Her great grandmother’s ring tied to her bouquet. The tears of Mason’s grandfather as he watched his grandson open a letter from his soon-to-be wife. The piece of her mom’s wedding dress sewn into her own. The big sigh of emotion and anticipation he gave as we prepared for ceremony time. Every single family member wiping tears from their eyes as the bride and groom said their vows. The heartfelt speeches, hugs, cheek kisses, and bonding moments. I could go on for pages, but it can all be summed up by this: Mason and Liz and their family and friends and this wedding day as a whole are just really, really special.

As I approached the Wren Farm home where the girls were getting ready, I could hear the excited hustling and bustling sounds of a group of girls ready to celebrate. In the flurry of hairspray and mascara, I noticed how excited but calm everyone seemed, as if this wedding day was just meant to be perfect and everyone was able to relax knowing that fact. Liz was full of life and energy and eagerness, and her brightness made everyone around her feel bright, too.

When the men arrived, Mason had the same kind of bright and enthusiastic attitude. I asked if he was nervous, and he replied that he was just really ready to marry his girl. That’s something you understand really quickly about Mason and Liz when you meet them - they are SO meant to be together. It feels like in any other version of their lives, even if they’d taken completely different paths than the ones they’re on now, they’d find each other and be together.

The rest of the day was an emotional whirlwind of vows, kisses, crying, speeches, sunset photos, s’mores, and dancing. The high energy that began the day followed all the way to the last dance. As the new Mr. & Mrs. ran though the lines of sparklers at the end of the night, things felt magical. I have a feeling this couple is going to have a lot of these magical moments together in their years to come, and I couldn’t feel more joyful for them. Thanks for letting me be the one to capture the joy, you two. <3