This wedding rocked my face off. John and Jackie are a great couple and it was a joy to be a part of their day!

John is one of the most sentimental grooms I've had the opportunity to work with. His wedding gift to Jackie were diamond earrings that he meant to be her something old AND something new. Here's the story in Jackie's words:

"John's mom, Michelle, had two older sisters that passed away when she was very young. One of her sister's gave her wedding ring to Michelle, and she gave it to John. John decided to use the diamond from the ring to make a pair of earrings, one old and one new. He returned the ring setting to his mom who wears it with a new stone and he chose a similar setting design when selecting my ring."

Another beautiful touch to this wedding: John's mom made his and his brother's (the Best Man) vests! AND to add another layer of awesome, the fabric for John's vest is from Ireland and was produced in a fabric mill owned by John's dad's family. Pretty cool, huh?

I'm in LOVE with Jackie's dress, and she looked stunning in it!

There's not a single bad place to shoot at around Blumen Gardens.

Ya'll know I love me some ivy.

I'm really diggin' the mismatched dress thing these days! These girls were just so lovely in their lace.

The dapper gents.

Time to get married!

The reception was a loooooot of fun!

Congrats again, you two! Blessings!

Hair and Makeup: Bride did her own hair and makeup.

Eyelash application by Key Makeup & Hair Artistry.

Florist: Flowers purchased from Kar-Fre Flowers

Dress: Here Comes the Bride

Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Macys, Windsor, etc.

Tuxes: Vests from Men's Warehouse or Handmade

Ceremony site: Blumen Gardens

Reception Venue: Blumen Gardens

Caterer: Country Store & Catering

Cake: Elleson's

Bakery Band: Clutch Cargo

Liquor/Bartenders: Lundeen's Liquor

Shuttle: Spare Wheels

What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?

Jackie: The first look session. It was so great to have a few minutes for just John and I. I really got to see the love in his eyes without all the distraction from everyone else. It made the rest of the day go so much easier.

John: The first look session.

Is there anything you would have done differently?

Jackie: I would have announced at the end of the ceremony for the family to stick around for pictures. I may have purchase more alcohol as well, we ran out so quickly. But honestly these are such minuscule changes the day went beyond amazing!

John: The family photos needed more organization and people could have used more direction.

Best piece of advice for brides and grooms?

Jackie: Over cushion your budget and your time allotments. Make sure you have a long talk in the beginning about what you both want out of the day so that other items don't take precedence, especially if the push is coming from someone other than your significant other.

John: Let loose and enjoy the day, the planning is over!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Valentine Imperial Maya on Rivera Maya. An adult only resort, so extravagant... amazing food, premium liquor, everything!

Final Reflections:

Jackie: Roll with the punches. It is impossible to plan a seamless day, enjoy the kinks as they come up and trust everyone when they say you will laugh about them later.

Blumen Gardens Wedding Photography | John & Jacqueline