caitlin & nelson are married!

caitlin & nelson are one of those couples that really just FIT. they have so much in common- shared loves, temperaments, joys & passions. i’ve always questioned the confidence with which people say, ‘opposites attract’ because sometimes, being similar is just so perfect. like caitlin & nelson! of course i don’t know them as well as some of their friends (who may very well be giggling at my assessment, fair enough ;)), but after spending their full wedding day so closely capturing their every moment, i can’t help but be drawn to their similarities. wedding days can bring a different kind of pressure and stress into a relationship that has never existed there before and each couple handles this differently. in the case of caitlin & nelson, there was a moment where all of that just…vanished. it was the moment when they first saw one another the afternoon of their wedding- just an hour or two before their ceremony was set to start. the second their eyes met, all of the hustle and bustle of the day just, melted, away. it says so much about their connection that all it took, for both of them, was just that first glance- then everything was okay. and by ‘okay,’ i really mean, ‘perfect.’ because, seeing the two of them together on their wedding day was just a beautiful picture of two people completely meant for one another. i feel lucky to know them.

take a moment to absorb how fabulous this dress is:

that’s right- perfectly placed ruffles, romantic blush tones, modern but timeless- i could go on!

…and the most wonderful compliment to caitlin’s stunning features and soft curls:

meanwhile, nelson finished his final preparations before he started helping to tie each groomsmen’s bow-tie. later, matt mentioned to me that bow-ties always seems to stump the gents- until nelson mentioned off-hand that it was the same knot as tying your shoe. and then matt had a bit of an epiphany and will probably now be roped into tying groomsmen’s bow-ties in the future. ;) but still, great to know!

i admit, that is me in these next two. but sometimes you do what you have to in order to get the exact shot you imagine. and in the case of this reflection shot, i couldn’t avoid being in the frame. but even still, i really love how these came out!

caitlin’s position in this next shot just blows me away- it’s a completely natural moment as she walked to meet nelson in the japanese garden of the atlanta botanical gardens. their following ‘first look’ was the moment i talked so much about in the beginning of this post- just so wonderful:

after some portraits, caitlin and her dad took a few moments to practice their father/daughter dance. it was beautifully choreographed and they are both so graceful but what i liked most was that they made time for this practice dance. it was such a special time for them, together, with very few people around to see. they seem to have a great relationship:

caitlin & nelson’s ceremony was held in the rose garden- the perfect backdrop:

just after the ceremony, caitlin & nelson stole away for a few moments to absorb the beginning of their new life together, as well as enjoy a sampling of their menu from sun in my belly catering.

meanwhile, their guests mingled in the gardens, enjoying cocktails, the spring blooms and one another while the reception was getting the finishing touches. here are just a few details of caitlin’s clean, green and pink palette:

dinner was followed by a time of witty, sweet and insightful toasting.

caitlin & nelson, it was wonderful to spend a day capturing the beautiful relationship you guys share. we hope you enjoyed your quick break and we can’t wait to see images from your upcoming trip to italy! evviva gli sposi!