog.  Here’s a glimpse at Cass and Sam’s day:

 Cass and Sam opted to do a first look before the ceremony. They made it a point to make time just for themselves without all of the chaos, and it was so sweet to see them really be themselves with each other.

 My second shooter captured this shot while Cass and Sam were taking a few minutes to just appreciate each other without any interruptions.  Just the two of them.