Wedding photography has always been a passion of mine. I love the emotions throughout the day. The look the groom has the first time he sees his bride, the way the bride looks at her soon to be husband, and all the emotions on the families face.

I never had a big wedding. My husband and I married at the courthouse in Stafford County, Va. while he was an active duty marine. We always said we would have a big wedding but almost four years later it still hasn’t happened. So seeing all the brides on their happy day makes me want to plan my “big” wedding. I look at all the different styles of dresses and how every venue is different and every decoration is different. Some of my favorite weddings have been the rustic decor ones.

So when I go and get to capture the emotion of a bride and groom’s special day I think back to the day I had my wedding. Was it big? No. Was it fancy? No, but it was ours. It was my husband, myself, our officiant, and his wife. It was very intimate, short, sweet, and to the point. Our reception was the 2 of us at Olive Garden in Fredericksburg, Va.

So when I go into this beautiful venue or this old rustic barn and I see the personal touches the brides have put in for their special day it makes me smile. I love the mason jar candles, the huge floral centerpieces, the old trinkets setting on the tables, the satin table cloths, the burlap runners, and all those personal little details that make that day theirs! I can’t wait to add all those details into my “big” wedding. Even if that means its for my 10 or 20 year anniversary.

When I sit down to edit the images which sometimes can be over a thousand I can pull myself right back to the ceremony and remember the brides face and how beautiful she looked or how the groom looks at the bride and thinks she the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Then I know how I want those photos to look as a finished product. I know that I want the bride and groom to be pulled right back in that moment as well so they can relive one of the happiest days in their lives over and over again; the way I feel when I look back at my wedding photos.

Bella Ann North Carolina Wedding photography