Details

I remember Kaitlyn and Dave’s wedding day as if it were yesterday. We were in New York that day, capturing the rainiest wedding day we’ve ever had in all our years of shooting! It was the kind of rain that gets worse as the day progresses. The kind of rain that made us pack a dozen umbrellas for our wedding party but even that many umbrellas weren’t able to keep us all dry. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn and Dave were getting married at Lake Valhalla Club in Montville, NJ, where it was also – you guessed it – raining. Now, don’t get me wrong, photos in the rain are incredibly romantic and on your wedding day you’re so happy to get married that nothing else matters, not even rain… but when you dream of your photos on a beautiful lake, you likely picture a gorgeous sunny day. You picture being able to stroll hand-in-hand, in the dry sand, and you picture being able to take full advantage of the venue grounds because, well, you chose that venue for a reason. Well, Kaitlyn and Dave may not have been able to get those images they dreamt of on their wedding day but I’m happy to share that these two got their wish just one year later than planned! This past summer they returned to the very spot where they tied the knot and I met them there to capture them as husband and wife on a bright sunny day! This session is one of my very favorites of the year, but not just because the setting was gorgeous and the light was perfect, but because I got to capture two people who are just perfect together, two people who didn’t let rain ruin their wedding day, and two people whose love inspires everyone around them. I love that, although they lead busy lives, they made time to pause and celebrate their first year of marriage in such a special way. They are a wonderful reminder that love deserves to be documented not only on your wedding day, but for years to come. I’m so thankful that Kaitlyn and Dave chose me to capture this time in their lives! It was such an honor and it was incredibly fun, too! I actually have many more photos to share from this shoot because Kaitlyn and Dave graciously volunteered to model for me in a styled shoot I did that day with Bogath Weddings and Events, but you’ll have to wait a little longer to see those images! For now, enjoy my favorites from the first part of our shoot and join me in wishing Kaitlyn and Dave a Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary!!

Vendors

Venue | Lake Valhalla Club
Photographer | Idalia Photography
Hair & Makeup | The Updo Guru

Lake Valhalla Anniversary Session

 

How they met:

“Dave and I went to separate high schools and we met through mutual friends Freshman year and have been together since then.”

 

The proposal:

“It was early November, the day after Dave’s birthday when he surprised me with a trip to Nashville. We both love country music and have always wanted to visit. Our first night in Nashville we went to the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens for a light show. While walking around at the light show and through the gardens, Dave kept mentioning that we should have someone take our picture. I usually don’t deny the opportunity of capturing a picture together but this time, I kept saying, “No, maybe in a few minutes; or no, not here.” Well, what I didn’t know was that Dave wanted someone to capture the proposal on camera. We finally got to a spot under a Trellis full of flowers where he surprised me and got down on one knee! A few minutes later someone came walking through and we got the picture he was trying to get the whole time! :)”

 

Their favorite memory from their wedding day:

“I have many favorite memories from our wedding day. One of them being our first look. It was very important to us to have those few minutes together before the ceremony. It was pouring rain out but we still managed to have our first look outside under a big tree. It was the perfect moment. Another favorite memory of mine was when we sat down for 5 minutes to attempt to eat our dinner when Dave said, “Stop and look around. Look at everyone who is here for our wedding day!” I remember just looking around at everyone enjoying their meals, laughing and talking. It really sunk in at that moment that after 12 years of being together we were finally at the day we’ve been talking about and waiting for.”

 

The biggest lesson they’ve learned during their first year of marriage:

“Compromise, compromise, compromise. Valuing each others opinions and meeting in the middle is key!”

Advice for newlyweds:

“My advice would be to take time out of each day to connect with each other. Life can get very busy in your first year of marriage. We bought our first house, rescued a puppy and were both working like crazy. We found it so important to make time for each other everyday.”