Laura + Joe
(+ Piper)
Venue: Huizinga Farm - Willseyville, New York
Florist: Michaleens
Caterer: H & J Hospitality
"Believe it or not, we are actually a product of online dating! (Thank you, ChristianMingle.com!)
Joe had sent Laura an email. Laura saw he was online and started chatting with him, a few chats later, he asked if he could text her and blamed it on a bad internet connection while on storm ;). A few Skype "dates" later, Joe asked Laura on a date. May 5, 2012, they met in Rochester where Joe had planned the whole thing out. He brought flowers, took her to the Zoo, stopped for frozen yogurt, walked around town and ended the night with jazz music and dinner at Bistro 135. It was perfect Cinco De Mayo! At the end of dinner, Joe walked Laura to her Jeep and when she asked what was next, he TOLD her she was his girlfriend. LOL
For the next year, they did the "long distance thing" and spent weekends in Buffalo and Ithaca. In April 2013, we started talking about the future and how once we got married (there was no question, we knew from our first date!) our home would be in Ithaca. I spotted my dream job at Cornell in the beginning of May and by the end of May I had interviewed four seperate times, been given an offer and accepted the job by the end of May! It was certainly a whirlwind of activity concluding with a move from Buffalo to Ithaca the end of June. We were finally in the same town - thank you, Lord!"
"Now don't you start crying!!"
This picture says so much...
The Huizinga family farm!
I'm not sure if I can describe to you how much this dog is part of their family. She is so loved and included in everything. You will see what I mean throughout the rest of the blog....
Laura you are so beautiful!
Haha! I love how they kept peeking at each other during the prayer;)
Everyone was so grateful Joe's grandmother was able to make it to the wedding. She passed away just a few days ago.
This was totally unplanned. Piper just walked up to them in the middle of their first dance and joined in! TOTALLY MELTED MY DOG LOVER HEART!
The famous hat....
Laura & Joe, I can't believe a "random" meeting on an escalator years ago kept us friends for so many years. I'm so grateful for your sweet friendship. It was such an honor to photograph y'alls wedding. We loved meeting the rest of the fam too! Y'all rock!!! - Ashah
What was your wedding party introduction song?
"Best Day of My Life"
What was your Bride & Groom introduction song?
"This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)"
What was your first dance song?
"Ho Hey"
What was your father/daughter song?
"Cinderella"
What was your mother/son song?
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow (by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole)"
What was your cake cutting song?
"L-O-V-E"
How did you feel when you saw each other for the first time on the wedding day?
"Excited. Thankful. Joyful. Just ready to be married and enjoy the day with our friends and family!"
What was the most memorable moment of the day?
"Oh wow, I think there were a lot of memorable moments... Walking down the aisle and seeing him at the alter; our get away on the UTV and having a moment to ourselves; our first dance (this was prob my fav!) - just talking about how proud his grandpa would have been to see the barn all dressed up and the family together enjoying life together; Piper joining us for our first dance haha; the side hills starting on fire; Joe's family starting a new family tradition of a wedding dance; loosing Piper and finding her again (YIKES!); Seeing my family dancing together and them celebrating their long marriages during the generation dance; having both families together; I could go on and on and on...."
If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?
"Not at all! We originally had a different venue and completely different "theme" for our big day.... That venue completely messed up, I panicked (Joe remained the calming force he is) and changed our whole wedding to be at the family barn and it was TOTALLY how God wanted it to be. This was US. When we were first dating, I said "Lets get married HERE!" Joe's reply was "In the cow pasture?!?!" .... I had a vision and once we started planning our wedding for at the barn, he quickly saw what I did. We knew this was where he grew up, where we fell in love, where we got engaged, where we told his grandparents (the first to know) we were engaged, and where we want our family to start and to be centered around. We just wanted every one to come together and have fun. And have fun they did. Everyone hung out so late just laughing and dancing, we could have danced all night. We left to have a little local mini-moon-stay-cation and we just couldn't believe how fun it was, we are still smiling when we think of our wedding. We felt SO loved and blessed to be surrounded by everyone we hold near and dear."
Do you have any advice to other brides & grooms?
"Don't stress over the little stuff. You won't remember it. Plan the big stuff in advance. Do "you" ... Don't try and mimic a magazine - it won't be you or your story. Biggest advice - enjoy every moment of the day, it goes too fast! Someone told us, remember three big things that make you smile from your wedding - every relationship has its rough patches so, on top of your faith, these three things will help you get thru and remember how in love you are with each other."
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
