i wonder if you could describe courtney and jordan’s wedding as a multicultural event. surely no one could have missed the incongruous mingling of accents in the air that day — the hearty, emphatic northern set against the dewy, lilting southern. for me, as the son of a chicagoan and his southern belle, it’s a combination that makes me feel uniquely at home. although courtney and jordan’s story is the flip side of my family dynamic: she’s the enchanting northern girl who met her southern gentleman on the kickball court of the YMCA. (as a side note, i’m now convinced that — in an ideal world — every love story would somehow incorporate kickball. i dunno why — it just strikes me as very cool. and i’m glad we got these two into an abandoned southern plantation for their engagement shoot; we may convert courtney yet.) who knows? maybe my personal association was partly why i had such a great time celebrating with these two! the humid atmosphere was even heavier with the laughter and greetings of friends and family from all sides of the country. what a great environment for the union of a brand new family!

congratulations, you two! we’re so happy for you, and thrilled to see what life has in store for you together. enjoy it!

we had a great time taking photographic advantage of authentic beauty‘s colorful, playful decor while the girls got ready. i thought it was especially fun juxtaposed to the simple, natural aesthetic of the gardens later on.

i’ve said it before, i have a very hard time keeping the lump out of my throat during moments like this one — especially now that i have a daughter. it was pretty clear, courtney’s dad is a very proud papa — and undoubtedly his daughter’s biggest fan. more than once, he had to take a moment to let all the emotion of the day sink in. i know everyone was wishing courtney’s mom could have been there to share the experience. from what i gathered, all the love she had poured into courtney over the years was keenly felt on this day.

all the toasts were so fantastic. i was especially amused by courtney’s precocious younger sister, who gave an incredibly witty, animated, and sincerely warm speech. whatever they’re teaching in those northern speech comm classes really works! (or, if i’m not mistaken, this family just produces very clever ladies.) jordan’s charm and the indelible impression his classic southern manners made on courtney’s family was another common theme of the toasts. (all right! score one for the southern boys!)

rain threatened most of the day. but a short and sudden downpour didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. in fact, it was just the refresher a few of the kids were waiting for! (their parents on the other hand, were probably thinking a change of clothing might be in order. this little tike opted for the next best thing, and dried off in his mother’s dress.)

loved it when jordan and his bros. in arms broke into an improved rendition of “you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling” — serenading courtney, like a classic movie moment straight out of “top gun.”