When she turned the corner, she took our breath away and tears began to stream down Jeff’s face and my face.

‘See?’ I whispered in my heart. ‘See? I knew one day she would be draped in white, crowned in radiance, and walking towards a love that is real.’

Heather and I have been friends since our freshman year in college. We’ve studied abroad together in Spain, traveled the world, lived together, laughed together, cried together, and grown up into the women that we are today. Heather is the kind of woman that harbors a genuine, inner radiance, and we have been praying for her to find a man that truly deserves her precious, loving heart. Needless to say, we are pretty protective of her!

So when we started hearing about how Heather had met this cute guy in a bar one night when he and his friends photobombed a photo of her with her girlfriends (the photo is hilarious – Pete is smiling a huge smile in the background behind Heather’s head), we wanted to know all about his heart. Was he good enough for her? Was he strong enough for her? Did he love everything about her, the same way that we do?

I am beyond-words-joyful to answer all of those questions with a wholehearted yes. Pete is a strong man with a soft heart, and he loves Heather deeply. So much so, that when she slipped on her gown the morning of her wedding, she was transformed into a radiant being. It was the kind of radiance that only appears when a woman knows that she is completely, wholly, and undoubtably loved.

Which is why, when she was walking toward Pete during their First Look, tears of joy started running down our faces. On this day, she was her full beauty – the beauty that we have always seen in her, but was now bursting from every pore of her body.

I was so honored to be a bridesmaid in Heather’s wedding and get my fancy on with the rest of the girls in a long dress and heels. Jeff photographed the day with our good friend, Kayla, from Atlanta assisting him, but I couldn’t resist picking up my camera, too. The part I love about my job the most is that I get a front row seat to the most precious stories of the day, and getting to witness the super joyful and exclusive moments of the wedding of my BFF was something I simply couldn’t miss out on. There’s so many more moments from this sweet wedding at the Amherst Women’s Club in Massachusetts coming tomorrow, but we’ll start with Heather and Pete getting ready for the First Look.

The loveliness continues tomorrow with all of the moments and details from the ceremony and reception, so stay tuned my friends! It’s going to be a good one!

Hugs,
Erin

Wedding Photography : The Youngrens | Ceremony Location : Amherst Women’s Club | Reception Location : Amherst Women’s Club | Cake & Desserts : Atkins Farms | Make-Up : Vici Hair Studio & Beauty Bar | Hair : Vici Hair Studio & Beauty Bar | DJ : Brian Bender Music | Gown Boutique : Silk Bridal Studio | Bar : Hillside Organic Catering | Rentals : Paul Redeker Rental Company |