Intimate backyard wedding photos

Anastasia and Adam’s intimate backyard wedding was a dream come true.

WARNING: SAPPY POST AHEAD! ANASTASIA AND ADAM’S WEDDING GOT ME IN MY FEELS.

Like countless couples who planned their weddings in a pre-pandemic world, Anastasia and Adam had to substitute big plans for an intimate backyard wedding. But, truthfully, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect way for them to kick off their journey into forever.

Photographing their wedding got me thinking about something. As women, we’re taught to imagine our wedding day from the time we’re little girls. And many of us – sometimes subconsciously – do.

Maybe we dream of far-off destinations, tables piled with French pastries as far as the eye can see, a guest list with the names of everyone we’ve ever known. Flowers. Lace. More flowers. An unforgettable, lavish celebration. Our very own fairy tale.

But then, we fall in love.

And from then on, we realize that the extravagant vision was nice, but not a necessity. It was only there to temporarily calm the part of us that longed for true connection. To fill up the empty space in our heart that would, eventually, overflow with the reality of being in love.

When you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, you realize the only thing you TRULY need on your wedding day is them (okay, and maybe an officiant!). Anything more is lovely, but not a requirement.

You don’t need the fairy tale because you have it: you have the real thing.

In Anastasia and Adam’s case, it didn’t matter that they originally saw themselves eloping in Japan, and then celebrating with their families in The Columbia.

They got married in their own, beautiful backyard. A backyard, around the corner from the movie theater where they had their first date. The backyard where Adam proposed to Anastasia on Halloween. A backyard, in the shade of the first house they bought together. The house where they raised their four kittens. The home where they wake up, every morning, together.

It was a space filled with their loving memories, memories that hung in the air like invisible paper lanterns.

And, after that day, another glimmering lantern was added to the collection, as Anastasia and Adam vowed their eternal love to one another, surrounded by their closest friends and family.