Weddings & Events by Jessica Messer

Clanton, Alabama

Travel Welcomed

205-351-4515

info@jessicamesser.com

THIS IS A RECORD-BREAKING BLOG POST! I lost count of how many pictures I chose. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy the beautiful story of Wes & MB's wedding.

Mary Beth, Wes, and I are all from the same hometown. I met Mary Beth so long ago that I can't really remember for sure. At least 15 years ago, maybe more. Although we're only five years apart in age, at the time she was just the cute little neice of my best friend. Wes and I went to highschool together. Do you remember that kid in highschool that was really annoying and you just wanted to strangle them? Yeah, that was me. Sorry Wes. LOL However, years later when he proposed to Mary Beth, I was so honored, thrilled and touched that they chose me to photograph their day.

This was THE wedding of weddings. Wes & MB got married in Point Clear, Al at The Grand Hotel. The bride wore a beautiful ivory, v-neck lace gown and the groom sported a cool beige linen suit. The amazing floral were courtesy of Daisies Florist in Thorsby, Al. THORSBY, people! Do not underestimate the abilities of these ladies! This gorgeous couple gave me AN ENTIRE HOUR of time for portraits of JUST THE TWO OF THEM!! A photographer's dream come true! A couple who loves pictures as much as I do!

Here are a fewa whole bunch of my favorites. Also, click here to see the entire gallery.  

Every single detail of this wedding was meaningful. From the bride's grandmother's brooch on the bouquet...

...to the pink flamingo in the father of the bride's bout, every item had a story.

The couple decided to do a sneak-peek and see each other prior to the ceremony so we arranged a very special moment for just the two of them. There was a beautiful spot just outside the hotel where two paths came together as one. Not only was it a beautiful spot with beautiful light, I thought it represented what was happening today so perfectly...two paths becoming one. :)  

Their reactions were so real...full of love and emotion.  

It's so obvious how much Wes loves Mary Beth. I absolutely adore the look in his eyes when he looks her. He literally LIGHTS UP!

The wedding colors were champagne and brown which created the perfect canvas for the bold florals and the lush surroundings at The Grand.  

Wes placed a delicate calla lily in the chair where his mother would have been seated. Sunlight spilled through the oak trees literally bathing the entire ceremony in beautiful, soft afternoon light. I can't help but believe that JoAnn was there watching over us.

Each groomsman handed Wes a gummy bear as they walked down the aisle into the ceremony...who knows why, but it created a really cute photo op later in the day :)

The sun set over the water as the guests arrived at the reception.

The bride's cake topper was yet another of those incredibly sentimental touches that made this wedding so unique. This topper has been on every family wedding cake for over 60 years. Yes, SIXTY YEARS.

As evening set in, Mary Beth wore her grandmother's mink stole as she and Wes made their entrance into the cool night air.  

We quietly slipped away from the reception to capture the incredible evening light on the pier.  

Mary Beth, Wes, Rhonda, & Sibley: Thank you so much for choosing me to share your day. I am so very honored to have been invited to witness this most special of occasions.

Special thanks to Rebekah Weldon for second shooting with me. She did an amazing job. Thank you so very much.

First, Ashley & Brad... What can I say, except thank you for choosing me to photograph your wedding. It was truly an honor.  

Ashley & Brad are another awesome local couple who decided to have their wedding at home. I think I've said this before, but at-home weddings are my new favorite! The relaxed attitude combined with the sentimental value just puts it over the top. The wedding party and family were full of energy and laughter and love for these two!  

To tell you guys a little bit about Ashley & Brad's day, it was amazing to say the least. In fact it could not have been more spectacular! The dress, the decor, the food, the weather, the light... could not have been better if I'd been able to plan the whole thing myself.

Besides being beautiful and all the excitement that gives me, I had an absolute blast at the wedding and the reception. In fact, since I had a second shooter, you just might spot me dancing in a photo or two... hehe... I couldn't resist. It's so awesome to be a part of the celebration.

MAJOR kudos go out to Jenny Springer of Premiere Events for the fantastic job she did! Jack Gaut of Dana's Floral Design did an amazing job on the florals as well! And to Danny from Feel the Beat, you rocked that reception well into the night... reminded me of some of those Thursday nights from back in the day. And lastly, thank you to Robert Devine for the amazing images that he captured. Without them, this wedding would seem incomplete.  

Click here to see the entire wedding!

Here are a bunch of my favorites:

The flower girls were just adorable.

I think I am in love with that swing.

SO EXCITED!

The mother son dance was THE TWIST!  

Could the cake shots have been any more amazing? The timing and placement were perfect

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!

Never guess this was good ol' Lake Mitchell in Clanton, AL!

The DJ really got the crowd going and kept them moving.

THANKS AGAIN TO THE OWENS, THE EILANDS, ALL THE VENDORS,

ROBERT DEVINE, AND ESPECIALLY THE NEWLYWEDS! :)  

OH wow..... so when Mindy first contacted me and told me about her venue, I couldn't have been more excited. She was planning an outdoor ceremony in front of beautiful Hightower Falls in Cedartown, Georgia. As with all outdoor ceremonies, there's always the chance of rain forcing you to use the back up plan.... and as the day got closer and closer the weather man kept predicting not only rain, but extremely severe weather including high winds, powerful tornados, and hail. Not exactly what Mindy and Jordan had in mind.

As I came up to the gates of Hightower Falls, the rain was light but steady. The cloud cover did make for some amazingly soft window light as Mindy got into her beautiful, custom-made wedding dress as the rain continued outside.

Since the threat of severe weather had passed, they decided to have their ceremony under the tent in the original spot...rain or not. Mindy arrived by horse drawn carriage on the other side of the falls and used the beautiful "Bridge of Love" that crossed the stream as her aisle.

After the ceremony the bride and groom wanted to make use of the amazing grounds regardless of the wet grass and slight drizzle. I was ecstatic! We did portraits in front of the falls, inside the beautiful ruins of the grist mill, by the dance hall and even went off-site to a quaint tree-lined lane Mindy had spotted on a previous visit.

After shooting outside for quite a while, we scooted indoors to warm up, dry off, and enjoy the reception!

Click here to see the entire gallery of wedding images.

Thanks for choosing me and letting me be part of such a fun, special day. :)  

So for everyone at the wedding who thought my name was Sheila, it's actually Jessica. I couldn't bring myself to spoil the fun for everyone else who was in on the joke. Plus, I would have had to explain a thousand times why the guys kept calling me Sheila.

View the entire wedding gallery here.