On a temperate spring day earlier this month, Lauren and Andy tied the knot at The Villa At Ridder Country Club. They were in the Grand Ballroom for their reception and played up the modern feel of the room with geometric glass terrariums full of flowers and crystals on the tables and a unique blue wedding cake with gold geometric accents. And Spring was definitely in the air as well in the stunning pastel florals by The Tangled Web. It was a beautiful day, but more than that, it was a day full of people wearing their hearts on their sleeves. From Lauren fighting back happy tears as she read the sweet note Andy sent to her before they saw each other, to Andy welling up during the ceremony as he said his vows, to the hugs, kisses, and laughter of their wedding party as they supported Lauren and Andy and celebrated along with them throughout the day, their wedding showed just how much these two love each other, love their friends and family, and inspire love in those around them.

Their Love Story

Lauren & Andy both went to Northeastern and are both engineers, but funny enough, they didn’t actually meet in college. Instead, they met after they graduated through mutual friends. As Andy’s former roommate, who officiated the ceremony, shared with everyone when he married them, their first date was the result of a mutual attraction and a bet that Andy rigged in the best possible way. Andy liked Lauren and wanted to find a way to hang out with her again so he made a bet about something having to do with their fantasy football league (side note – Lauren is a Cowboys fan – woohoo!). Andy cleverly made the terms of the bet result in them seeing each other again – no matter who won. If Lauren won, he would buy her dinner and if he won, she’d get him dinner. Either way, he was promised a date with her as a result. Needless to say, at that dinner they totally hit it off and the rest is history!

Andy proposed at home on the night of a big storm that actually knocked the power out in their neighborhood. Lauren had an eventful drive home from work, having to get rerouted multiple times because of downed trees. And when she did arrive home, Andy had taken full advantage of the power being out, to light candles throughout the house. Now looking back, they say the storm and the power outage helped make the intimate proposal even more romantic.

Getting Ready

While Andy and the guys prepped fully at the hotel, Lauren and the ladies had hair and makeup done by C King Brides there before heading to The Villa to get into their dresses. Lauren had her jewelry, shoes, and a full invitation suite set aside and ready for me when I arrived so I could style them and photograph them. This is a tip I always give my couples so that they can honor the special pieces that make up their day. My second photographer headed to Andy and did the same with his details, styling his tie, shoes, socks, and boutonnière before he put them on. Lauren is so thoughtful and she was hands-on helping her bridesmaids lace and tie their beautiful Lulu’s dresses before getting into her own gown from David’s Bridal. She also got each groomsman a pair of socks with his favorite football team on them! One other tradition captured toward the end of the getting ready process was their exchange of notes and gifts. These shots are always some of my favorite from getting ready because they prompt all of the emotions of the bride and groom to the surface.

First Look & Portraits At The Villa

Lauren & Andy really wanted to enjoy every possible moment with loved ones on their wedding day so they decided to do a first look and take all of their formal portraits before the ceremony. The reveal was so special to witness as they went in for a hug and kiss and then stepped back to take each other in. Andy even asked Lauren to spin so he could get a 360 degree view of her. She was a vision in her dress and Andy was quite the dapper groom. After some couples portraits we brought their bridal party into the mix for photos before ending with family portraits. The weather looked a little iffy, but the overcast skies never opened up and we did all of their photos outside on the grounds of The Villa. One of my favorite moments from family portraits happened when Andy’s Mémère and Pépère had their photos taken with him and Lauren. Before heading inside to prep for the ceremony, Andy’s Mem wrapped him up in a big hug and didn’t want to let him go. She couldn’t believe he was so grown up and getting married. It was adorable and reminded me of my own Mem and Pep.

Outdoor Ceremony

As I mentioned earlier, Andy’s former roommate and good friend officiated the ceremony. In addition to telling the story of how they ended up on their first date, he did a wonderful job sharing about who Lauren and Andy are and why they’re such a perfect pair. He has everyone laughing at points and many people tearing up (including the groom – it was so sweet!) with his thoughtful stories and the personal touch he put on the ceremony.

Dinner & Dancing

After the ceremony the party moved inside to the Grand Ballroom for cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. Their modern wedding cake was created by Montilio’s. The cake design incorporated the geode design they had on their invitations and that each bridesmaid wore around her neck. For their centerpieces they had beautiful glass terrariums of different geometric shapes and sizes filled with spring blooms. They had the talented band Closing Time keeping the dance floor packed and everyone had a blast dancing the night away.