How Three People and One Special Place Created a Family

Adrienne and JD chose to elope in their favorite part of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

There’s a reason I love photographing intimate weddings. Without the pressure of lots of guests and a complicated wedding plan, it leaves time for exactly what you want with just the people who matter most.

Adrienne and JD's wedding had exactly three people standing at the ceremony: the two of them and Adrienne's daughter. And it was perfect.

A Garden That Already Felt Like Home

Adrienne and JD chose to get married at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on a beautiful October afternoon.

If you've never been there, it's one of those places where every path makes you wonder what's around the next corner… It feels like wandering through a storybook.

Out of all the different gardens, they chose the Japanese Garden for their ceremony. Not because it was trendy or because someone on Pinterest told them to. They chose it because they loved it. And that meant that on top of all of the memories they’d already made there over the years, they got to make new ones in the same special place.

The Most Important Maid of Honor

Watching Adrienne's daughter stand beside her was one of the sweetest parts of the whole experience. You could tell they had enjoyed getting ready for this day together. I’m picturing an entire rom-com level dress shopping montage, with lots of silly options, some happy tears, and at least one moment where the daughter was both embarrassed and pleased by her mom’s excitement. (I was a teenage daughter, once. I know how it goes).

Before the ceremony, there was some nervous excitement. Mother helping daughter with her makeup. A dress that was just a little too long. And when it came time for the ceremony, her daughter got to stand right beside her mom as she married JD.

That felt really special — this wasn't just about two people getting married. It was about the beginning of a new family.

Slow Down and Soak Up the Day

After the ceremony, we didn't rush from one photo to the next trying to check boxes off a list. We simply wandered.

That's honestly how most of my photo sessions go.

People sometimes ask if I'll tell them exactly how to stand or where to put their hands.

The answer is... not really. Instead, I give little prompts: Walk toward me, hold hands, make each other laugh, act like you love each other.

I'm not trying to create perfect poses. I'm trying to create real moments and capture memories.

As the three of them explored the gardens together, those moments happened naturally.

Bamboo and Belly Laughs

Some of my favorite photographs from the day were taken on a bright red bridge tucked inside the Japanese Garden. The colors were incredible against the trees, and for a few quiet minutes it felt like the rest of the garden had disappeared.

Then we wandered into the bamboo forest…

If you've never walked through a bamboo grove before, it's hard to explain how peaceful it feels. Everything suddenly gets quieter. The light filters through differently and you can almost forget you're in the middle of a city.

At one point, Adrienne, JD, and her daughter grabbed hands and started walking down the path together. No posing or looking at me, just walking and laughing together.

It's still one of my favorite photographs because it feels exactly like the day itself, simple, joyful, and full of love.

Sometimes, the Best Weddings Leave Room to Breathe

I think about Adrienne and JD's wedding often. Not because it had an elaborate timeline or a packed dance floor (not that there’s anything wrong with those things) but because I enjoyed the space of the day. Space to breathe, to enjoy nature and sunshine together. Space for Adrienne's daughter to be part of every moment instead of watching from the sidelines.

Sometimes smaller weddings give you something bigger weddings can't: time to soak in the fact that your life just changed

If you're planning an intimate wedding, remember that you don't have to fill every minute of the day.

Leave room to wander.

Leave room to laugh.

Leave room for the people you love most.

Some of the best photographs happen when you're simply enjoying being together.