morgan + lee – simple, classic alabama wedding

Happy Thursday, friends!

I’m so excited to introduce you to the VERY FIRST #jbradfordcouple, Morgan and Lee!

You may have seen their engagement session in City Park in New Orleans from back in January, and if so, you already know how much the camera LOVES them! Their wedding Saturday was no different.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day at Katie Hearn Oaks in Leroy, Alabama, and the weather could not have been more perfect. All day, I kept thinking how much everything just looked and felt like a fairy tale. While there is certainly PLENTY of stress as the photographer on a wedding day, it’s also really fun to be on that side of things- to be up close and personal with all the details and showcase them, but also be able to ooh and ahh over everything.

When Morgan first pulled her dress from its bag, I was captivated. Wedding dresses are so magical to me, and hers was no exception. So clean. So classic. Simple, elegant, and I’m 100% convinced it was made for her body. You’ll see towards the end of this post that I just had her walk for me while I snapped away, and I think you’ll agree that she looks like a movie star! Oh, and on top of all of that….? IT HAS POCKETS! Um, yes, hello. Sign me up.

Spending the day with Morgan, her bridesmaids, Lee, and his groomsmen was both like making new friends and hanging out with old ones. A few were actually people I’ve known for many, many years (one groomsman used to hang out with my brothers wayyyy back in the day!), and some were those people that you know because of Facebook, but require that conversation where you introduce yourselves like you’ve never met, but you know all about their dog, eating habits, and vacations because you’ve been social media friends for the last five years. (Please tell me I’m not the only person that happens to.) It was relaxing, though, to spend the day with guys and gals who get you, and even more special to end the night with them coming back to say they enjoyed spending the day with me. That means the world to me.

Morgan and Lee’s day was definitely a family affair, and I always think weddings like that are extra special. To see a family and friends pitch in to make that day extra special for the couple is so heartwarming to me, because I know what that felt like at my own wedding. I could never repay those who so graciously lent helping hands to us, and I’m sure Morgan and Lee would say the same. Throughout the post, you may notice some of these people, but most notably I want to point out three people – Morgan’s mother, Ms. Jan; Lee’s mother, Mrs. Tiny; and the wedding director and old friend of Morgan’s, Hunter. These three worked diligently Friday and Saturday to pull together the day for the happy couple and their love was shown in every detail. At one point during the morning, Mrs. Tiny was selflessly steaming Morgan’s robe she was to wear while getting ready, and I commented on how sweet that was for her to do- a true servant’s heart. She replied, “I just want to do whatever I can for my soon-to-be daughter-in-law.”

So as you scroll through the pictures below, I hope you, too, can see the love poured into this couple and enjoy seeing their bliss as they joined two families to become one.

Best wishes to Morgan and Lee!

Ok, so I know it looks like an overload of these next pictures, but it was such a sweet moment. Sweet Maddi is so very quiet and shy, and she wasn’t really interested in having her picture made all day. When her daddy picked her up to talk to her, they shared the sweetest little moment. She’s going to grow up one day, Daddy, and these moments will be invaluable.

Morgan kept saying how she was missing her man all day, and it was just so sweet! She finally broke down and asked for a pen and paper, so she could write him a note… I may or may not have shed a few tears over that.

And there they are… HUSBAND AND WIFE!

Their first family photo!

These two moms love their babies very much! They worked so hard to pull off the day, and it was BEAUTIFUL!

And these two….? Well, they make my job so very easy. They are so wonderful to work with and are absolutely stars in front of the camera. Complete naturals.

This next picture, I just had to add in. They weren’t posed, and it wasn’t even during picture time. They were simply hanging out waiting for the bridal party to assemble. Cool, calm, and collected.

This next set may be some of my favorites (I have so many!!). They look like Pinterest goals to me, but I could be a little biased.

SO. MUCH. YES. Remember how I said that dress was fabulous? Don’t you agree?!

 

 

A huge congratulations to all of the vendors who made this day possible:

Dress: Kenneth Winston purchased at Bella’s Bridal – Hoover, AL

Florist: Bloomers – Jackson, AL

Venue: Katie Hearn Oaks – Leroy, AL

Planner/Coordinator: Hunter Andrews

Band: Sunny Vaiden – Thomasville, AL

Cake: Sadie’s Sweet Dreams – Grove Hill, AL

Catering: Merida’s – Thomasville, AL