Sometimes there are lovely weddings that I swore I posted, but my brain is just playing tricks on me. This is one of those weddings. Katie and Justin originally met at Temple University through mutual friends.

One of Katie’s favorite things about Justin is his kindness and how he sees the best in every situation. One of Justin’s favorite things about Katie is how she always gives the perfect gift to anyone she knows. Justin custom-designed Katie’s beautiful engagement ring, so I think that positive character trait may have rubbed off on him as well.

Stella of New Hope wedding

Katie and Justin made their own traditions by skipping a first look and instead getting ready together at the Logan Inn in Bucks County. The couple had a self-uniting ceremony and a laid-back, restaurant-style reception at Stella of New Hope on the Delaware River. They shared how they wanted their photos to be mostly candid, which is always music to my ears. Photographing weddings at New Hope is always a joy.

The couple described their wedding aesthetic as a “nothing fancy, just love” type of vibe, which really resonated with me. I was excited to find out that they also watch Real Housewives and don’t feel guilty about it, because same. Chatting with clients about our commonalities is another joy of this career path, because we’re able to infodump about our special interests while building rapport. Somewhere along the way, most anxieties from marriers tend to dissipate, which can feel like a huge feat on a day typically filled with a lot of emotions.

Katie and Justin let me know in their questionnaire responses that they booked me because of my dedication to inclusion and commitment to the trans, non-binary, and genderfluid community, which meant a lot to me. I’m so honored to have been trusted to document their wedding day.