Carly + Derek

I had the privilege of beginning the SLP wedding season with a ceremony at the rustic Timber Line Barn in Buffalo, MO. We had beautiful, although a little windy, weather after a week of snow and sledding. Hello sunshine!

I recently met Carly, but had actually met Derek when he was probably around 17. He was part of our youth group. So, you can imagine how pleased I was when years later he and his fiancee asked me to photograph their wedding!

Carly and Derek met on Facebook, so in case you're wondering, it IS possible to find true love online! ;)

His proposal in her words, "Derek proposed to me in our bed one night, he always told me it would have been more romantic, but I was impatient and kept asking him when he was going to do it."

Yes, it's true, sometimes us ladies get a little excited about marrying the man we love!

Derek and Carly had a private reveal before the ceremony. It was so sweet to watch as he turned around and saw her for the first time in her dress. It was a simple, serene, moment and as I took pictures I felt like I was intruding a little. They just stood there, embracing, forgetting everyone else in the room.

When he caught his first glimpse..."My first thoughts were that she looked amazing, and I was excited to continue our lives as a family."

Carly made a beautiful bride! Her smile was contagious, and very evident as she walked down the aisle...

"When I was walking down the aisle it kind of felt unreal and nerve racking. I couldn't believe that from that moment I would be spending the rest of my life with my best friend."