Love in Louisville Part 2: the Fairy Tale
Kim and John were married on May 26, 2018 at the top of a long, winding, picturesque hill about 30 minutes outside of Louisville, Kentucky at the Horine Conference Center in Jefferson Memorial Forest. I arrived several hours before the ceremony to scope the scene and take some pre-ceremony photos. It was unseasonably hot for May even for Kentucky at about 93 degrees, so when I entered the room where the bride was preparing, I was thankful for air conditioning! Here are some shots of the bride getting ready:
Bouquet..check!
The bride's mother helps with the final touches to her dress.
Adjustments...
Make up...
The table was set...
Corsages added...
Family arrived...
Friends gathered...
Kim and John decided they were okay breaking with tradition and seeing each other before the ceremony to shoot photos and save time. But I was sad that I wouldn't capture the traditional "first look" photo - a photograph of the groom getting his first look at his bride. So we made a mock first look photo... which was a little over the top!
And it was almost go time! Kim and John posed for photos together as well as with family before the ceremony. This one - one of my favorites - shows the overlook where the ceremony took place.
The bride's mother, Jan with her beautiful bride daughter
The groom with his mother
And it was time for the ceremony!
I've known Kim, the bride, since I was about 16, and have always thought she favored her mother. I was shocked to see this photo in my camera when I downloaded the images. It is a photo of Kim and her father about to walk down the isle. Note they both have the same pensive demeanor and expression! Kim, you are your father's child! I'd give more than a few pennies to know what they were thinking...
One thing the officiant did during the ceremony that everyone enjoyed was revealing secret things that annoyed the bride about the groom, and the groom about the bride, and incorporating them into the ceremony. You know, those little annoying habits that get on your nerves about your significant other, like leaving the cupboard doors open...
Secret annoyances revealed
More secrets...
Then it was time to get serious with the vows...
Vows...
The audience listened intently to the couple's vows
Then it was time to exchange rings...
And, in no time, this short, sweet ceremony of the union of two beautiful people was complete!
As stated in Part I, Kim and John are musicians, and a unique feature of their wedding was they both provided the musical entertainment along with their friends.
Singing together...literally making beautiful music together. What could be more symbolic of a beautiful marital union?
The first dance...
Kim's gorgeous dress was handmaid by a friend. At the bottom, Kim and John's names were embroidered in beautiful blue stitching representing the "something blue" tradition.
After the ceremony, I snuck away with the bride and groom to a quiet place where these shots were captured. They truly represent each of their personalities. Kim, who teaches science, has always looked at the world with such enthusiasm and optimism, and I think that shows in this photo below. John's love for Kim is also evident here.
I've truly never witnessed a wedding of two people I felt in my heart were so completely, perfectly paired than this wedding. I know that Kim and John will spend eternity together and I couldn't be happier for two of my favorite people. Congratulations Kim and John D'Amato!
