The Small Wedding

One might suppose that a courthouse wedding would be so speedy and so sparsely decorated as to somehow detract from the aura that is a joyous wedding. One might worry that the celebration would be forcibly muted against the stolid backdrop of the court of law. One might worry that the towering walls of the building would crowd and stifle the family gathering for portraits.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I arrived at the courthouse that sunny December day, but it turns out that what one might have expected was completely off the mark.

Kathleen and Steve's wedding was full of laughter, smiles, playfulness and passion.

Light pours into the Montgomery County Circuit Courthouse from all sides.  I stood in the lobby as the wedding party proceeded slowly through the security check at the door. Even the groom and bride had to empty pockets and take off coats.

 And that's when I noticed the blue. Crisp, clear, summer day blue.

The men wore blue ties, the mothers wore blue dresses and coats and the bride was bejeweled in vibrant blue pendants and sleek blue slippers.  

There was a unity between these two families, two families that would soon be united by law, that was so joyful and vibrant and so darn stylish that heads turned as they assembled.

As we gathered around outside the marriage ceremony room and boutonnieres and corsages were handed out everyone joked and laughed and bubbled with excitement. A few well timed jokes and Steve's running gag of being pricked by the boutonniere pin helped dispel the anxious tension and before we knew it we were being ushered into the marriage room. 

Then we braved the cold in search of some color to enliven our winter wedding portraits and came upon the golden, fiery wall of the courthouse.

The family slipped away to head towards dinner and the bride and groom were left to revel in their new lives together.

Thank you Kathleen and Steve for including me in your day. 

Your willingness to be playful and your open joy were a pleasure to capture.