fbpx

Brooke + Derek

Wedding

Watching two people who absolutely adore, respect, and love one another get married is what any wedding photographer dreams of.   This is exactly what Brooke and Derek brought to their intimate ceremony at a family friend’s estate in Batavia Ohio this past weekend.

Brooke and Derek’s wedding plans pre-Corona was different than the wedding they actually had.  However, their wedding day was prefect for them.  After overcoming one hurdle after another, they opted to go with a small intimate day and it was amazing (even if a bit on the warm side of things).

Right before their First Look, the couple exchanged letters to one another…. Or at least Brooke got a letter and Derek got a book (literally… but to Brooke’s defense, she journals everyday so this was just a normal thing for her).  When our couples exchange letters, we love for them to read them in a room alone(ish)… we are in there with them.  Both had tears in their eyes but wanted to hold it together.  Brooke shared a few giggles and commented on how sweet Derek was, while Derek became chocked up by her words.

And… que our FAVORITE part of their wedding day…. The FIRST LOOK!!!!  As we were waiting for Brooke to put on a few final touches, Derek warned us he would probably cry.  Let’s just say, he did not lie or disappoint. Even Brooke, a self proclaimed non-crier was a bit teary eyed.  All… the… emotions!

There are often moments throughout a wedding day, we know how in love our couples are.  Usually it’s the side glance, the sweet smile when their love walks in the door.  Or maybe it’s how the groom will anticipate his bride needs a cupcake before she gets hangry. 

For Brooke and Derek, it was during their First Look, they were discussing her wedding dress. Derek commented on how gorgeous her dress was and how amazing she looked. And then the moment happened.  The moment we knew this couple was crazy in love.  Brooke explained how thankful she was he finally saw it.  She hated not being able to talk to him about it or show him photos of it on her phone.  After all, he was her best friend and she shared everything with him.

Listening to a couple talk about how they are each other’s best friend is beyond wonderful.  We love weddings but we know the marriage is far more important than the actual wedding day.  So hearing a couple speak about how they are each other’s best friend, we can related to them as we married our best friend.

Not being the type of couple who enjoyed being the center of attention, it was not a big surprise their ceremony was short, sweet and straight to the point.  Simply, Brooke and Derek exchanged joint I Dos and rings. 

However, they had a special song sang for them immediately following their martial kiss.  Hannah, her cousin, sang “Can’t Help Falling In Love.” Hannah has an amazing voice and sang beautifully.  Brooke and Derek were very lucky to have such a wonderful singer grace them with her amazing voice. 

One of the major changes to their wedding day due to the Corona Virus was removing the typical wedding reception.  They choose the safety of their out of town guest and kept their guest list limited to local family and friends. After the ceremony, Brooke and Derek spent time mingling with everyone and enjoying their new titles of husband and wife. 

Even though they did not have a typical wedding reception, they did keep one tradition… cake cutting.  Not being fans of the spotlight, Brooke and Derek snuck away inside the house to cut their cake with just an onlook or two.  The cake on top was a little top heavy and gave some resistance to being cut.  But it was no match for Brooke and Derek’s determination… even with a few laughs!

Brooke and Derek, you two are one of the sweetest and most genuine couples we have met.  Thank you for allowing us to capture your love story.  It was an absolutely perfect day for the two of you.  We hope the start of your forever was everything you ever dreamed of.  Also… we appreciate making our jobs super easy with your adorableness!  Enjoy your time away at Hocking Hills!

Welcome to the married kids club,

Nicole and Ryan

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE VENDORS WHO MADE THE DAY AMAZING!

Ceremony | Family Friend Estate

Cake Artist | Gigi’s Cupcakes

Wedding Dress Store | Bridal and Formal

Make Up Artist | Beauty by Sarah Elisabeth

Hair Stylist | Beauty by Sarah Elisabeth

Bridesmaids Dresses | David’s Bridal

Groom and Groomsmen Attire | Men’s Wearhouse

Florals | Stems and Leaves Design

  1. Carol Davidson says:

    So happy for two beautiful and sweet people. So happy you found each other and are best friends too. That makes it even better. Wishing you a lifetime of love, happiness and all your dreams come true. Love you both. Grandma Carol.

  2. Bryan Whitfield says:

    Congratulations! I’m very happy for both of you and wish you all the happiness in the world. Sorry we couldn’t of made the trip to celebrate with you……..hoping to see you soon Love always, Dad

  3. Brooke Whitfield says:

    Nicole and Ryan,
    This thank you is long overdue!! We just wanted to reiterate how much we appreciated all of your help leading up to and on our wedding day. We certainly struggled to keep things organized and safe during this challenging time, and having both of you available and ready to help meant everything to Derek and I. You both went above and beyond – not only did you deliver stunning pictures, but you helped us structure and carry out the wedding day. On top of everything, we loved getting to know you!! You two are truly a blessing to a groom and bride. Thank you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *