While we still have all of this snow on the ground – and since it’s their anniversary (YAY! Happy anniversary, guys!), it’s time for me to spend a little bit of time thinking back on Matt and Sarah’s incredible wedding day.
If you need to know one thing about Matt, it’s that he’s a pretty chill guy. He’s easy to get along with, happy to go along with the banter, and incredibly helpful (“You want to take us outside for portraits at the house? Sure thing! What do you need?”), so joining him and the guys at his parents’ beautiful home made for a lighthearted start to our day. From there, Kristin and I headed to Matt and Sarah’s beautiful Cotton Mill loft and almost squealed with excitement when we saw just how gorgeous the light was making the whole scene. Sarah had a few quiet moments with her mom as she got into her dress and then stepped out of her room to join her father and her bridesmaids (ladies, this is such a wonderful idea – please take note because you won’t have any other chance to have quiet time with your mom during that whole day).
Matt and Sarah are actively involved in their church and it showed. Father Kevin’s service for them was personal and touching, and reflected Matt and Sarah’s values. During the service, I watched for several minutes as Matt sat next to Sarah and just took it all in. The look he gave her was absolutely priceless and it allowed me an extra bit of insight into just how much she means to him. A little unplanned stumble led to some excitement and a hospital trip for one of the musicians (she managed to join us in the evening sporting a big smile and lovely new cast on her arm), which meant that we were fortunate to have Jim Malyon sing for us again at dinner, resulting in plenty of emotion courtesy of his moving rendition of “Hallelujah.” I’m convinced that he should start a pool with Brigette before he sings that to see how many people he can reduce to puddles of tears. ;)
When you plan a winter wedding, there’s got to be one thing you’re hoping for: snow. Clearly, these guys had racked up some serious karma because they had the most perfectly snowy Cornwall winter wedding that I could’ve ever hoped a couple to have. Their whole wedding party deserves an enormous shout out because these guys were truly amazing. The groomsmen happily trudged through the snow in their dress shoes and the girls ignored the dropping temperatures so that we could get a rocking set of images. Matt and Sarah seemed completely oblivious to the chill because they were so happy to see that the weather was on their side. The look on Sarah’s face when the snow started to fall was absolute perfection. Kristin and I worked as fast as we could to work with the magic that was playing out in front of us. Thankfully, getting Matt and Sarah to connect in front of the camera is possibly one of the easiest tasks I’ll ever face, so we had a ball out there.
The Best Western ballroom looked beautiful, filled with glittering surfaces and flickering candles (thank you, Sage Designs), and we were looking forward to a fun evening. Even though he and I work together on a fairly regular basis (which I love!), it’s worth noting that Martin from M.P. Entertainment did a fabulous job getting this crowd wound up for Matt and Sarah’s entrance. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt emotional during an entry and I can still feel it a whole year later. I loved that Matt and Sarah were able to walk into the room and know how loved and supported they are. The great thing about the set up for their entry was that that warm fuzzy feeling continued straight through the evening. Their speeches highlighted how genuine each of them are – something that wasn’t news to me, but was wonderful to hear reflected by so many people – and served as a great reminder of what it means to be a truly good human being. And then… the dance floor. Sarah’s Dad put on his happy feet and joined other guests as they let loose and let the moves fly. What. a. night!
Matt and Sarah, I hope you two know how much I adore you. You’re a dream couple to work with – flexible, relaxed, trusting and SO genuine. Thank you for bringing us along on the ride and givig us the freedom to do our thing!
Here’s a little look back on their day…
I’m Ang. I’m a Cornwall, Ontario-based photographer offering wedding and documentary family coverage locally and worldwide. Visual storytelling is what I do best. I’m an avid traveler, my passport is always up-to-date, and I’m ALWAYS ready for an adventure. Laughter is important in my life and in my work, meaning that I love working with couples who are emotionally present on their wedding day and who love spending time laughing with loved ones. Want photos of your own snowy Cornwall winter wedding? Let’s talk about how we might make it happen. If you’re looking for an at-home newborn session, coverage for an intimate St Lawrence river wedding, or photos that document your time with family, please explore more of Moment.us Photography‘s site to see more of my wedding and family photography.
