On a Saturday morning Erin McDonald and Ray Rood came to our studio (aka our home) to discuss details about their wedding portrait session. During our meeting, I had a sense that they were going to be fun to work with. Call it intuition, Gibbs’ gut, Spidey senses…whatever you like, because it was spot on! I was honored and excited when they chose to have me handle their wedding portrait session at The Barn at Conneaut Creek, both because I was excited to be a part of their story and because it’s one of my favorite places to take pictures.
Erin & Ray’s Story
I love working with couples who have a unique dating story. Erin and Ray went to high school together. Ray says he knew he wanted to be with Erin forever from the first time that he met her. However, for Erin, it was far from “love at first sight”. She admits that she actually hated Ray while they were in high school. If you ask me, I think it actually adds a special element to their love story.
Fast forward five years after high school graduation. It was the fall of 2015 when Erin and Ray ran into each other again. Ray took a chance and asked Erin on a date. Despite her previous hatred of Ray, Erin accepted. Soon, her feelings for Ray began to change. Their first date, she says, did not have that “newly dating awkwardness”. And it soon became clear to her that she wanted to be with Ray forever.
Few proposals go off without hitch, and it sometimes seems the greater the hitch, the better the story. Ray originally wanted to propose at Port Farms last October. But then Erin found out and there was no more surprise. For some people, this might have felt like a disaster, but for Ray, it simply meant he needed to adapt his plans. Roughly one month later in late November, Ray surprised Erin when he proposed at home. Nice move, Ray!
Their Wedding Portrait Session
This adorable couple got married in an intimate affair — a short, but sweet ceremony at a local judge’s office attended only by immediate family. Right after the ceremony we headed downtown for some photos with the bride, groom and their families. You may not be able to tell from the pictures, but man was it cold that day! Kudos to the McDonald and Rood families for being such great sports!
Because it was so cold, we had plenty of motivation to get these portraits done pretty quickly. Plus, I was excited to get to my favorite part of any wedding portrait session — photographing the bride and groom by themselves. Well, this session had a special guest. Erin and Ray’s dog, Ollie, joined us at the Barn at Conneaut Creek and jumped in some photos.
You can see why I love photographing at The Barn at Conneaut Creek so much. It provides the perfect backdrop for memorable and beautiful photos. Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. For more proof, check out Jen and Mitch’s engagement photos at The Barn at Conneaut Creek and get a glimpse of how your own photos could look. No matter where you plan to get married, be sure to visit our contact page to discuss the details of your wedding-related photos.
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