I love all brides in their wedding gowns! But, seeing my cousin Bonnie helping her only daughter get into her wedding dress was such a precious moment. I will always remember Stacie's expression as she saw herself in the mirror for the first time as a bride.
Priceless!
A few doors down the street, Tim and his groomsmen were getting ready at Stacie's grandmother's house - making it very convenient to document both the Bride and the Groom's pre-ceremony preparations.
Making it even easier was my dear friend, Patti Veld, who came along to assist. She was awesome! You know you have yourself a good assistant when they volunteer their flip-flops to the Bride so the bride's shoes don't get muddy! Patti is also one of Bonnie's best friends - and the mother of the Groom from my last wedding. It was such a blessing having her along.
Stacie had also arranged to have my younger cousin Joshua (a budding photography enthusiast) on hand to help as well. Joshua was a master at the Whibal card. He was a big help. His sisters, Ellie and Annika, are the angelic flower girls you see below. Stacie nannied for Joshua, Ellie and Annika one summer when my cousin Nicole and her husband Tim were living in Sweden.
Joshua, Patti and I worked hard and had a lot of fun! I'm so grateful for their assistance!
As I mentioned in my previous post, Stacie planned to have most of their wedding pictures taken before the ceremony. Since Tim would see Stacie before she walked down the aisle, we arranged for some private time where he could meet his Bride for the first time - without anyone else looking on. A First Look.
First Looks are a wonderful alternative to a more traditional wedding day portrait schedule. What a wonderful way to ensure that the Bride and Groom begin their special day with some intentional, romantic, and quality time together - something that is hard to come by once the wedding day festivities begin. I love the intimate Bride and Groom portraits we were able to capture.
Stacie and Tim's First Look and bridal party pictures were taken in Mr. and Mrs. George Boersma Sr.'s backyard - a beautifully landscaped piece of heaven here on earth.
At the time of the wedding, Mr. Boersma was in hospice and wasn't expected to live much longer. From what I hear, though, he was pretty excited and proud about Stacie and Tim's plans to use his backyard. Apparently, he told all the nurses in hospice about it. In fact, it brought him so much joy, that Bonnie called me the day after the wedding asking if there was any chance that I could print out a picture or two that she could bring by hospice to show him.
Of course, I could!
Sadly, just days after the wedding, Mr. Boersma passed away. I know he will have a special place in the hearts of those he loved. And I know that Bonnie and Lon and Stacie and Tim will always appreciate his generosity in sharing his back yard with them for their special day.
I strongly believe that we are blessed by God so that we can in turn be a blessing to others. Mr. Boersma lived that out. What a generous man! What a talented and gifted gardener!
We took pictures at the Boersma's house at noon that day - which limited what areas of their backyard we could use. But, I'm sure you can still get a feel for what a lovely place it is.
A lot of love went into that yard. A lot of love...
And, a lot of love went into these pictures!
Enjoy!
Stacie and Tim's ceremony and reception pics are still to come. You can view images from our previous post from Stacie and Tim's wedding here.
Wedding Gown: Essence
Designer: Cassablanca
Make Up: Krissy Vanderwoude
Hair: Julie Fennema (Cedar Lake, IN) and Kristen Fennema (St. John, IN)
Flowers: Jessica's Flowers (St. John, IN)
Jewelry/Robes: Formal Accents
Tuxedos: Dunhill
Beautiful garden pictures of a lovely couple - inside and out! Thank you for sharing them. Love, The Zwarts
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