I sat in a quiet room upstairs at Common Grounds, sipped some coffee, and tried to clear my head so that I might properly compose an intro paragraph for Kaitlyn’s and Ben’s wedding blog post. The first thing that struck me was the overwhelming need to tell you this one main idea: Being around these two makes me want to be a better person.

But then I remembered something. I went back and reread their engagement session blog post from the fall of 2010. Sure enough, the first sentence there talks about how they’ve left a lasting impression on me. Isn’t it telling that, nearly a year later, they still make me feel the same way?

They’re just so dang thoughtful. In most weddings, the details are the icing on the cake. The sizzle, so to speak. In this wedding? Each detail was there as a reminder of the day’s broadest and deepest sentiment—loving people.

To Ben and Kaitlyn—Thank you for including me in  your big day. I’ll never forget it! And let’s get Newman and Cera together soon!

Ben and Kaitlyn abstained from eating french fries for months leading up to the wedding. Kaitlyn’s card to Ben had french fries on the front. This picture also shows Kaitlyn signing her new name for the first time.

Each bridesmaid received a monogrammed clutch and robe.

Like Kaitlyn’s ring? It’s a collection of her grandmother’s buttons.

Kaitlyn has a thing for penguins. So Ben proposed during a penguin painting session at the Newport Aquarium. That’s why you’ll see so many penguin references throughout their wedding. That, and well–penguins are pretty awesome.

Not to be outdone by all those boys and their black Louisville Slugger bats, Kaitlyn had her own.

Kaitlyn signed “I Love You” to her sisters while coming down the aisle.

Ben surprised us all (including Kaitlyn) with this dip while coming down the aisle. Niiiice.

Timeless.

Natural.

Ben’s favorite.

You, too, can support the Wave Foundation at Newport Aquarium HERE.

Photos of married relatives. What a nice reminder of why wedding photography is important. Imagine a picture of Kaitlyn and Ben from their wedding day making an appearance on a table 50 years from now. That’s good stuff.

During cocktail hour, guests were treated with fun tidbits.

Magnus was my second shooter for this wedding. I loooooove this shot of his.

Kaitlyn made the menu holders.

Amazing color and texture. To be fair, Kaitlyn is the catering and sales manager at Embassy Suites in Lexington. She knows a thing or two about planning a party. Just incredible.

Love this.

Ben came up with a plan to scrub in before going for the garter. What he found under Kaitlyn’s dress, however, was a cold Smirnoff Ice. Yes, that’s right. Ben got ICED.

The Bernie.

Nothing masterful about the way I shot this. But the story it tells? I can’t stop smiling. Bwahahaha.

To see all my favorites, I hope you’ll take a few moments and check out this slideshow…

To see all of the images from the day, you can go HERE. I hope you all enjoyed this post! If you feel so inclined, feel free to stay in touch with me HERE and HERE. Take care!

Vendors:

Florist: Flourish
Makeup & Hair: Ana Crane-Simpson/Applied Cosmetic Services
Invitations: Amo Ink
Photography: Shaun Ring Photography
Video: Scott Hayes
Reception Venue: The Henry Clay
Church: St. Boniface Catholic Church
Bridesmaid Button Rings: Jeri’s Custom Originals
String Quartet: Highland Chamber Players
Bridesmaid Dresses: Twirl
Custom Bar Signs: Architette Studios
Caterer: The Silver Spoon
Pre-Dinner Tarts: Love at First Bite (hey Laura!)
Cake: Mert’s Cakes
Linens: BBJ Linens & Linen Hero
Bridal Jewelry and Fascinator: Maui Crane—Love Rocks
Band: Soul Explosion

Timeless.
Relaxed.
Quality.

Those are the three words that come to mind when I think about this wedding. In fact, those are common themes that run through pretty much every wedding I shoot.

My clientele appreciate that weddings are a huge life event and worthy of fanfare. They plan weddings that are above the trends. Classic, but not old-fashioned. Relaxed, but not gimmicky. Timeless. In turn, it’s my job to capture the day in such as way that 50 years from now, the images will be just as relevant. A real expression of how the day unfolded and the love between them.

And at the same time, they’re just as concerned about the guest experience as they are their own. An extra push at the end to make sure all those guests feel like guests and not an audience. Weddings are a celebration. So when it comes time to party with their closest friends and family, they do it with gusto.

Finally, they care about quality. They hire experienced, top-notch vendors so that the wedding day will go off without a hitch. So everyone can relax and enjoy the experience.

Each encounter I’ve had with Bennett and Marshall has left me smiling. We met first at Lindsey’s and Jon’s wedding in May of 2010. If you look at that slideshow, you’ll find a shot of Bennett stealing a bite of Marshall’s dessert at the reception. When it came time to plan their own wedding, Bennett called me first thing. That’s awesome.

You’ll find below a few of my favorites from the day, but I hope you’ll check out the slideshow, too. There are plenty more images there. And if you’re wanting to see ALL the images, you can go HERE. And as a final plug, I’d love to stay in touch with those folks reading this. You can connect with me HERE and HERE. Thanks!

To Bennett and Marshall—You were incredible to work with. I’ll look forward seeing you again soon!

And the slideshow…

Thanks to the vendors!

Wedding Planner: Sally Foster/Urbaniste (awesome work, Sally!)
Ceremony: Good Shepherd
Reception: Keeneland
Catering: Turf Catering
Hair/Makeup: Ana Crane Simpson/Sara Drury,
Decorator: Joe Richardson
Flowers: Peggy Graddy
Cake: Tinkers
Jazz Trio: Raleigh Dailey
Reception Band: Az-Izz/George Wiley (FYI—best live wedding band I’ve ever heard)
Guest Transportation: Wombles
Bride and Groom Transportation: Gold Shield
Accommodations: Hilton Downtown Lexington

And a final extra-special THANK-YOU to Magnus for second shooting with me on this one. The first wedding Magnus shot with me was Linsdey’s and Jon’s that I mentioned above. When he found out that I’d be shooting Bennett’s and Marshall’s, he knew it would be a blast and something he would want to be a part of. It was a perfect fit with you being there, Magnus. I appreciate your work, and your friendship even more.

As someone who typically only runs if I’m late for something, I was inspired Saturday.

I’ve done some commercial work for Central Baptist in the past, but this time they asked me to come out and put my spin on the photography for their 27th annual A Midsummer’s Night Run. What a cool event, and how lucky Lexington is to have Central Baptist sponsor it.

I hope you enjoy the favorites I’ve posted below and that you’ll stay in touch! If you’d like to purchase any images from the event, feel free to go HERE. Thanks!

The first event of the evening was the One-Mile Fun Walk/Run.

Next was The Fastest Kid in Town, a series of sprints for ages 1-12.

The folks from Orange Leaf were there to lend a hand. Good seeing you, Bryce!

The opening moments of the 5K. Over 3700 people completed the race. Awesome.

My friend Brandi yelled up at me as she passed underneath the bridge I was shooting from.

Impressive sight.

Fastest male, David Mutese.

Fastest female, Andrea Richardson.

For additional images from the event, feel free to check HERE. Thanks!