Their original wedding was scheduled for July 18, 2020. As every wedding couple this year has experienced, 2020 threw an enormous curve ball in the size of a worldwide pandemic. After much thought, Bryn and Jonathon decided to move their full, large, everyone-can-come-and-celebrate wedding to next summer, but wanted to go ahead and begin their marriage as planned.

These small micro weddings have become such a joy for me to attend. They strip away the beautiful, wonderful, glorious extra things that we all love about weddings, and truly make the day a focus on commitment, steadfastness, faithfulness, and love. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I adore full day weddings and all the details and beauty they include, but for years, I have told couples who worry about things like rain that, at the end of their wedding day, all that truly matters is that they are husband and wife, committed forever. This year, I have seen that over and over and over again. The layers have been peeled back and what couples end up with is a beautiful, wonderful, glorious day where the only focus is truly their love; a love that has already faced a lot of heartbreak when the reality of what they wanted and dreamed of for their wedding day were taken away from them. I have witnessed several times over now the holiness of marriage in the beauty of nature and not once has the lesser amount of witnesses detracted from that beauty.

Last fall when I shot their engagement session, not once did we think they would end up with two wedding days, a year apart, but it has been a joy to be part of their planning process, working out the logistical kinks, figuring out photography timelines, and celebrating with them. I feel so lucky to be able to do this all again next year. (They joked that if they screwed anything up this year, they always have a chance at a redo!)

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Photography: Emily Crall Photography

Florals: HyVee Waterfront Drive

Cake Artist: Deluxe Bakery

Makeup: Beauty by Melissa

Hair: Mac Jac Salon

Bridal Gown: JJ’s House

Maid’s Gown: Azazie

Suits: Halberstadt’s Men’s Clothiers

Venue: Celebration Farm