Anyone who knows Theresa would tell you they were not surprised when she walked out in white Vans and kept them on for the entire wedding. Anything else would have been disingenuous to who she is as a person, and I loved that the choices she made were so true to her and made her wedding feel one of a kind.
Daniel, on the other hand, was not as glamorous while getting ready. By the time the five different people (including myself) were done trying to fix his flyaway hairs, we were ready to just cut them all off.
Traditional Beauty at St. Patrick's Church
Luckily by the time they made it to the church, everyone’s hair was in place and STAYED THERE. The happy couple met at St. Patrick’s Church in Columbus, Ohio, so it was fitting that they chose to get married there as well. Everything about their relationship and wedding was just so organic and natural, and it was great to see that come through in the choices that they made on their special day. To make it even more magical, Theresa’s parish priest from back home in Pennsylvania came out to concelebrate the mass, and he even proclaimed the Gospel Reading.
St. Patrick’s is such a gorgeous church. It has stunning classic stained glass windows, depictions of various Dominican saints on the sides of the altar and on the ceiling, a beautiful painting of the Crucifixion over the high altar, and white and gold altar rails that are still used today. Altogether it makes for such a serene and austere location that has so many wonderful photo opportunities.
The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway
After the ceremony, a party bus took the crew to the Columbus Metropolitan Museum where we took pictures. The lobby is absolutely stunning and the facade out front is to die for. Unfortunately it was freezing (right around the time of that wonderful Ohio snow storm), so we didn’t spend that long outdoors. However, Theresa had a cute cape, gloves, and earmuffs (and new husband) to keep her warm.
Big shoutout to the bridal party for braving the cold for some amazing photos! Their reward? Hot chocolate and snacks in the party bus on the way back to the reception. We also got to jam to a curated playlist put together from songs played at various weddings the group had attended over the years.
With the warm drinks, good laughs, and fun times flowing, I’m sure that group could have withstood any amount of cold (but I’m sure they were glad I didn’t make them stay out any longer than necessary!).
It's All About the Family
While most of the weddings that I photograph are kid-friendly, the award for “Most Babies in Attendance” definitely goes to Theresa and Daniel. Their community has always been at the core of their lives, and they wanted to honor that. So, the newly wedded stood at the front of the buffet line and handed guests their plates. How incredible is that? I think it just goes to show Theresa and Daniel’s amazing spirit of generosity that makes their relationship so amazing.
One element of the wedding that was a must have for Theresa was a Polka Band. Staying true to her Polish roots, the couple performed a traditional bridal dance at the end of the evening where Theresa danced with the guests, and Daniel had to physically fight her brothers to sweep her off her feet and carry her away!
Similarly, in classic Pittsburgian-style, the couple had a cookie table for their desserts. The guests were encouraged to take some home. Unfortunately for me, I had too many camera bags already, and didn’t think camera lenses and cookie crumbs would mix very well.
I had so much fun shooting Theresa and Daniel’s wedding, and it wasn’t just because I got to hear a Polka “Pink Pony Club” cover. I’ve actually known Theresa for ten years since we worked together at Catholic Youth Summer Camp together. Knowing Theresa for so long and being able to see her relationship with Daniel grow and blossom has been such a treasure.
