Romantic & Timeless Fall Wedding in a Tucked Away Barn with Open Fields in Cincinatti, Ohio

I had the honor and privilege of photographing one of my sweetest friends Anastasiya and her now-husband Vadim on their wedding day. We met back when we were in SMBS. The day I got engaged (!!) without us even knowing each other personally, she came running to me beaming with excitement. Through this one moment of shared joy, a friendship emerged. How sweet it is for me to now be able to capture her own sweet moments of excitement on her most exciting day.

The couple met over an east coast conference weekend in Jacksonville, Florida. They had mutual friends but never were officially acquainted. Vadim + Anastasiya ended up running into each other at a local Starbucks and soon became smitten. Their story slowly took off and merged into one full of love and adoration and as they say, “the rest is history.”

The wedding day began with the two of them getting ready at the Lytle Park Hotel, being built in 1909, it was known for bringing the city vibes from the outside in. The Lytle Park Hotel definitely embodied the elegance of Cincinnati, Ohio. The couple was just beyond gorgeous with their wedding party following suit. Speaking of which, the party was such a supportive and attentive group. Always made sure that the newlyweds were always at ease and relaxed. Before Anastasiya + Vadim had their first look, they stood back to back to each other and read their vows to one another. It was such a sweet and sentimental moment between the two of them. The ceremony itself was pristine even with everyone worrying about the forecast of rain. The morning of, there was a slight overcast and during the ceremony, as they rose from their knees because they were being prayed for and then exchanged rings, it lightly started drizzling. It felt like such a God moment with the Sun’s rays peaking through creating an almost glory/golden moment. The two began to laugh at the moment with their guests erupting after them. The Pastor who was officiating them began to speak of how a blessing it was for the drizzling to have occurred. You see, rain on your wedding day is good luck because it signifies that your marriage will last. As you know, a knot that becomes wet is extremely hard to untie – therefore, when you “tie the knot” on a rainy day, your marriage is supposedly just as hard to unravel!

Committing their lives to one another was all that mattered to them and it was so evident throughout the day. The love between them ran deep and was so gentle to the eye. It was sweet as honey and authentically palpable. They truly were soaking in the pure bliss of being Mr. and Mrs.

Anastasiya was one of the thoughtful and kindest brides I have worked with. Usually, the wedding day is where the day is all about the bride yet, somehow she made this day all about the people around her. She made sure to include everyone: she made her bridesmaids feel so special and her guests feel significant & important. The two of them in general strived to make their guests feel so loved. During the reception, they both walked around to each table personally thanking each person for joining them on their special day. They genuinely tried to make it about others rather than making it all about themselves. To end the night, they had a sparkler exit as they walked into the newest and most exhilarant chapter of their lives.

:・∵.:・