I love this little moment for what it is, a tender expression of love. But I think I love it more because it’s also an expression of relief, and it shows that even on your wedding day – maybe especially on your stressful, busy, super-emotional wedding day – you quite literally begin your life together by leaning on each other.

Erin and Dustin had a gorgeous destination wedding to a resort in Jamaica. However, it was one of those resorts that require that you have their house photographer at your wedding. If your style is on the “untacky” side, these photos might not cut it for you. While their photographer was very very nice and never once got mad at me for doing my own thing, he also made Erin & Dustin do cheeseball things like this:

and this:

that's right- Dustin is taking the garter off with his teeth

Erin & Dustin were good sports and joked around and laughed through the whole “photo shoot” with the staff photographer, but the little moment that I captured at the end – which the house photographer did not – is who they really are. And that’s what we aim for with wedding photography. Not super staged craziness, but a brief glimpse into your love and new life together.

That’s why I love this photo. On a wedding day, even in the midst of chaos, (even if it is just mild chaos, because Nick and Nicole’s wedding only had 22 attendees) you can block everyone else out.

We have lots of fabulous photos from this wedding (which you can see here and here) but this one holds a special place in my heart because it’s a real moment, unscripted, unplanned, and completely adorable.

Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk about Nick and Nicole… and their amazingly obvious love for each other. They are so into each other that it’s palpable… thick in the air… like a happiness smoke that everyone else swims through when around them. It just makes you smile to be around them.And they wanted their wedding to be a simple way to celebrate and simultaneously bring their families together. And it was a perfect execution of their plan (despite the officiant working on Hawaiian time!)

Where: North Shore, O’ahu at the Pipeline House

Food: By the wondrously talented RJ Spade of Bluestar in Austin, TX (best food I’ve ever had… and it was vegetarian!)

Dress, Shoes, jewelry: Betsy Johnson

the beautiful Betsy Johnson dress and shoes

the frill of the dress. LOVE IT

Nicole and her sister are pros at teasing her mom. This is them in action haha

Nick and Nicole got wedding bands that had each other's fingerprints on them. amazing.

right before walking down to the ceremony

the food!!

Nick getting ready

I love this moment! It really captures their silliness

that sunset! Ahh! Why can't we get them like this in New England!

I think this might be my favorite of the whole day. It really shows the perfect lighting as well as the connectedness of N&N!

the mangroves! Beach and jungle all together

perfection

the first dance! in the living room!

hahaha- the second half of the first dance included the robot!

then everyone got in on the dancing

remember pulp fiction....

Location: Ocho Rios Sandals Resort in Jamaica

erin enjoying the rehearsal dinner

the hysterical bridesmaids

a toast to tomorrow...

the amazing view from Erin & Dusin's suite

Erin getting ready and brushing up on wedding news

heading back to the suite

Erin preparing the garter, which had a pin on it from her great grandmother

the beautiful bridesmaids gifts! (and there was even one for me! how sweet!!)

Erin and her sister, Ali

Erin's dad approaching

the ceremony

inside the gazebo overlookingthe ocean

Erin's mom watching the ceremony

a good example of our "informal" formals

another good example- this time from the entire wedding party!

Dustin is so goofy and is always making Erin laugh

the view!

I love this!

the day after... around the grounds