Emily and Luke have dated for years (as you’ll see in some of the photos below), and when it came time to get married, only wanted to celebrate with their closest friends and family. Fortunately for them, Emily’s aunt owns the perfect yard and barn for entertaining guests! Her bright backyard in Irmo was transformed into a perfect, simple, yet elegant, wedding ceremony and reception venue for the day!

Emily knew that there would not be much time for her and Luke to have any private moments once they arrived at her aunt’s, so they opted to have a First Look at Irmo Town Park, in a shady nook where they could see each other for the first time without any interruption (except, of course, the occasional click of my shutter)!

Luke was such a trooper for letting me grab this shot of Emily before he got to turn around and see her!

I just LOVE an emotional First Look!

After their First Look, all of the groomsmen and bridesmaids joined us at Irmo Park for their group photos. This is one of the best reasons to have a first look; you can get a lot of your group photos out of the way, which means you get to your reception faster!

If you follow my work at all, you know how much I love to capture every detail from a wedding day. From the flowers, to the rings, to the other decor, Emily and Luke (with a lot of help from their mothers and aunt, of course) went all out and made sure that every little detail was beautiful.  The candy table was a big hit! Even the labels on the orange creamsicle lollipops were customized for Emily and Luke!

Of all the adorable handmade signs that adorned their wedding tents, this last one was my favorite! I’m sure I don’t need to explain why 😉

First kiss as Mr. and Mrs. Luke Coty!

When I saw how close Luke and Emily’s parents are with each other, I immediately knew that the two of them have an AMAZING support system to keep their marriage going strong forever. When moms-in-law are this tight, you’ve got a great future ahead of you!

Have you EVER seen a First Dance kiss that is this authentic?!

Guests and grandparents alike loved visiting and admiring the bride and groom’s new rings.

The bride’s first dance with her father usually makes me a bit weepy, but following in the joyful mood of their wedding day, Emily and her dad had me cracking up behind the lens! What a great pair!

There are few things as sweet as seeing the groom’s mother looking up at him, as she dances and congratulates him on this new milestone in life. A delicious wedding cake is on that list, too, though!

One thing that Emily and Luke did at their reception, instead of a garter toss, was play the “Shoe Game”. I had never heard of it or seen it, but it was hilarious (as you can see from the expressions in the crowd), and it really kept this jovial gang entertained!

Emily and Luke, thank you again for allowing me to capture this fun, laid back, and perfectly sweet wedding for you two! I wish you all of the happiness and success in the world!