Backyard weddings have gained popularity over the past 5+ years, and COVID put that popularity on fast track. I’m appreciative of it’s growing popularity, as there’s something extraordinarily personal about a backyard wedding.

Julie + Steve’s original wedding was last September, but due to COVID they only had a very small intimate ceremony and postponed their larger celebration to this summer. Their backyard affair was to be perfectly simple, no ceremony - just a first look, some portraits and a reception.

The moments within this day are the ones that got to my heart the most. The mother of the bride, make-up and hair perfectly set, yet she’s wearing household cleaning gloves prepping or cleaning something or another that was needed for the tent awaiting outside. The bride’s brother, after taking a swim in the pool helps organize the tables and the bar under the tent. All the while, the cat and the dog want nothing more than to be outside roaming their “backyard”.

There’s something different, something good, something familiar about this day. And so I share it with you in hopes that it will resonate with you as well.