Fairmount Bride | Natalie & Ben's wedding at the Old Mill in Rose Valley

As many of you know, I (Natalie) was also counted among the 2010 Fairmount Photography brides.  After nearly two years of planning (not recommended for those of you wishing to preserve your sanity) Ben & I tied the knot at an outdoor ceremony in the sweltering heat at the Old Mill in Rose Valley. We fell in love with the location as soon as we saw it. It had everything we were looking for: an opening in a grove of trees for an outdoor ceremony with an air conditioned indoor site that could fit our 200+ guest list. I've learned a lot of lessons from attending so many weddings over the last few years.  Perhaps the best one is the importance of going with the flow and just enjoying every moment.  The brides I've met who have been able to let go of all the details and mini-dramas that occur with weddings are the ones who have the most fun. I think I surprised a lot of people on my wedding day.  I am a notorious over-planner, and you might say I'm a bit obsessed with details.  But on my big day I just went into automatic and trusted everyone to do their jobs and it was all perfect.  (OK, it wasn't completely perfect, one of our busses to transport our guests broke down, it was ridiculously hot out and the Phillies scheduled a surprise game to start the same time as my ceremony so traffic was horrific, but none of that mattered because I didn't let it.  And I was bride, so if I didn't care, then other people didn't either.)

I have to say, it was truly one of the most amazing days of my life.  It was so much fun to have so many of the people I love most in the world in one place for the day—it felt like that dream that ended too fast!  It was the kind of experience I wish for all our brides & grooms, which is part of why Matt and I make it a priority to remove as much stress from our couples as possible.

The first thing most people asked me when they heard I was getting married was, "Who is going to take photos?" Well, photography was the first thing I had set when I started planning.  I'd had photographers locked in before I was even engaged.  I work with so many talented people that narrowing down the list was not easy, but I managed to choose four people who I thought would balance each other out.  Each photographer covered two portions of the day so that no one spent the whole time working. A special thanks to each of my photographers—who are also my co-workers and my friends.  They have given me such an amazing gift. Every time I look at my wedding photos I feel amazingly blessed. Blessed to have such a talented group of friends, blessed to have married such a kind, wonderful and handsome man, blessed to have been surrounded by so many wonderful friends and family members. Who could ask for anything more?

The photo on the left is the only time I held a camera on my wedding day.  Someone had to get a shot of the photographers!

People seem surprised when I say I had four photographers at my wedding, but honestly it was hard to narrow it down to just four. Each of them brought such a beautiful perspective to the day. Here are a few photos from each of them:

Sarah McCoy

Sarah is the one who got me started in wedding photography.  We were classmates and roommates in college, and afterward I was her steady second photographer as she got her CT photography business started.  I love working with Sarah because we are both very competitive and she always pushes me to be a better and more creative photographer.  I photographed her wedding a few years back, so it was fun to have the tables turned.

Matt

You all know Matt—he's the other half of Fairmount Photo. After taking so much time to help him realize he enjoys photographing weddings, there was no way I was letting him out of documenting mine! His work is always a great foil to my own. He sees photos I would never consider and always surprises me.  I really couldn't wait to see his photos.

Melissa Kelly

Melissa was my detail lady. She was the year behind me in college, and I used to call her Natalie 2.0 because she followed in my footsteps and then improved what I did.  I asked her to document all my wedding day details because she has a designer's eye and always find beautiful patterns and inspiration in the little things that most people would just walk by.  She definitely did not disappoint — and she made me feel a lot better about folding all those paper cranes and assembling all the programs at the last minute!

Colin Lenton

Colin, another former classmate, is a commercial photographer in Philly, and not really a fan of photographing weddings. I love his non-traditional perspective, and he was the perfect guy to run our photobooth during the reception. I don't think there was a party in college where Colin wasn't taking crazy photos of people.

Thanks again to all of you! What a priceless gift :)

Lindsey & Brad's Valley Green Inn wedding Part II

Here are the rest of our best photos of Lindsey & Brad's wedding at Valley Green Inn in Philadelphia. Enjoy!

Perfect Harmony | Lindsey & Brad's Valley Green Inn wedding Part I

Lindsey and Brad's mid-October wedding was surrounded by a feeling of magic. It was the third perfect-weather Saturday in October, a month that is full of notoriously unpredictable weather, and we were sharing the day with a gorgeous and talented couple who were complete naturals in front of the camera. Brad & Lindsey started as casual acquaintances, but things started to change after dinner with their common friends at a Chinese restaurant when Lindsey received a fortune cookie bearing the message to "Stop looking for happiness. It is sitting right beside you." She turned and saw Brad. It was fate's first move in matchmaking for this couple. Their day started with a ceremony at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. Both Lindsey & Brad, and the majority of their bridal party, have been members of various a capella groups. After the ceremony, they waited in the choir practice room downstairs while the wedding guests boarded busses to the reception. Now, you don't put a group of talented singers in a room with a piano and 20 minutes to kill and expect nothing to happen. So as the church cleared out upstairs, Matt, our assistant Regina and I were treated to live music by the bride and her former roomates.  It was a truly awesome experience, and one of the reasons why we love our job. It's amazing to be able to witness and document such a personal part of their wedding day—Brad & Lindsey, surrounded by their closest friends and completely enjoying the moment.

The rest of the day was no less amazing as they headed to their reception at Valley Green Inn, a little hidden gem along Wissahickon Creek in Fairmount Park. The location had special meaning for Lindsey, since her father used to take her there to feed the geese on Sunday mornings when she was a little girl who refused to sleep in.  Now the little hotel-turned-restaurant, which sits adjacent to the creek and at the trailhead of paths through the surrounding woods, provided the perfect location for an intimate early afternoon reception. We could have spent days there finding great locations for photos with Brad & Lindsey.

Brad and Lindsey—it was a joy getting to know you and your families! (Part II of the photos will be posted soon.)

Casual Elegance: Mike & Stacy's Barn wedding in Bethlehem

Maybe the fact that they wore Crocs instead of dress shoes gives it away, but Mike & Stacy's October wedding at a private residence in Bethlehem, Pa., was a perfect reflection of them. Mike and Stacy are warm and easy-going people, and they know how to throw a party. Their wedding was a laid back affair that incorporated lots of D-I-Y details that made everyone there realize that they were witnesses to a special event. The ceremony was held in the shadow of a giant tree, and the simplicity of the setting magnified the sense of awe. Afterward, everyone headed up to the reception in a renovated barn, which featured a pig roast dinner. Inside the barn strings of lights created a warm atmosphere, mimicked by handmade table runners and centerpieces. Stacy created simple, elegant centerpieces with clusters of blue vases filled with white flowers and pine cones. Everyone created scrapbook pages for the couple's guest book by taking a polaroid photo of themselves with the barn's signature attraction, Mulevis. An iPod served as a DJ for their first dance and dinner music. One of the benefits of getting married at a private residence is that there's no time limit, so after a car-bomb toast from Mike's co-workers, they had live music come in to keep the party going until the wee hours of the morning.

It's always wonderful to see two people who are a perfect fit find each other, and we feel so honored that we were able to be witnesses to such a beautiful day in their lives.

Jessica & Hans Part II: Wedding Reception at Bear Creek's Lodge

After we took some bridal portraits around Muhlenberg College, it was time to head to the reception at The Lodge at Bear Creek. All of Jessica's attention to detail really came through at the reception. Her red and black color scheme popped up everywhere from strawberries on champagne glasses to the paper flowers (made by her mother) that decorated the bathrooms. We had so much fun at this wedding. Jessica & Hans— thanks for making us a part of your big day!