This wedding was an ENTIRELY new experience for team bb+mk. You see, Kristin and Donald are deaf. Thirteen of their fourteen member bridal party were also deaf. Most of Donald’s family is deaf. And I’d say… 60%ish of the guest list were also deaf. Being 100% honest here, leading up to the wedding I was incredibly nervous… not because I thought they wouldn’t be friendly…. but because I’ve, never in my life, even met ONE person who was deaf, LET ALONE nearly an entire wedding. You see, if you know me, you know that I very much use my big voice as a tool… without it, I feel out of my comfort zone. I just didn’t know how I was going to communicate. So, yeah… I was definitely nervous.
That was… until I got there… and I realized immediately that this group was awesome… and patient… and giving… and taught me SO much…
Meet Kristin and her beautiful blue eyes. 😀
SO much pink…. EVERYWHERE! You’ll see… 🙂
…reading Donald’s card… 🙂
Another new favorite ring shot. AYKM?! Have you ever seen so much Tiffany, ever? You probably have. Me… not me… WOW TO THIS!
LOVING these reactions to the beauty that was the reveal of Kristin, the bride 🙂
…me love me some symmetry…
Hi Donald. 🙂 Mikey’s favorite ❓
HELLOOOOOOO PERFECT GUST OF WIND! THANK YOUUUUU MOTHER NATURE! 😀 
St st st stunning…
My favorite… ABSOLUTELY my favorite! ❗ The best part about it? The “I love you” 😀
Their vows were some of the best I’ve heard. People were talking about them all night long. 🙂 Donald signed them, the best man held them and the interpreter uhm… interpreted them! 
We were only given a few minutes (3!) of photo time… Luckily for us, they’re hot tamales and we were able to come out with this gorgeousness… in no time. 😀
PINNNNNNNK CENTRAL!
Kristin had two maids of honor… the girl on the right forgot her champagne so, the other shared 😀 Also, notice the maid on the left with her hand up? That’s how you clap in sign language. You raise your hands (jazz hands style) and shake them 😀
LOVE this!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOOOOOVE IT! 😀
In the background is one of the interpreters… meet Gail 🙂 She was signing their last song as they danced and watched…
……………………………
ITASCA, Ill.
hair: Bridal Makeup Chicago
makeup artist: Liz – Bobbi Brown
venue: Eaglewood Resort & Spa
dj: MDM Entertainment
cake: Oak Mill Bakery
dress: Vineyard
bridesmaid dresses: Dessy
bridesmaid jewelry: Erin Gallagher
tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse
……………………………
their songs:
First dance: “Fortunate” – Maxwell
Father/Daughter: “I Loved Her First” – Heartland
Mother/Son: “Because You Loved Me” – Celine Dion
Introductions: “I Got a Feeling” – Black Eyed Peas
Cake cutting: “The Luckiest” – Ben Folds
Bouquet Toss: “My Life Would Suck Without You” – Kelly Clarkson
Garter Toss: “A Little Less Conversation” – Elvis Presley
Last Dance: “Bless the Broken Road” – Rascal Flatts
The best man signed this song to us: “My Wish” – Rascal Flatts
kristin+donald:
What was the most memorable moment of your day?
kristin: 1. Seeing my father cry for the first time ever and he made me cry! 2. Walking down the aisle and seeing Don. 3. Exchanging our vows.
donald: 1. Watching Kristin walk down the aisle. 2. Exchanging our vows.
What was your favorite detail?
Hard to pick just one but that’d be our wedding cake!
Any advice for future bride/grooms?
1. Start booking early.
2. Stay organized throughout the wedding planning.
3. Delegate some tasks to the bridesmaids/groomsmen, they will be more than willing to help.
4. On the day of the wedding, some things will go wrong but keep your sense of humor and a flexible attitude on for the day.
5. And oh yeah, let people drink too much! 🙂
Funniest memory from your wedding day?
The video clip Don’s groomsmen put up for the entire audience to see. This clip was taken at Don’s bachelor party where his groomsmen asked what he loved the most about me (Kristin) and he replied “everything. I just love her so much” he had quite a lot to drink that night. We didn’t know they would show the video at our wedding.
If you could do it all over, would you change anything?
We would have spent more time working on the slideshow but that’s all we would have changed.
What was your favorite wedding purchase?
1. Why, of course, bobbi+mike!
2. Our wedding rings.
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Maui, Hawaii 🙂 so fabulous!!! We learned how to surf! We’ll definitely be back.. perhaps for our 5 years anniversary?? 🙂
bobbi+mike:
What was our favorite part of the day?
bobbi: 1) I loved photographing the rings. 2) learning a bit of sign language! I already knew the alphabet from teaching myself in the 4th grade (which came in RIDICULOUSLY handy)… but that day I learned SO much more. People were so patient… I love love LOVED learning/trying to figure out what people were saying. ASL is so damn neat. 3) Watching/listening to their vows. 4) Seeing Donald watch the interpreter as Kristin danced with her dad. I’ve heard “I Loved Her First” a zillion times in my life… and think nothing of it… but to see Donald truly appreciate the song made me hear that song in a whole new way. I watched and cried… hard. As in, the ugly cry. Luckily for me, I have a big camera in front of my face to cover most of me up. I’m having a hard time explaining myself here… hopefully you get what I’m saying… argh. ::I JUST read Mike’s answer… and he said it MUCH more eloquently than I did… whew!) 5) the dancing. I LOVED watching the guests dance and cut loose!!!!!! 6) At the end of the night, I was talking with a few of my new friends when Tate (a photorapher in Louisiana… who also happens to be deaf) says, as I’m explaining something amazing, “….you have a deaf face!” HAHAHAHA! Favorite quote of the night! It was his way of saying that I’m expressive and animated. I suppose that’s why there wasn’t much of a language barrier all day. I wear EVERY emotion on my face. So, Mom… my dramatics are a good thing… SEE!!!! 🙂 The Deaf community REALLY and TRULY is an incredible one.
mike: Seeing the best man sign Rascal Flatts’ “My Wish” to the Kristin and Donald was quite a moment in a few ways. Seeing this big, tall bear of a best man signing a love song with the emotion and elegance that he did was just something I wasn’t prepared for. Also…it really made a hearie like myself stop to think about and appreciate lyrics to music; hearies “hear” music all of the time, but rarely listen to music and grasp its meaning. One other thing that occurred to me is that as wedding photographers we become so callused to some really great music. Just because we hear some of this music every weekend doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy some of it in our free time.
MUCH LOVE FRIENDS!
~bobbi+mike ❗ + ❓
PS. in reference to Mike’s “hearie” term… it’s what deaf people often call people who can hear. 🙂
PPS. I don’t very often think I look like my mom (I’m kind of a spittin’ image of the Sheridan’s)…. but in the photo of us with the b&g… I REALLY look like her!
PPPS. how hot is Mike’s longer hair?! He got a haircut last week just to shape it up and it’s way shorter than he thought it was going to be… so, again.. back to growing it out… 🙂
For photo time, I had an interpreter with me. Yeah, ME! Can you imagine someone trying to sign MY A.D.D.ness? YEAHHH… I think interpreting me was an entirely new experience/challenge for them!
❗ + ❓
The last picture, you have your logo as a belt buckle, rockstar!
Great post about your experiences at Kristin and Donald’s wedding, thanks for sharing!
OMG… I totally love your belt buckle logo as well! You are TOOOOOO CUTE!
thanks guys 🙂 I’m in the process of having a new one made… with the brand update.
What an amazing opportunity. It appears that you rocked it! I love that cake and wow to the gorgeous bride!
This post is the bestest. I got a little teary-eyed. What gorgeous people. That pink! I love all that pink!
oh my. sooo gorgeous! i love how you took in everything you learned about deaf culture- we all adored you two. the pictures are absolutely stunning, can’t wait for the entire ALBUM! 🙂
goodness! i loved looking through those pictures! so, so, SO beautiful! you truly captured the perfect moments! 🙂 im so glad you both had a fantastic time, i know everyone loved you guys! 🙂 cant wait to see MORE!!!!
I’m LOLing at the thought of someone interpreting you during group shots. HA HA HA HA HA!
Still laughing….oh man.
This is such an awesome day! What a beautiful bride!!! She’s gorgeous. Looks like a precious day.
and yippee for new learning experiences Bobbi!!! That’s one of the greatest things about being a photographer, you always get to learn new things and expand. : )
PS Hearie team. That’s so cool! Love that term!
“YOU HAVE A DEAF FACE!!” 😀 It was marvelous meeting you and Mike. You guys inspire me to continue to oomph up my own photography in many ways. I especially loved just chatting up with you throughout the night! Will be sure to hit you up when visiting friends in Indianapolis – and you guys HAVE to come stay at Maison Looziana in Louisiana someday for a getaway from it all. Krissy and Don’s photos are stunning – and I second Sarah, can’t wait to see ALL of it!
The only ASL I know comes from watching Blue’s Clues with the boy, so I know “house” “tree” “party” etc 🙂 Not super useful. – SICK WEDDING, guys!!!
Wow! This is amazing! I love the photos and all of the descriptions of the day – I love your blog posts!
SOOOOOO gorgeous!!!
Alexandra, thanks 🙂 I feel like I’m a bit of a rambler and not very good at articulating myself… so, thanks!
What an amazing experience. I am definitely envious. The pictures are awesome, as always. Keep em coming!
Hi there Bobbi + Mike, I’ve lurked around on your blog for a while and this blog post pushed me into being a active participant 🙂
I’m HoH so while not Deaf, I am deaf .. there is a distinction and I love seeing weddings like this and the appreciation that goes with it for new experiences.
Ps. I love deaf face .. its so emphatic and your smile is killer bobbi.
this is a wonderful, wonderful blog… like many others said – loved how you described us. 🙂 Completely appreciative of how appreciative you both were of us *wink*.. beautiful pictures.. you truly captured don and kristin. I (and everyone else!) thank you for that! 🙂
AHHHHH! I’m soooo jealous! I have my certificate in American Sign Language and I always get soooo excited when I bump into deaf people and get an excuse to practice again. I’d kill to be as lucky as you Bobbi! 🙂
wow.. truly amazing. what an honor for you guys to be part of their amazingness.
Bobbi, you are hilarious. I love your accounts of different things and how “brutally” honest you are with your readers. I’d have been nervous too, but you very much rocked it and it looks like you and Mike had a WONDERFUL time.
Love it! What an awesome experience, looked like a beautiful wedding and wonderful people. 🙂
the dancing photos you both get always rock! Love them!!!
Gir u trip me out for real with that belt buckle. HOLLA! I love it. On a side note to the blog these two are fabulous and look so much in love. Awesome.
These are aaahmazing! What a wonderful experience it must be to photograph this awesome wedding!
bobbi, please don’t apologize for being yourself on your blog, that is so much of what draws people to you and your work(aside from your gorgeous photos of course). I love this wedding because so much of the emotion is captured. I am totally in love with the shot of the groomsmen all talking together. Love it! Way to go:)
First, that ring shot makes me want to go shopping! Second, your belt buckle is hilarious! 😉
I love all the color in this wedding, so fun!! Bobbi you are undeniably lovable whether someone can hear your LOUD voice or not! I’m sure you’re amazing and super fun personality came shining right through. Beautiful work as always!! 🙂
You guys are magic for rocking out their photos in only 3 minutes, WOW! Amazing work! And that ring shot…killer! Beautiful bride and beautifully emotional images. p.s. Both you and Mike have great hair! Love your long locks!
Isn’t ASL neat!? It was my “foreign language” in college and I loved every second of it. I’m sure you guys did great and even though most people there couldn’t hear you, I can guarantee that they could literally feel your energy and that’s really all you need I think. As usual you guys rocked it. Hands down my personal heros – AGAIN. Thanks for always giving me something to aspire to. : )
what a gorgeous blog! i love all of the colorful photos! kristin and don were quite fortunate to have you both part of their most memorable day! thank you for your hardwork and kind patience since we, the deafies, love to TALK! 🙂
Love the gorgeous fotos! You guys did a fanastic job — we all enjoyed having you around and being able to capture some of Don and Kristin’s special day. Looking fwd to the rest of the photos! 🙂
Dude, did I seriously see your logo as a belt buckle? Total coolness. Loved this post!
these turned out SO well! and you were nervous? psshh! 🙂 love em!
Wow, gorgeous from first to last. What an awesome day. And the bride, omg, she is bea-u-ti-ful!!! Thanks for sharing.
wow wow wow! What a gorgeous couple… what a beautiful day! I love the I love you sign in the one photo! What an awesome shot! Bobbi you are looking so AMAZING!
I L-O-V-E every one of these photos! Gorgeous!
Spectacular, spectacular, spectacular!! What an insanely gorgeous wedding. I love every detail. The colours, the dresses, the cake, the shoes, the flowers and, of course, the emotion. Amazing moments beautifully captured by you, Bobbi and Mike. You should be immensely proud of your work. It’s simply divine!
Love the pictures as always! But I had to post to say the Mike’s longer hair is HOT!
ahhhhhMAzing!!!! i love the shots, all of the signing and your rockstar buckle. best post ever.
my mom would have loved this one! she used to study sign language in college, and she would teach us some signs as kids.
brilliant, as always! 🙂
and, wow, you guys were in itasca? that’s like 10 minutes from “tumminaro lane”! you coulda come over for a post-wedding bonfire! 😉
WOW!! As a photographer and a Speech Language Pathologist I am in tears! I can only imagine the emotion of the day. What an amazing day it must have been. I currently work with children with communication disorders and LOVE my job. After 14 years in the field I cherish the days that I see my students all grown up and happy adults. Because I know that one day they will grow up and be amazing happy adults like Kristin and Donald! As a photographer- you guys ROCKED! I love your work! Kristen and Donald were blessed to have you capture this day for them . . and you were blessed to have been a part of the memories. God Bless~
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! thank you so much bobbi + mike! I knew I made the right decision moving our wedding date to May 8th (your only available date in May) just to have you two as our photographers. You two are incredible and so much fun to have around – I know our guests feel the same way! Can’t wait to see the rest 🙂 🙂
I love reading your blog and this one was touching !
wow, great job. and the belt buckle? didn’t know about that!
I feel like I know y’all. Tate told me before he went how he was looking forward to meeting you both. On his return he said y’all were more cool than he knew y’all would be.
I’m glad Tate got to just be a guest, althought I bet his Canon trigger finger was antsy.
Your work: Y’all captured all the emotion, the fun and the love of the day. Tate could have taken these pics, that’s how much I like them. Come South, Cheers, Dad-T!
oh gosh. i am dying. what a beautiful wedding! you guys did an amazing, just AMAZING job! congrats to the beautiful couple!
This wedding is photographed so beautifully you guys. Love it.
Had to come back and look at these again just cuz their so dang hotness. 😀
What a rockstar song line-up! I do love some Ben Folds! 🙂 Great photos again, B&M! LOVE IT!
What an amazing experience! and I LOVE the belt buckle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVED reading this blog entry. I am also deaf :o) Sorry you were nervous Bobbi about communicating. It’s also MY biggest fear as a deaf person and photographer while trying to meet new families to photograph them. I work every day to overcome it. I’m so glad to hear you had a great day!!!
[…] Check out more from the wedding, including some great comments from the couple over on bobbi + mike’s blog. […]