Arriving for Alyssa and Ben's Oread Hotel wedding, I made my way up to the 4th floor to check in with the bride, her wedding party, and the moms. Like most bridal "getting ready" locations, the room was a flurry of activity: people going in and out to grab forgotten items, trays of charcuterie and fruit, bags and makeup on surfaces. I found Alyssa in the bedroom portion of the suite, and she greeted me like an old friend, with the biggest smile. Fresh faced, she was already radiant, despite staying up late the night before for a last-minute alteration to her dress. I gathered some accessories for detail shots, checked in with Ben on the 3rd floor, and eventually made my way back upstairs for Alyssa's finishing touches.
Makeup on, it was time for the next (and often dreaded) step of shapeware and tape, so I made my way back down to the 3rd floor to check in with Ben. I was greeted at the door by his younger brother, Andrew, who informed me that Ben was in the shower at the moment and the other groomsmen were somewhere else in the hotel. No worries there, however, and after advising Andrew to choose whichever pair of cufflinks he thought would work best with his suit (he wisely chose the silver), it was time to head back upstairs to see Alyssa put on her dress.
If you know Alyssa and her incredible sense of style, it's no surprise that the dress she chose was absolutely on-point. Her mother, Diane, helped her put on her veil and, coming around to look at her daughter, she did her best not to cry. Her face said it all, and she and Alyssa cried together. It would be the first of many emotional, teary-eyed moments of the day.
It was time for Alyssa to have her First Look with her dad. Opting out of the heat and whipping winds on the 8th floor terrace, we chose the terrace on the 2nd floor which not only was a little calmer, but also offered shade as a respite from the heat.
Riding the elevator down with David, we talked about riding motorcycles to Sturgis, how similar he and Alyssa are in temperament, and how happy and proud he was that she and Ben had found each other.
David got into position and Alyssa stepped onto the terrace. Where David's face was a big smile of anticipation and excitement at getting to see his daughter, Alyssa was overcome by the emotion of the moment. Turning to face her, David soon was too.
With the First Look and separate family photos finished, the ceremony was drawing near. Checking in with the officiant, she walked me through a couple things with the ceremony that were different (and wonderful!). First, she would be turning Ben to face away when Alyssa and her dad entered. Second, she would be telling the guests not to rise when Alyssa walked in, so no one would potentially block the shot. Third, the guests all had a wand on their seats with ribbons, which they were to wave when the couple walked back down the aisle. With all of this stowed away in my mind, I got into position for one of my favorite weddings of all time.
The ceremony was incredible. There were few dry eyes throughout, especially when Alyssa had to take a moment while saying her vows. The love between these two is almost like a third entity, ever present in how they speak to each other, look at each other, laugh together, and certainly dance together.
After sunset portraits with the couple on the 8th terrace where the wind had finally calmed down (and we were serenaded by an acoustic duo warming up for their show that evening), it was time to head to the reception. Alyssa and Ben cut the cake while Average White Band's "Cut the cake" lent an upbeat (and obviously funky) soundtrack, before the dances were to begin. This was new to me, but between Alyssa and Ben's first dance as a married couple and the mother/son and father/daughter dances, there were two special dances; one with Alyssa's parents, and one with Ben's parents. While I held strong up to this point, the dance with Diane and David had me holding back tears, and by the time Ben and his mother shared a dance, tears were fully streaming down my face while I took photos.
Following dances came the toasts. Maid of Honor and longtime friend Melissa had the crowd both laughing and crying, and the Best Man, Tim, managed to elicit one of Ben's signature cackles with his speech. Alyssa's dad pulled the ultimate dad move, unfurling a giant ream of paper while giving his toast, and Ben's dad kept it short and sweet.
The time had come for another moment of espionage. While the DJ started playing Kool & The Gang's "Celebration," Melissa jumped onto the dance floor and got it going while Alyssa grabbed her room key and gestured at me. It was time to sneak away for the surprise reception dress.
Running down the hallway with Alyssa, Melissa, and Alyssa's older sister Cassie, we caught the elevator to her room and the fastest outfit change commenced. Alyssa had emailed me a week before letting me know about the dress, and the plan was to sneak back down and surprise Ben with it. As luck would (or wouldn't) have it, Ben was standing outside the reception space when we came back down. Alyssa laughed it off and twirled in her dress, while Ben looked on with total admiration in his eyes.
The dance floor was absolutely roaring, and didn't slow down for the rest of the night. Ben and Alyssa came to dance, and their guests only tried to keep up. The soundtrack of the night was an eclectic mix of Daft Punk, The Talking Heads, The Proclaimers, and a couple tongue-in-cheek references to "The Office" that this photographer definitely appreciated ("Islands in the Stream" and "Mambo No. 5" to name a few).
From the first time I talked to Ben and Alyssa, they welcomed me like an old friend. From sitting down at La Prima Tazza for coffee and tea at our first formal meeting, to sharing gin and tonics and old fashioneds at the bar at The Oread during engagement photos, and all throughout their wedding, they have been two of the warmest, engaging, funny people I have been so fortunate to meet. To see them together, it is not only immediately obvious how much love they have for each other, but also the fact that they are best friends; two absolutely necessary elements for a strong marriage.
Congratulations to you two!
Vendor List
Venue: The Oread
Photographer: Emily Henry Photography
Wedding Planner: White Opal Events
Officiant: A Heartfelt Ceremony
Hair: Paradise Beauty
Makeup: Soft Glow Studios
Flowers: Stems Event Flowers
Catering: The Oread
DJ: Lawrence DJ Service
Bartending: The Oread
Cake: McLain's Market
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