Back in 2018, soon after announcing my upcoming photography workshop, I received an email that read:

Hi Bobbi, yay for workshops! Recently, I sent you an Instagram message because I was just so excited about your fun, family-filled wedding, but basically, I told you about my one-way relationship with you, where I’ve been following your blog since the website had a black background. Maybe it was middle school when I fell in love with your photography, and I have laughed and cried through the many glimpses of your life, and I told myself BOBBI IS GOING TO PHOTOGRAPH MY WEDDING. Years and years later, I’m finally in my first and only relationship with the boy who loves me (and me him), and we are going to get married next year! Unfortunately, we’re really rather poor (classically trained musicians just out of grad school, he’s a bassoonist, I’m a cellist, what can you do), so we wouldn’t ever be able to afford you and Meg Money’s amazing skills for our wedding, but seeing this workshop, I know you sometimes call for workshop models. I wanted to know if we could put our name in the hat!

At that point I had already had a workshop couple so it wasn’t a possibility. But nonetheless it started a conversation. 🙂

About a month later I received another email, but this time from Ann’s sister:

Hi there! My name is Teresa, and I – along with my two sisters Ann and Grace – have been following your blog for a very long time. We love your candor and fun and spunk, as well as your flair for life and love and capturing precious moments in a camera lens. Ann was super excited around Thanksgiving because she had written to you about her interest in workshop modeling… and can I tell you? She was blown away when you responded! (because it was a long shot – and a shot in the dark!) She’s been wedding planning for a while, and because she and her boyfriend are both musicians by training and fresh out from grad school and therefore are strapped in the finances department, thought it would be a pipe dream to ask you and Meg Money to be their wedding photographers – especially since you’d need to travel a bit to get to Ohio! Anyhow, I am emailing to see what you would think about me (and possibly my other sister Grace and some of Ann’s college friends) covering your booking fee… as a surprise wedding present to Ann! Would that be okay? 🙂

Ummm, I don’t even know what to say from here other than HOLY WOW! How incredible is this family?!!?!

Fast forward to the following year where MegMoney and I found ourselves in Cleveland, Ohio photographing the one and only Ann with her fiancé (and later in the day – husband) JW. It all felt like quite the dream!

That’s Ann’s mom Lily trying to be sneaky in the background.

I asked Ann how many guests she was expecting that afternoon and she said something along the lines of, “I lost count but I think I invited more than can fit in the reception but maybe some won’t come? Bobbi, I just couldn’t quit inviting everyone I know, I love all the people!”

A talented Etsy artist made Ann’s dress.

One of my favorites: waiting in the wings with dad.

Ohhhhh Ann, you were just full of ALLLLL the heart eyes!

Because I knew that Ann had been following me for quite a while (the black background website and blog that she mentioned is at least ten years old!), I busted out some of my old school BB@& style… that suuuuper contrasty crushed blacks B&W.

Such sweet bridesmaids!

HA!

Their afternoon reception was at the church immediately following the family and wedding party photos. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more beautiful reception hall in a church!

Instead of cake they had ice cream.

All of the floral table centerpieces had a note attached that read, “Celebrate with Flower Power – Pick the petals from your centerpiece after the party and shower the newlyweds as they exit!”

After they exited their reception, we then went around town where they had their own little private session with Megan and me.

Sometimes when I’m photographing couples I ask them to do an impression of me; which results in THIS exact reaction 100% of the time.

Ohhhhh how I love this duo! Ann, your laugh and smile is contagious!

That light though?! YUM-TOWN!

Much love friends,

Bobbi