Oh how eager I’ve been to share about this wedding day! I could go on and about how neat this family is! Wendy & Bryan have been together for many, many years, and Brian has been like a father to Wendy’s two sweet children. Recently, Wendy’s daughter began asking her, “Mommy, when are you guys going to get married?!” Bryan & Wendy came up with the perfect plan. Not just any typically wedding, but a surprise wedding! What if they could plan to get married and keep it a secret from the kids until the moment it was about to happen?! Well, that is exactly what they did, and they pulled it off perfectly!

They explained to the kids that they were having fancy family photos taken – a very special occasion for them. They day started out with the guys getting a hair cut and shave together, and the girls getting their nails done together. I was there to photograph the getting ready events, and was amazed at how well they navigated some questions that could have easily given away the plan!

After we took their family photos, Wendy read letters to her children – one of the most beautiful parts of the day! Tears were shed and many hugs were given! After this, she went back to the limo to get the flowers and rings. Even at this point, the kids didn’t know what was going on! It wasn’t until Brian opened the box of rings that their secret was revealed! And the look on the kids’ faces?! Oh my goodness, so priceless! Lauren’s eyes were wide and her mouth hit the ground…and then burst out in tears of joy! She cried throughout the whole ceremony; it was SO beautiful. So much emotion – joy, disbelief, love and excitement!

As much as I love all-out weddings with details and dancing and guests, etc, this was one of my favorite weddings to be a part of. Everyone in this family has a heart of gold, and it was a great joy to see them unite in marriage!

Images shot on Nikon D700 & Pentax 645n and Fuji400h & Porta800 film. Developed & Scanned by theFINDlab.