{Hitched} Paige & Jim in Omaha, Neb.

I love shooting back in Omaha…my old stomping grounds. I especially love shooting in O-town when the subjects in front of the camera also have a tie in with the olden days when I lived in Nebraska. And such was the wedding of Paige & Jim. I went to middle school/junior high with Paige’s younger brother, Tyler. And then Paige was a year ahead of me at Omaha North High. I never heard a bad thing about Paige. EVERYONE who knew her, loved her. She was cool, adorable, fun and a great cross-country runner. Last year when I shot their engagement photos, and they first started toying with hiring me for their wedding, I secretly crossed my fingers that it’d work out for us. A big WOOT needs to be proclaimed because it did! 🙂

My pal Cara Bresette-Yates assisted me on this August day.

In the 5.5 years I’ve been shooting weddings, I’ve never encountered an all-out rainy day. Sure, it’s threatened rain, it’s spit rain, it rained during unimportant times… but this day that Paige & Jim chose as their wedding day, in late August, when they’d expected record high temps and blaring sunshine, especially after having a nearly unparalleled drought throughout the midwest…this day it was rainy ALL DAY LONG. ESPECIALLY during the times for portraits.

But this bride and groom, they handled the dreary weather like champs. They turned to Cara and I with trust and we made it work! Overhangs, indoor spots with lovely lighting and bridges were our friends!

Speaking of friends, Paige & Jim’s crew knew how to party. They kept the morale high and Paige & Jim laughing.

Another first for me… the ceremony was finished in under 5 minutes. No joke. From the time the first groomsman and bridesmaid made their way down the aisle, to the time the recessional was finished, it was under FIVE MINUTES. Hence the photo I posted below of Paige’s open mouth laugh because even she had been surprised at how quickly it flew by.

The venue was gorgeous, once again at the Durham Museum.

Paige & Jim’s simple decor and fresh muted color palette set the mood for a romantic, cozy affair.

There was lots of giggling all day long–from the appearance of a stuffed sloth, to the bridesmaid dresses (by J. Crew) that allowed for some creative formations, to the revealing toasts and some hilarious reception antics. Cara and I had a blast at this wedding, frizzy hair be damned! 😉

And while I’m pointing out firsts…I’d also like to bring attention to Paige’s awesomeness. AFter she and Jim cut the cake, she held out a plate with a piece of cake on it to Cara and me and demanded that we taste it then and there. She didn’t take no for an answer…thankfully. 😉 (YUMMY CAKE by the Omaha Cake Gallery)

To top it all off, one bridesmaid and the bride herself texted me the day after to thank me. THAT is invaluably appreciated. I heart you all! 🙂

So please…enjoy their wedding pics… and holler at them in the comments to tell them what your favorites are! 😉