Making Time to Celebrate the Friendships that Brought Them Together

After their ceremony, Ryan and Alex made sure to carve out time in their wedding planning schedule to take pictures with all their loved ones before newlywed portraits. Their wedding was an intimate gathering of roughly fifty of their closest friends and family. It was really important to them that their chosen family be included in their day, even if that meant simply having them be a part of their professional wedding photography. 

One thing that really stood out to me while we were still in the process of discussing their wedding was that they had known each other and dated for so long that there was no such thing as “Ryan’s friends” and “Alex’s friends.” They were all just one huge friend group with no dividing lines – it was simply everyone’s friends. It was such a sweet sentiment and I admired the fact the couple wanted to find a way to make time for those who had always supported them. 

When it came time to plan their wedding party, they chose to have one whole “I Do Crew” instead of separate sides. It was a mixture of their closest friends who they knew would always have their backs.

A Rustic Reception in the Cabin at Myers Point

As guests were shuttled back to the reception site, Ryan and Alex took golden hour wedding portraits on the Bluff and in the surrounding woods before heading back to the cabin themselves. The cabin at Myers Point is a cozy single story building with a small loft that overlooks the dining area. It’s built from hand-chopped, reclaimed South American hardwoods and is perfect for close-knit gatherings. 

With help from their friends, Ryan and Alex DIY’d most of the decorations used for their reception. They kept the florals simple and elegant with bunches of dried leaves scattered around tall, white pillar candles on wooden holders. I particularly loved their handmade guestbook: a binder of blank parchment pages which had a basket with a Polaroid camera and extra reams of film next to it. Guests could snap a selfie or take pictures of one another to tape inside and sign the book with their well-wishes and notes.

Ryan and Alex chose to skip having a cocktail hour. Instead, as soon as their guests were settled, they had their grand processional with their wedding party right away. This was a great way to save a bit of time, ensuring they would have plenty of time to hang out and have fun with their friends. From there, the couple had their first dance, then sat for speeches from their wedding party. Dinner was a full buffet of delicious barbeque options set up in a separate tent just outside the cabin doors. Ryan and Alex broke tradition and cut a wedding pie instead of cake before hitting the dance floor for the rest of the night! 

An End-of the-Night Sparkler Photo Session

Unlike most weddings where it’s common for the newlyweds to parade out of the reception with their friends and family cheering them on, Ryan and Alex had no plans to leave their party early. Instead of a normal send off, we pulled the entire wedding party outside and handed out sparklers. They gathered around the couple and had a fabulous time waving sparklers around and having fun. Ryan and Alex were in the middle basking in all of the excitement and love that was surrounding them. 

If your venue includes lodging for the night after your wedding or you don’t plan to have a send off, this is a great option for couples who want a nighttime photo session. Sparklers always make for fun and lively wedding photos. By getting your wedding party involved, it really helps bring out the joy of the moment resulting in tons of candid photos of you and your new spouse with huge smiles on your faces.

After their sparkler photo session, everyone filed back inside for more dancing and s’mores made in the giant fire pit. Ryan and Alex’s wedding was truly a celebration of love and friendship. It was clear that everyone involved had a wonderful time celebrating such a sweet couple.