I’m not going to lie, I’ve had some trouble writing this blog. How many nice things can you say about someone before it starts to take on a creepy vibe? At the risk of going there, I’m just gonna fangirl all over Nicole. I’ve been lucky enough to call her my friend for 13 years, most of which we’ve spent apart living our own lives and keeping in touch every few years. We used to live in Chicago down the street from each other and my memories with her were some of the best of my life. She has the BEST sense of humor, is an amazing storyteller, and is so refreshingly genuine. Gah, I love her so much and when she asked if I’d photograph her wedding, I was so honored and excited. Being able to reconnect with loved ones is the single greatest part of this photography gig. Its so nice to know that no matter how much time has gone by, it will always pick up right where we left off.
I traveled up to Cleveland and was bowled over when I walked into their church, St. Colman. It’s a stunning Irish Catholic church that just turned 100 years old this year. Inside, it has the grandeur of a cathedral. The church coordinator was so nice and told me something I’ve never been told in a Catholic church before. She said, “our motto here is to ask for forgiveness and not permission. Please feel free to go anywhere you’d like in the church except for the main altar.” If you’re a wedding photographer, you’ll know how unprecedented this is. Usually, we’re not allowed to move period. I was able to discretely get some stunning angles that I’ve never been allowed to get before, so that was an exciting side note.
After the ceremony, we traveled to Edgewater Park for some lakeside photos. From there we stopped at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The outside of the building has a very cool striped modern feel that’s perfect for some unique and quirky photos. Our final destination was the West Side Irish American Club for the reception! I loved listening to the speeches- they always are a funny and heartfelt reflection of what a couple is like before and after meeting each other. Nicole and Matt had an amazing dessert table piled high with the most delicious cupcakes and a cute cutting cake that had bride and groom Pez dispensers on them! There were some killer dance moves all night long and the DJ even brought a smoke machine!! I’m so excited to share these photos today with the world. I feel so blessed to have been a small part of this perfect day! Xo jess
