An Everlasting Kind of Day | Erica & Michael | Floriana Wedding in Ipswich, MA

Floriana Wedding in Ipswich MA

Some weddings feel really cinematic to me. That's the way my brain works when I move throughout a wedding day. Everything plays out like a movie in slow motion, and I'm taking in every detail: the light, the air, the overall ambiance. Because what it really boils down to, is how these images feel - not just how they look.

Erica and Michael's June wedding at Floriana in Ipswich, Massachusetts was exactly that kind of day.

From the very beginning, this one felt special.

A Story that Crossed States

It still makes me giggle how Erica found me.

She was living in Montana (if you're new here, I lived in MT for almost a decade). I was here in Massachusetts. She worked with - and is close friends with - one of my friends out there, and through that connection, our paths crossed. Michael is from Massachusetts, and together they trusted me to photograph one of the most meaningful days of their lives.

And honestly, it could not have been more stunning.

A Little "Good Luck" Rain

Like so many New England Weddings, the weather kept us holding our breath.

There was a light rain early on as we were doing their formals - just enough that it makes you quietly pray it will pass. And it did. Right before their ceremony.

What followed was the most gorgeous, warm, glowy sunset - soft light wrapping around Floriana as if the day itself was exhaling. It felt like a gift. We got the "good luck" rain, and were blessed with sunshine.

By the time evening rolled around, everything was bathed in gold.

A Love that Drew People from Everywhere

One of the most striking things about this day was not just how beautiful it was - but who showed up for it.

Guests traveled from all over the world to celebrate Erica and Michael. There were friends and family who came from South Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia, gathering in itty bitty Ipswich to be part of this moment.

That kind of presence speaks volumes.

It says something about the kind of people Erica and Michael are - and the kind of relationships they've built. To have people willing to cross oceans and continents just to stand beside you on your wedding day is a testament to deep love, meaningful connection, and a life lived generously with others.

Their circle is full of really good friends. Really incredible family. The kind of people who show up, no matter the distance.

Sacred, Joy-Filled, and Almost Unreal

As the day unfolded, I kept thinking of the ending of a really good rom-com - the kind where the wedding scene plays out in slow motion, laughter and tears woven together, and that song rises in the background: "This will be an everlasting love..."

That's exactly how this day felt as I stood back and watched guests dancing together - fully present in the joy that was beyond palpable.

The hugs lingered. Tears came easliy. There was a tenderness in every interaction that made time feel softer around the edges.

One of the most moving moments was watching Erica's friends gather around her to pray over her before she walked down the aisle. A circle of love, reverence, and deep care - one of those moments you don't orchestrate, only witness.

Erica and Michael's first look was just as intimate. Just the two of them, fully present with one another, grounding themselves before the day carried them forward.

Good-For-Your-Soul People

I didn't know Erica and Michael for very long before their wedding day. But sometimes you don't need much time to figure out that that they're the good-for-your-soul kind of people.

The kind whose joy feels steady, whose love feels rooted, whose presence makes everything around them feels a little lighter. Their day was beautifully executed and thoughtfully styled, yes - but more than that, it was perfectly them.

The speeches were heartfelt. The connections were real. The celebration felt full without being choreographed. Every part of the day reflected intention.

Gratitude

Photographing weddings is never something I take lightly. Being invited into moments this personal - this sacred - is an honor that still humbles me, no matter how many years I've been doing this work (going on twelve - holy cow).

Erica and Michael trusted me not just to document their day, but to notice the spaces in between - the glances, the laughter, the way love moved gently through every part of it. That kind of trust stays with you.

Some wedding days feel fleeting. This one felt expansive.

It gathered people from across continents and years of life, held them all in one place for a few sacred hours, and then sent them back out into the world - changed, but forever connected.

I left that day with a quiet certainty that some stories don't end when the day does - they continue, carried forward by everyone who was there to witness them.