First, let me just say .. grab some tissues, you’re gonna need them!

When Ashley at The Barn at Oak Manor contacted me about coming together with a wonderful team of vendors to put on a wedding for Aubrey and Tim, my heart literally said yes for me. You see this is not a typical wedding where there’s all the hype of hoopla, this was more an intimate day that included a big surprise for the mother of the bride. Aubrey’s mother has terminal cancer and she wanted to make sure she had her mother by her side for this most important day. Here’s where the surprise comes in, Mom thought we were just getting all dolled up for a photo shoot of her with Aubrey in her wedding dress, but we had other plans, they were actually getting married that day! The look on mom’s face (see in photos below) was priceless as we told her that she was there to witness her beautiful daughter marry the man of her dreams!

The day didn’t go off without a hitch though, the poor groom was suffering from a severe case of Diverticulitis, which he would later be hospitalized for and have surgery, so he was not feeling well at all! He barely made it through the ceremony before having to lie down! He managed to make it back up for first dances and a few photos and that was all he could take. I felt so bad for Aubrey who was already super emotional about her mom and all she was going through and then to add onto this her now husband being sick. She took it all in stride though, a few tears were shed and some disappointment, but we are going to head back out for Bride and Groom portraits once everyone is fully recovered.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but there is always a greater plan that we can not see. I’m thankful to have been part of such a special day for all involved. This industry sometimes loses sight in what we are here for, that is love. As one of my most favorite verses says, “the greatest of these is love”, that is what we are all meant to do, and do it deeply.

Vendors who helped make this special day possible: