This is going to be a long one, guys. Buckle up, because I’m about to get all lovey-dovey and mushy-gushy.

I can’t begin to tell you the desire I’ve had for years to travel overseas. It’s been a bucket list item that I’ve held onto that’s been attainable, but the cards just never aligned quite right. Now, imagine the excitement I get from just the travel alone… and now add in shooting a WEDDING while in Europe as well!

Holy crap, friends. This is what dreams are made of.

Now, I’m going to be a little biased here, I’m not going to lie. I can’t NOT be, because the groom here just so happens to be my “baby” cousin. I use those quotations there because, while Mike may be the youngest out of the cousins, you’ll see that he definitely towers over a lot of us!

Moni and Mike make a great balance to each other, they truly complete the other in the most wonderful ways. When they asked me to be their wedding photographer, I was over-the-moon excited… and THEN I learned it was going to be in Germany?! OH HELL YES.

Okay, let me get to the good part of the blog, right? THE PHOTOS! Here’s my (very abbreviated) list of things I loved about this wedding:

• Our bridal getting ready location! The girls got ready in one of the bridesmaid’s homes, a historic third story apartment with the most magical light and ambiance. I know it sounds silly, but I know others will appreciate this: the creaky wooden floors were my favorite!
• Moni’s DRESS! It has DANDELIONS YOU GUYS. And the STRAPS! The ribbon straps!!
• Our groom’s getting ready location was a small little hotel near the venue—WE’LL GET TO THE VENUE, DON’T YOU WORRY—that was so very European, one of my favorite shots from the day is the stair shot of Mike leaving… you’ll see it, you’ll know.
• The VENUE itself. Oh friends, THE VENUE. Okay, imagine a grand, historic farmhouse nestled inside beautiful wildflower gardens; complete with stables and tall hedges, fruit bearing trees, and—OH DID I MENTION IT’S ALL ON AN ISLAND ON THE RHINE RIVER?? You have to take a ferry to get there!
• An abundance of butterflies make their home here, making it even MORE magical. Trust me when I say that I cut back on the butterfly images for this post.
• Okay, this is very specific, are you ready? I love first looks, that’s no secret, but Mike’s reaction during the first look was so amazingly sweet. His smile spread across his entire face and you can see the joy radiating throughout his body all the way to his fingers!
• Moni and Mike’s ceremony was one of the most intimate I’ve been a part of. I don’t know if ALL German weddings are like this, but their officiant took great time to get to know them and their backstory and what makes their love story so unique. One of my favorite parts, though, is when their son Vinny decided to join in and share in the joy. Look at that smile!
• The reception was gorgeous with a beautiful array of white flowers with neutral and green touches (be still my heart), which worked so well with the surroundings and the beautiful view of the sunset on the Rhine. I truly believe florists are artists and this wedding is a proof to this: all of the floral was a perfect blend of organic and elegant.
• Our golden hour photos are to die for guys. Absolutely, positively to die for. I can say that just the time that we spent together taking these photos truly are one of the highlights and most enjoyable moments of both my work life and my family life. <3

The evening lasted until the wee hours of the morning (no lie!) and it was a *PARTY*. The best part about this party? I GOT TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE! I mean, like, BE a guest! Like PUT MY CAMERA DOWN! Like DANCE WITH MY HUSBAND and FRIENDS and FAMILY! Okay, enough with the caps, but I’m sure I have fellow wedding photographer friends who know the importance of that. It’s so often that I’m on the outside looking in, and I have to say that this night was probably one of the best of my life. I truly mean that!

I’m cutting it short here before I start making this anymore into a personal journal than a photography blog.

Huge, huge hugs to not just Mike and Moni for trusting me to capture this amazing day, but also huge hugs to all the amazing friends I met along their wedding journey. I’m so lucky to have been a part.

PS – This is the part where I let anyone else know that if you are considering a destination wedding/elopement, I’M THERE, FRIEND. Depending on location, I will often reduce my wedding collection pricing to make room for travel. I’m not just there for the wedding, I’m there for the ADVENTURE!