ashleigh and nathan {birmingham wedding photographer}

surrounded by a handful of her family and best friends, she exuded a calm excitement over what the day ahead held for her. she began her morning with the awesome hair and makeup team at morgan ashley…

and a growing number of precious women in her life helped her complete the finishing touches when she arrived at the church.

huge smiles lit up the room when everything was in its perfect place. ashleigh had become a bride.

and nathan? well his morning might not have been as long, but he had certainly settled nicely into his role of her handsome groom.

i talk a lot about the benefits of a bride and groom having a quiet moment together before their ceremony, but no words can tell the story like photos can. ashleigh and nathan were on the fence about whether or not they wanted to do a first look, but after talking through how smoothly it helps the day to flow and how quickly they’d be able to join their family and friends at the reception, their decision was getting easier.

but i think what sealed the deal was learning how intimate and personal that time would be for the two of them. only in a first look can you capture emotion like this…

and anna’s view of nathan seeing his gorgeous bride for the first time is enough to take my breath away.

when a bride and groom don’t see each other before their ceremony, i’m lucky to have ten minutes with them afterward for pictures. but when they choose to do a first look, couples adore the fact that we have much more time to shoot in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

anna’s view:

pictures of ashleigh and nathan’s wedding day simply wouldn’t be complete, though, without including the family and friends who stood beside them as they became husband and wife. her bridesmaids were beautifully amazing…

and his groomsmen were every bit as delightful.

and i pray that my girls will have the kind of relationship that these gorgeous sisters have.

ashleigh and nathan, it’s been such an honor for me to walk along beside you through your engagement and perfect wedding. thank you, thank you for asking me to share in such a precious day, and i hope that hawaii is absolutely divine. aloha!