Colleen & Mandy

Colleen and Mandy’s wedding took place at what is easily the most iconic location in all of Akron; Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens.  We have shot at Stan Hywet many times but it almost feels new every time.  There is so much variety available and with the changes that the seasons bring, there is always something new to try and a new way to see gardens.   The day started with a relaxing morning at the nearby Courtyard Marriott with hair and makeup before we made our way to the gardens for final preparations.  We planned the day so that Colleen would arrive at the carriage house first, get into her dress, the she and her bridal party could head out onto the grounds for photos as Mandy was arriving to get into her dress.  This arrangement worked out perfectly so that both Genevieve and I had plenty of time to photograph both Mandy and Colleen with their bridal parties and families separately before the ceremony.

The decision to not do a first look was a very carefully made one because Colleen and Mandy had a very specific plan for the walk down the aisle to start the ceremony.  The ceremony took place at the Tea Houses which are situated at the end of a very long tunnel of birch trees known as Birch Allee.  Mandy and her Mom made the walk down Birch Allee while at the same time, Colleen and her dad were making the walk down the grapevine ally that intersects with Birch Allee.  These allies are quite long so the timing had to be perfect for them to both reach the intersection at the exact same time. They totally nailed it and it was an absolutely beautiful moment.  Together, the four of them made the final trip down the last bit of Birch Allee to start the ceremony.

After the ceremony, we roamed around the grounds with Colleen, Mandy and the bridal party while the guests enjoyed cocktail hour.  It turned into a bit of a chilly day but that did nothing to dampen the spirits of these two.  The reception that followed was an intimate night of food, drink, friends, family, music, dancing, and even a little bit of river dancing.  It was a beautiful day with an amazing couple and we are so glad we got to be a part of it!