Wow, what a way to finish out the year! This was a fantastic wedding, and I can’t wait to dig into the rest!

Taking a trip from a rainy and cool New York to a sunny and warm Savannah (OK, it was a little outside of Savannah at Palmetto Bluff) was the perfect treat for a November wedding. If ever there was a day that went off without a hitch, this was it. Smooth from beginning to end, I’m left with thoughts of the beautiful outdoors, Roger’s easy smile, Natalie’s warmth, and a whole lot of crazy dancing.

I remember going downstairs about halfway into the cocktail hour and finding Hallie and Andrew just hanging out away from the crowd. Usually, couples want to mingle and enjoy the food. In fact, in recent years, I’ve grown so accustomed to seeing couples at the cocktail hour right after the ceremony, I was a little surprised. And then I thought about it. How nice it was, that they were just enjoying one another’s company. About how nice it was that they were living this moment together – a time they’ll have once in their lives, just being present, un-rushed and unhurried. And I smiled. It was a good day.

There’s just something charming about a wedding by the water. Overlooking the sea, Kristen seeing Michael for the first time at the ceremony, you could see the energy and excitement in their expressions. Her smile glowed. He was happy the whole day through, with a relaxed ease about him. It made taking the pictures a breeze. My favorite moment was in the second half of the first dance. As the crowd came in, she shrouded the two of them under her veil, as if to hold on just a little bit longer – a private moment right in the middle of it all.