A Handmade Wedding

The table setting

A little over a week ago I photographed my sister-in-law, Heather’s, wedding. This is a preview with some shots of the details from the wedding and one photo of the beautiful bride. More to come as I edit them.

The wedding took place in a cozy, country church in McClure, upstate New York. The reception was held at the Chestnut Inn, on Oquaga Lake.

We flew into New York state four days prior to the big event. Heather and Eric, her hubby, drove in from Chicago with their dog, Sammy and arrived the same day we did. We all stayed with my in-laws, who live in a quaint little town on the Delaware River called Deposit, New York.

There were lots of things to do before the big day. I enjoyed being able to help Heather and my mother-in-law, Becky, with some of the preparations. Most nights leading up to the wedding were spent in the kitchen, around the dining room table folding napkins, snipping flowers, tying bows, pouring sand into jars, etc. Best of all was the late night laughing and conversation.

Heather,who’s a silversmith (and an awesome one at that) made their matching bands. In the above image she is wearing her engagement ring on her ring finger, Eric is wearing the ring she made him. It is made of Mokume-Gane in copper and silver, with an added patina.

During the ceremony the minister shared the touching story of how Heather made their wedding bands. She originally made one band and then cut hers from it. This brought to my mind Creation when the Almighty took a rib from man and formed woman.

Heather shared that she had never worked with Mokume Gane before, so soldering them was a real struggle because the two different metals heat at different temperatures and the seam would separate when the ring was heated.  So the making of the rings was much like their 13 year relationship.  Lots of struggles but in the end it worked out.

Her bouquet was stunning. The flowers are made of all repurposed fabrics. She also had coordinating hair pins (for herself), corsages and boutineers custom made by Cultivar on Etsy, who made the bouquet as well.

Heather intentionally went for a vintage feel. Her wedding colors were plum, peridot and cream.

My beautiful sister-in-law

This was a very small, intimate occasion with mostly family and a few very close friends. I feel extremely honored to have been there to witness and photograph it.