I had the pleasure of capturing Emma and Ian’s wedding recently, and their story is such a special one. They first met during their freshman year of college at South Dakota Mines. Emma was on a volleyball scholarship, and it wasn’t long before their paths crossed through mutual friends. As fate would have it, they were living on the same floor in the dorms.
According to their friends, Ian had a crush on Emma from the beginning but was a little too shy to act on it right away. It took a bit of encouragement from Emma’s best friend, Madison (her maid of honor!), to nudge Emma into going out with him. Emma jokingly admitted that although she claimed not to be interested, she couldn’t help but flirt with him. They officially started dating in March of 2018 and have been inseparable ever since!
Fast forward to March of 2023, Ian proposed during a beautiful trip to Smokey Mountain National Park at one of the waterfalls. The proposal spot was especially meaningful as it was a nod to one of their very first dates hiking to a waterfall in the Black Hills near their college. Emma shared that while she was “shocked” at the proposal, she had a sneaking suspicion something was up—after all, a spontaneous weekend getaway to Tennessee in March seemed a bit too romantic to be just a regular trip!
Their wedding day reflected their style perfectly—an elegant and classic celebration with a touch of fun. The color palette was stunning, with rich forest greens complemented by soft ivory and white accents. While there wasn’t a strict theme, Emma and Ian had a nod to playful zoo-themed details at the reception, like animal cracker favors and creative animal-themed place cards.
It was a beautiful day filled with joy, laughter, and love, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it!
Cake: Eston’s Bakery
Florist: The Flower Mercantile
Hair Stylist/Makeup: Beauty Bar
Transportation: Birmingham Limo
Ceremony: St. Joseph Maumee
Reception Venue: Toledo Zoo
