“All You Need Is Love” Adam and Stephanie – Irondequoit Country Club | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer

I love my job. LOVE. And I feel so fortunate to be able to be right there for some of the most amazing moments of people’s lives. To be able to capture these incredible and beautiful celebrations of love and affection.  There are times I come home from a wedding just bursting to talk about everything and then I sit in front of the computer and…and then there is just SO much to say, it’s hard to get down. Adam and Stephanie’s wedding was one of those weddings. I still don’t even know where to begin.  But first let me give a shout out to James Bass who helped me so much as my second.  There is nothing better…I mean NOTHING better than a GREAT second.  James got some AMAZING images — and I can’t wait to second shoot for him in August!  Woot!

There was so much love at this wedding. Both bride and groom come from big, crazy, tightly-knit families. But what was really amazing to see was how Stephanie and Adam’s love for each other brought their individual sides of the family together. The tender closeness of the two families and the obvious love that they have for Adam and Stephanie took my breath away.  And made me cry.  Multiple times.

As you can see, I wasn’t the only one.

As if the ceremony at Blessed Sacrament wasn’t emotional enough, Adam’s mom surprised him during the reception by having his best friend play a song live for the mother-and-son dance. Adam’s BF gave an INCREDIBLE speech written by Adam’s mom, picked up his guitar and started to sing the Beatle’s “All You Need Is Love.”  Adam, crying, held his mom close, also crying, while they danced. And then they reached out and brought Stephanie into the the dance, and then her parents and then the rest of their families and then the entire party was on the dance floor.  So powerful and so beautiful.  Um…yeah. It’s kind of hard to shoot when you’re bawling your eyes out. I’m tearing up again just thinking about it.

All of that love also makes for so much laughter, and let me tell you, this was a hilarious bunch.

I’ve known from the start that Adam and Stephanie were crazy funny, laid back and ready for anything. When they insisted on bringing my couch to the wedding, how could I refuse?! I told them, you can carry it, we can shoot it, so my (apparently very hardy!) Victorian couch followed us around all afternoon in it’s own personal van! And…velvet couch + the grounds of Irondequoit Country Club = OMG.

The dancing and jokes and laughter, the GORGEOUS reception, the warmth and celebration that just filled the entire day…Adam and Stephanie, you are incredibly lucky. Thank you so SO so much for letting me share this day, and your family’s tremendous love, with you.

Yeah. I really do love my job.