barden photography

I worked at a local deli/meat/grocery during the summers and holiday breaks during college. Ted Clark’s was my first job outside of babysitting - I worked there for 4 summers and holiday breaks throughout the years. I worked in the deli department - which is how I met Anne - the bride from this weekend. Anne worked in the deli/meat department too - when I am visiting the valley I try to stop and catch up with the people working there. Anne had told me that she got engaged and I told her to keep me in mind for wedding pictures. After the ceremony, my friends James and Laura came up and asked what we were doing at the wedding - turns out that James works with the groom - small world. 

Guest book …

Beautiful cake …

JP …

Do you …

I do …

This was the bride’s granddaughter - Danielle - what a cutie.

The cermony ended with the bride and groom taking a ride around town in the back of the old FORD truck. We stopped on the way to the reception on a hilltop to take some bridal party shots.

I LOVE the shadows in this shot.

Tyler and Julie were arriving at the reception as I was taking some shots of the cake - WHAT A SHOT.

Julie could not keep the smile off her face all day …

PM - my assistant for the day.

Kudos to PM for thinking up this shot.

The sun was shining right through the cake cutting - and I thought this shot was so cool with the rays coming right through the kiss.

Julie had charms hidden under the cake for the bridesmaids - friends - and family. The girls all pulled them out together and then Julie read what they each mean. I thought it was such a unique thing to do.

Julie and her dad.

Tyler and his mom.

Holding the bride for ransom - instead of a dollar dance - such a cool idea.

Shield your eyes …

I hope the tuxedo rental shop has some good detergent - those ring bearers had TONS of fun playing in the dirt.

Such a beautiful day for a wedding.

Tyler and Julie - I had a GREAT time at the wedding - thank you for trusting my vision and for being up for some crazy ideas. Thank you for allowing me to capture this memory for you. May God bless you richly in your marriage.

It never fails that I cry at weddings. I love the vows and the looks that the bride and groom give each other. I love capturing memories of that day for the bride and groom to look back on and tell their kids about. This wedding was no different.

Some of my favorites from the first half of the wedding pictures -

I photographed a wedding Saturday in Canton - and PM came as my second shooter. The weather was beautiful, the church was beautiful, and the bride was BEAUTIFUL.

Here are the moments PM captured throughout the day -

She used the fish-eye lens while hanging out in the balcony - then she got creative with the next two shots -

We had a great time and I didn’t even feel like I was working - which is how I KNOW that THIS is what I am supposed to do - I LOVE THIS JOB.

Mara - you were a GREAT help and I had so much fun - and you caught some GREAT shots.

Laura, the maid of honor, had high hopes for the dollar dance.

She was NOT happy with the results.

The best man - the groom’s brother - is on the L and the groom’s cousin is on the R. They sang Piano Man and had a GREAT time doing it.

James and Laura - two dear friends - I have known James since 2000 (which hardly seems possible) and I took his and Laura’s wedding pictures in October of 2005.

Joy has asked a few weeks ago if she could come with me to this wedding - I told her yes but it was in Athens which meant spending the night at my parents house Friday night if she was okay with that. Turns out that the Pastor who did the ceremony is a teacher at NCA - the school within our church here in Mansfield - and the guy in this picture with Joy is one of her good friends from school but also the bride’s cousin. I was so happy that Joy had some people she knew at the wedding and had a good time. She was a HUGE help - and did a GREAT job.

The Pastor and his daughter - I love daddy-daughter pictures.

Melissa and Tyler - thank you for allowing me to capture your day. May God bless the two of you in your marriage.

She’s Everything by Brad Paisley was the song that Melissa and Tyler first danced to as husband and wife. It’s a great song - and the very last picture in this series shows how much the lyrics mean to Tyler.

Melissa’s cousin-in-law was the Pastor for the wedding.

Joy, my assistant, and a sweet, sweet babe.

Love …

We were going to take all the bridal party shots at the old Waverly High School building - but it started raining HUGE drops as soon as we pulled up. God had something better in store for us - but I snapped a few of Melissa and Tyler before we ran for the cars.

The Athens Fire Hall had a beautiful cornfield as a backdrop instead of the school - which worked well with the sunflowers and the green …

Me and Joy snapping a quick picture in between shots.

I love the genuine smile on Melissa’s face.

And I love the look in Tyler’s eyes.

Melissa and I have been friends for at least 5 years - she and my sister were closer than we were - but since I hung out with Samm - I hung out with Melissa. Tyler is an AMAZING guy and I am so happy for them both. They got married in the church that I attended from 8th grade on. We know each other because of church - and it was a great JOY to photograph their wedding.

August 2, 2008 - a longtime friend of mine married a GREAT guy - I will blog about the wedding later when I post my pictures.

In the meantime - I have opened up an opportunity to RAY members to assist me at wedding shoots if they are interested in photography as a profession or hobby. My first assistant - Joy - joined me for the weekend to shoot some pictures.

GREAT JOB JOY!!

She is a beautiful bride …