I can’t believe it’s almost a week since Kelsey and Charles’ wedding – time flies when it’s peak wedding season!  I was back at the Center for Urban Horticulture for their wedding, and they made great use of the outdoor space there – thankfully we were blessed with the perfect weather for an outdoor celebration!

I started the day taking some detail and venue shots, then went and found the girls just in time to capture Kelsey putting her dress on.  As soon as she was ready, I took her and Charles out into the perfect little garden at the Center for their first look.

I love their expressions here, seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day.  The were both beaming and giggling for the rest of the day – it was very cute!

Didn’t the guys scrub up well?  You’d have never guessed after seeing the rehearsal dinner photos!

And the ladies looked gorgeous – of course.

After some wedding party and family photos, we all headed inside for the first part of the marriage ritual: the signing of the ketubah.  It was a tiny little room with a whole lot of people – but it made for a fun atmosphere.

The ceremony was out in a clearing on the other side of the meadow.  To show the way, they had planted these beautiful flowers with ribbons:

I love ceremonies with a sense of humour!

Cocktail hour was held in the courtyard, and in the magnificent glass room.  It’s a great backup spot for the ceremony if it starts raining, too …

We headed back indoors for dinner, toasts and dancing.  The toasts were splendid – very funny and moving at the same time.  It’s a great time for me to get lots of candids of guests, so I’m always super happy if the speeches are emotionally charged.

One of the best wedding cakes I have ever tasted – and it was made by one of the bridesmaids, Judy Sam.  She recently started her own catering business, so give me a shout if you’d like her contact info.  I was blown away by how tasty the cake was!  Pretty, too …

There are really only so many cake-cutting shots you can get … then it’s time to start seeing what kind of cameras all the guests have!  (The cute lady at the front with the ginormous lens is my fab assistant and second shooter Anna.)

Time for a little sun-down stroll through the meadows and groves …

… and then back to the reception just as the party was really getting started.  These guys can dance!

Congratulations to Kelsey and Charles, and I hope you have as much fun looking through your teasers as I had taking them!

© 2008 Kate McElwee Photography