A Light-Hearted Wedding at Gordon Green
With Big Smiles, Full Hearts & Plenty of Joy.
The Art and Story of Allie + Mike.
I love real smiles. Not the forced awkward kind you sometimes have to pull together when standing next to your second cousin at the last family gathering group picture 😬; I mean the real deal. Good teeth, bad teeth; it doesn’t matter. Real smiles showcase the heart and emotions that are sitting inside of us, and as a wedding photographer I can never force a real smile; I can only invite opportunities for people to share them with me.
Spending the day with Allie, Mike and their families was a day full of authentic and unforced smiles. I can understand why Mike smiled so much [ Allie is lovely ], and I get why Allie was elated [ Mike’s a solid guy; and not so tough on the eyes ]. What stood out to me throughout the day was how everyone at their wedding at Gordon Green reflected a certain joy and contentedness on their face with the wedding and party that was happening. It was magic.
Meet Allie [ above ] and her infectious and inviting smile. We’re in Gordon Green in Cleveland; just a few hours before her wedding with Mike, and she’s nothing but stoked.
And this is why; the two of them together are [ obviously ] a perfect pairing.
Our Wedding Photography is not possible
Without AMAZING Cleveland Wedding Vendors
- Wedding Planner // Engaged With Nora
- Wedding Reception Venue // Gordon Green
- Wedding DJ// Eric Smith
- Wedding Reception Caterer // Driftwood Catering
- Wedding Florist // LV Designed
- Hair and Makeup Artist // Cleveland Beauty Collective
Had to scroll down for that one didn’t you? I love close up and intimate wedding pictures, but sometimes it’s fun to step back and show off a space. Large environmental wedding pictures like the above are actually really fun for your wedding photographer to give you, as they give you a bit of dichotomy in your wedding set [ and make for great large wall art later for your home ]
Speaking of dichotomy; I hung Allie’s wedding dress on Gordon Green juxtaposed to the black door for a fun balance of black and white. Pretty snazzy huh?
Allie gifted her bridesmaids matching clutches as a bridesmaids gift on the morning of the wedding. As a man whose father was an auto mechanic, the first time a bride gave her bridesmaids clutches as a gift I thought she was giving them a part of a car. I’m an idiot.🤦
”Brett and Ashley were a joy to be around all day and made sure to keep it fun and made sure everyone was happy and comfortable getting their pictures taken!
Allie+MikeThe Couple
In Their Own Words.
That’s right. Every word you’ve read on this page so far regarding this wonderful wedding [ catch the alliteration there. Pretty brilliant, right? ] has all been word-smithed and crafted by us [ we’re not only gifted wedding photographers, but also not too shabby in the content writing department ] Humble Brag / Self enthusiasm aside; we mean every word on this page, but it’s important that you hear from our couple too.
We asked a few questions of them about their wedding; and hope you enjoy their answers 😀
What did you love about your wedding?
Floating around at Cocktail Hour was great as it was the first time we could see our guests after the vows! Tina’s for the afterparty with family and friends singing karaoke was also at the top of the list!!
What would you do Different?
More attention to timing prior to the ceremony! Getting ready ran late and we wish we had more time for pictures and bridal party activities!
What was it like to work with us?
Couldn’t have been better! We knew the timing was off but you’d never know talking to Brett, he kept it cool, calm, collected the entire day and made sure everyone was happy and comfortable getting their pictures taken. Brett and Ashley were a joy to be around all day and made sure to keep it fun, even during the craziness of cocktail hour and the reception.
What photograph(s) are connecting emotionally?
Our first look! We had been looking forward to our day – seeing each other and being together – and it was awesome and beautiful to see Allie in her dress for the first time. Our first looks with our parents were also amazing, a very emotional experience as it was a day they had been waiting for for a long time.
Did you have a theme you were trying to hit for your wedding?
Modern, a little more laid back, and a good time. Color palette and florals, we were looking at a lot of white flowers and greenery along with sages and greens mixed in as green is our favorite color.
Editors note; If you’d like to see some other inspirational weddings at Gordon Green to check out their vibe and theme, head over to our page devoted to Gordon Green Weddings Here.
As our groom shared, the first look with our couple was one of my favorite parts of the day. As I had hung Allie’s wedding gown earlier, I positioned them near the black and white wall door at Gordon Green for their first look prior to their wedding ceremony.
I intentionally positioned our groom [ in black tux ] on the left over the white wall, and our bride [ in white ] over the black door to help really pop the image from vantage point.
One of my favorite images [ above ]
There’s that real smile I was pointing out earlier; Allie is ALL joy.
We took off and left Gordon Green for their creative wedding pictures with their bridal party; I took them to some areas in Cleveland that would evoke the “rust belt” vibe of Cleveland to pair well with their white and soft Gordon Green wedding theme.
These are Allie’s sisters. Ladies; make darn sure your wedding photographer gets a few pictures with you and your sisters on your wedding day!
The flowers were stunning! LV Designed Florals did such a great job on everything!
With an outdoor ceremony at Gordon Green on the Patio; the guests were covered by Gordon Green’s smart and stylish sun sails. They’re seriously such a nice touch; that way your guests don’t get cooked in the sun 🌞
The moment every dad thinks of; walking his little girl down the aisle.
And the moment I look for every time [ will the groom cry during the processional? ]
It’s usually Dad who loses it. And he did 🤣
I think we all did al little bit. 😂
Smiles😀 All day long!
The reception design at Gordon Green was handled and executed so well; with vision and planning by Engaged With Nora, the room was stunning.
Light, bright and full of touches of sage; Allie and Mike hit their wedding theme at Gordon Green with class.
This is one of the things I like about weddings at Gordon Green; you can really make the space your own. Allie and mike’s wedding reception never felt too crowded or overwhelming in the decor department either; everything felt tasteful and on point.
I love a good first dance for a couple. Especially when it’s more than the awkward “prom sway”. You know what I mean. 😳
Wedding reception speeches are important for a wedding photographer to capture; but I also pay attention to how the guests react to the speeches. Seen above; Allie’s bridesmaids enjoying the hilarious [ and sometimes spit-take worthy ] father of the bride speech.
We were all laughing and smiling together. Especially the guy at table nine who had a bit too much to drink during cocktail hour🍸
Seriously; this is the sort of crowd [ and couple ] reaction you want when you give your wedding reception toast.
Nick [ Mike’s older brother ] gave a very tender speech as well; we actually photographed his wedding in cleveland a few years ago as well!
The wedding reception at Gordon Green that night in Cleveland was off the charts; thanks to the hard work of cleveland wedding DJ Eric Smith [ AKA the Bearded DJ ]
Friends; it was a joy to be your wedding photographer. I hope you enjoy all the artwork and memories we captured for you! Cheers🥂to the many years ahead!
