Tom and Catherine’s wedding weekend was beyond anything we could have dreamed up. But it all started back in First Grade when these two met. Do you remember First Grade? I don’t either! What if you happened to meet your husband or wife then? Oh my gosh the CUTENESS! I do remember teaching elementary school at one point in my long list of careers. To think that one of those chubby cheek kids in my class could be sitting next to the love of their life absolutely melts me. Shout out to Tom and Catherine’s First Grade teacher who might’ve let them sit next to each other:)

So this is how the story of this wedding started for me. . . in school! Catherine’s mom was one of the first people I met when I took a new job. She knew exactly what to talk about to make me feel right at home, OUR DAUGHTERS! So we talked about our girls (and her boy, she talks about you too Michael:) Then one day she said “Catherine is getting married to her elementary school sweetheart Tom!!!” Can it get any sweeter? Just wait until you see these two.

The wedding was filled with family and old friends from school, the neighborhood, and college. These are the kind of friendships where you just laugh together over nothing but it’s hilarious or break out into song together. What I am trying to say is, this was such an easy group to photograph! My second photographer said to me “This is such a good group for candids!” (Thank you Nick Cinea! Photographer extraordinaire for always being there for those candids and crushing it while I am photographing portraits.) Candid photos with a group like this was what makes our photographer’s heart beat. Laughing, joking, dancing and we can focus on photographing what is right in front of us, the moment.

Tom could hardly contain his excitement to see Catherine at the end of the aisle. I know you are wondering, did he cry when he saw her? He smiled, looked so proud, happy, content and YES he did cry (I think we all did.) I am going to save the ceremony photos for their reveal though sorry, not sorry.

After the ceremony, Tom and Catherine transported all of their bridal party from the wedding to the reception on a school bus of course! Just like the one they had been on so many times before as a group. So we had to sneak a few nostalgic photos on the yellow bus!

The Barns at Wesleyan Hills in Middletown was the most welcoming place for their reception. The rain held off for us so we could take some photos by the weeping willow (but we probably would’ve taken them even if it was raining!) She kicked her shoes off and walked through the grass taking some of my favorite portraits to date. These two are everyone’s favorite couple. So fun to be with on their own merits, each have an awesome sense humor and so much fun to be around together.

The part of the day that I will always remember is Catherine’s dad’s speech. He said the words that every parent thinks of but doesn’t know how to articulate. A mix of emotions of where did the time go? And being so proud of how time has been spent. I get to hide tears behind my camera. But my camera gets to say this moment doesn’t have to go by, this one is going to stay.

I hope you enjoy the moments that get to stay in these photos. The ones we will look back on and will shape the memories of this most amazing chapter of Catherine and Tom’s story. Congratulations you two! I am so excited you have found the love of your life and married her. Cheers to a love of a lifetime.