This wedding day began similar to their love story: with the girl next door. Brenna got ready in the beautifully lit living room of her family home and John was just a block over at his parents’ house. Getting ready in houses filled with memories even included etchings on the doorframe at John’s house of his height measurements over the years. Follow along for the beauty we captured throughout this couple’s Cleveland Ohio country club wedding day!
Finding the Light at Your Cleveland Ohio Country Club Wedding
Optimizing your wedding day photos begins with watching out for the lighting. Not just the lighting of the ceremony or reception, but also how the getting-ready and portrait spaces will be lit too. Most bridal portraits are captured outdoors so it’s best to align the entire wedding photography timeline with the sunset.
Lighting is everything when it comes to your wedding photography so when possible, take a look at the lighting of your getting ready, ceremony, and reception space. Pay special attention to sunset which vastly differs throughout the year.
The Bay United Methodist Church served for John and Brenna’s ceremony with a timeless look and stunning natural light. We then used the nearby Bay Village waterfront on Lake Erie for couples photos and wedding party portraits. The unexpected wind even added to the shots by making Brenna’s veil flow! As your wedding photographer, it’s often in these unpredictable elements that I find the best moments to capture.
A Cleveland Ohio Country Club Wedding That Feels Like Family
John and Brenna had such a well-planned wedding day timeline, yet, their attitude towards these plans was very go with the flow. Another mark of being such top notch hosts was their treatment of their wedding vendors.
It was John’s family membership at the Cleveland Ohio country club that gained them access to the Westwood Country Club as their wedding venue. During a break in the day, my second photographer (also my husband) and I were sitting in one of the club’s hallways having a quick bite (stuffing our faces rather before the reception began!).
The groom happened to walk past us and said, “What the hell are you doing out here? Come inside and sit with my family.” He brought us into a private bar where his family was enjoying a pre-reception cocktail. John invited us to order whatever we desired and they would put it on his family’s tab.
This story encapsulates how John and Brenna acted toward every person, including their vendors on their wedding day. They were such a lovely couple to work with!
SIDE NOTE: What Make The Couples I Work With So Wonderful
By the time we reached John and Brenna’s big day, I had already worked with them twice! First for their magical engagement session, and secondly with John who was a groomsman in his friend Jimmy’s wedding which I also captured.
Apart from engagement or wedding anniversary photos, it’s rare that I’m given the chance to photograph the same couple twice. Having the ability to work with some of the same group of groomsmen was a treat! For both weddings, we were also able to capture a photo of John and Jimmy shaking hands through their pant zippers. It was hilarious!
A Love Story That Lands at a Cleveland Ohio Country Club Wedding
Even when you plan out every moment of your day at a location like a Cleveland Ohio country club, there is never a guarantee that all will go according to plan. On the surface, it may seem less glamorous to highlight the unforeseen mishaps of your wedding day. But, these are generally the most precious, the most beautiful to photograph, and what often stands out most in your memory.
Finding such peace and enjoying all the little details of your day is also part of the reasoning behind my standard wedding photography package inclusions. No matter the package option you select, 10 or more Vintage Polaroid 600 photos are always included! My favorite feature of taking vintage Polaroids is how it allows the couple to see the day as it unfolds. That’s also why these were so important to the couple!
Taking a moment for these types of photos also naturally adds a stillness to the day. It’s a calm that the speed of digital photography can’t match (even though I love both!). It’s these moments that often hold the most meaning because they are the most real. John and Brenna’s wedding day was filled with so many of them!
Share how you’re beginning to imagine your wedding day and we’ll start picturing it together!
Wedding Vendors
Ceremony | Bay United Methodist Church
Photographer | Amy Smant Photography
Portraits | Bay Village Waterfront
Reception | Westwood Country Club
Videographer | Eventide Cinema, Inc.
Florals | Diana Elizabeth Designs
DJ | American Entertainment
Makeup | N Lang Artistry
Transportation | VIP Party Bus
Hair | Lather
Cake | Top Tier Cakes
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