The Right Choice

There are so many difficult decisions in life, and it seems like some of the hardest choices are associated with weddings and marriage.  First you need to choose a marriage partner, and while that's certainly the most important choice, the tough decisions certainly don't end there.  Planning a wedding is one choice after another!

Rob and Laura were married at the Stillwater Public Library in late summer of 2011.  They are one of those couples that you can tell belong together.  The admiration that each has for the other is tangible when you are in the room with these two love birds. 

The look that Vanessa captured in this picture is the look that Laura has on her face whenever she is around Rob. True story.  No exaggeration. You might remember Vanessa from this wedding in 2010.

I was stuck making THE WORST decision on the day of this wedding.  While Rob, Laura, and their entire wedding party were having pictures taken in Lowell Park, the sky became dark and cloudy.  I tried several times to reach the couple by phone to ask if they wanted to change their wedding plans to inside the Margaret Rivers Room, but could not get in touch with them. Normally, this is a good sign...a bride that abandons the cell phone, and chooses to let go and enjoy her wedding day is ALWAYS a good sign. I was reluctant to pull an entire event inside without the express permission of the bride and groom.  I didn't want to make any choice that Rob and Laura weren't completely comfortable with (and I knew how they'd feel about an indoor wedding).  However, as ceremony time came closer, and intermittent rain drops were falling from the sky, I started to think that maybe I should take charge and move things inside. 

As you can see, I managed to resist.  Every bone in my body was telling me that this wedding needed to come inside, but just as I was about to start moving furniture inside the bride and groom returned from taking pictures.  Rob asked for a phone, and pulled up the current radar picture.  Then he turned to Laura, took her hand, and calmly said, "No, we'll keep everything outside.  It will pass." Of course, his calm veto was the right choice.  I would have been wrong.  The rain held off, and by the time the reception started skies were blue.

The food was provided by Kowalski's and alcohol service was provided by Acapulco.  Guest tables were kept outside, and the buffet was set-up in the Margaret Rivers Room where it would be out of site until meal-time.  The cupcakes below were also provided by Kowalski's. 

And then there was this little wedding guest.  I don't know how she does it, but Vanessa Wiegel also captured the very essence of this little whipper-snapper.  I was sitting in the cafe area of the Library, having a quiet conversation with Rob & Laura's security officer prior to the wedding.  I was telling him that I'd had several bookings for late fall weddings, and ended the thought by saying something like "everyone is just in a hurry to get married."  This little one stopped coloring, looked over, and putting her hand on her hip said "WELL I'M NOT!" before resuming her art project.  I guess she's already made her choice!

Special thanks to Vanessa for sharing all of her beautiful photos!  Please visit her blog to see all of her work...she does so much more than just wedding photography, and I guarantee you will be inspired by the photos she's taken in far corners of the globe.