It was only a natural result that their wedding day would go so smoothly and calmly. Emily & Jonathan had put a lot of thought into their wedding so that they wouldn't have to think much on the actual day-they could figuratively sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor, even though they were the center of it. The combination of masterful delegation and having some of the best of friends in the world, combined to be a stunning force of nature-an outpouring of support for the couple to launch them into married life. Here are some of the details and stories behind Emily & Jonathan's wedding day:

Emily did a fantastic job of surrounding herself with people she trusted to carry out her day. From her friend, Rachael, doing her make-up, to her friend, Jill, helping her get into her dress, the day flowed beautifully. It was almost as beautiful as Emily in her dress-I think her mom would agree....

While I was with Emily, my trusted second for the day, Austin, was with Jonathan, scoping out a First Look location and catching some laid back groom portraits. When it came time for the First Look, you can see Austin's perspective on the left and mine on the right.

One of the benefits I always mention to my brides is the advantage of a second shooter. We can double our productivity on a wedding day by splitting up-having one of us capture the groom with his guys and one of us, the bride with her ladies. This is especially helpful if you have a larger wedding party as Emily & Jonathan did.

Another benefit is that you can cover the same moments from different perspectives too. While the head photographer is generally at the front of the aisle, the second is generally in the back of the church catching candids between the bridal party and between the bride & the person giving her away. I absolutely love these that Austin caught-Emily's flower girl and ring bearer took their jobs very seriously and raced down the aisle in record time! And while some may say these Little Ones can steal the show, Emily & her dad, Bart, had such a beautiful walk together before he gave her away. You could tell they took their time, whispered to each other and thoroughly enjoyed the moment.

Emily & Jonathan's day was so much fun and ALIVE. The summer colors that Emily picked were so gorgeous together and exuberant, I had to put them all together in a collage so you could see what I'm talking about. (PS The back story behind their name cards being ice cream cones? Emily's dad owns several Dairy Queens in the area, so they actually served DQ blizzards alongside wedding cake at the reception!!)

Emily + Jonathan: Thank you so much for the honor of photographing your wedding day. Austin and I had a blast with you both. You two make a knock-out team, working so hard for those around you and leading out in wonderful ways for our church. Thank you for your constant, dependable service and the example you preach through your actions. I know God will richly bless your marriage as you work hard for each other now too.

Blessings!
Carrie

PS You can view other details of their wedding day HERE.