A 1969 Camaro, surprise dance with dad, adorable labradoodle & stunning historic wedding venue… You won’t want to miss Andrea and Ross’ dream wedding at the Omni in Bedford Springs:

Andrea shared, “We chose to work with Lisa because she has a beautiful portfolio, is highly rated and is very familiar with our wedding venue, Omni Bedford Springs Resort.  She is creative and always ready to take on a challenge and is willing to do anything to get “the shot.”
She clarified, “In our first meeting with Lisa, we talked about Ross’s dad’s vintage car and how we were hoping to have it on the wedding day. Immediately she had the idea of us driving in the car while she was overhead on a bridge to get a beautiful aerial shot of us, with the veil blowing in the wind. We are super excited that we got to do that shot and can’t wait to see how it turned out!”
I LOVE how it turned out!!!  I was able to capture the motion of the car from such a unique angle, Andrea’s veil was even blowing in the breeze!!!   I used a classic black and white look to compliment the vintage car and really make it pop, I love how you can see the make and model clearly, while the roadside is a blur, then those dark tire tracks, too!

Andrea explained, “The overall feel we wanted to have for the wedding was elegant yet casual. We wanted it to be elegant and rustic to reflect the resort features, gold was one of our colors because it complemented the Bedford ballroom and venue so well.”
The invitations really brought in the delicate white detailing of the venue and the gold color so well, looking very elegant, yet having that natural casual vibe of the Omni, too, hitting the perfect note!  I photographed them by the gold curtains and white window detail to really drive those elements home…

Andrea smiled, “My bridesmaids are all people that I love and are super special to me. I wanted them to feel beautiful and like themselves, which is why I let them pick their own dress for the wedding – both in terms of style and type of blush pink color. It was really important for me for them to feel comfortable and beautiful that day and be excited to put on their dress in the morning.”
The mother of the bride and groom chose jewel-toned dresses that complimented the color palette as well and were hung alongside the bridesmaids’ gowns, I used a tilt-shift effect and highlighted the fireplace and a few light fixtures and other elements that make Omni Bedford Springs such a unique venue…

Getting ready with her mom and maid of honor…

Andrea, you are stunning!!

Andrea shared, “I’m happy I let my bridesmaids choose their own gowns, we were all so comfortable and I feel like the look turned out to be cohesive even though it highlighted the individual personalities of each bridesmaid.”

Awww, squad goals ;).  I wanted to show off the beautiful white gingerbread details of all the balconies at the Omni as well as the back of Andrea’s bestie’s dresses and her veil, so sweet!

Andrea shared, “My dad and I watched “Say Yes to the Dress” together since I was twelve, so when I got engaged we knew we had to go to Kleinfeld’s in New York City. He came to every single bridal appointment and fitting, so he knew exactly what I was going to look like, which is why I thought our first look would be easy.”
But when he walked into the room for the first time we both got so emotional and I realized it had nothing to do with “looking like the bride” but seeing me as a grown woman about to get married! It was a very special moment that I will always cherish.

Andrea explained, “We always say that even though I look 100% like my mom, I got all my dad’s personality.  We are very close.”

Ross shared, “I spent the wedding morning with Andrea’s father and brother.  Her dad wanted to help me to relax and prepare for the wedding and have some time together, so he surprised me to a spa treatment at the resort!”
He’s back from his treatment and ready to get dressed.  Jim was my second photographer for this wedding, and I love how he caught the reflections and cool rainbow light here…

Ross explained, “It was great having my mom there to help me get ready because as a kid I remember she would always help me to get ready and would make  sure I looked my best, so it was nice to be able to share at that moment with her.”
I also love the color and quality storytelling going on here as Ross’s mom dresses the ring bearer and Andrea & Ross’ pup relaxes when the men finish dressing…

Ross shared, “Having each groomsman helped with keeping my nerves calm as they were able to keep the atmosphere light and fun, all while making sure that we stayed on time for the ceremony.”

He continued, “I really wouldn’t have been able to keep it together if it wasn’t for having all of them by my side.”

Guests arrived and began filing into the grand Constitution Hall.
Andrea shared, “We were originally supposed to have our ceremony at the Wedding Grotto, a beautiful waterfall spot in the forest. However, that wedding morning was full of thunderstorms with no chance of having an outdoor ceremony.   Even though it was our Plan B, it was beautiful.”

She continued, “My favorite part of the wedding day was finally getting to walk down the aisle. I had both my parents on my arms and when the doors opened and the Pastor said “All rise”, I literally had goosebumps. I could’ve passed out from excitement right then and there!!”
She went on, “I walked with both my parents down the aisle to the song that was their wedding song (Can’t Help Falling in Love), which made it even more special. Seeing Ross and knowing that it was time to become his wife and join our lives forever was so tremendously joyous and was definitely my favorite part.”

Andrea smiled, “Seeing Ross as I walked down the aisle is a memory I will cherish forever.  All I could see was him and everything else melted away. I could feel with all my heart how happy and right this all felt and I couldn’t wait to get up there to become his wife!”
Ross shared, “So before seeing Andrea I thought I was doing a good job of keeping my cool… but the moment I saw her walking toward me and with her parents I lost all control of my emotions and what you saw was a stunned man seeing the most beautiful thing walking his way. Love, joy, excitement– I felt like I was in Heaven.  At that moment, things had never felt more right and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and what I  was about to marry my best friend.”
OMG, the LOVE in his eyes, his face says it all…

Ross smiled, “We are scientists and understand the laws of physics well, the law of attraction definitely applies to us, haha.  I am the calm to her apprehensive, she is the city to my country, I am the risk-taker to her caution, and she is the inspiration to my courage.”
He continued, “I always say that our best work is when we work together and whether it’s in the lab or in the kitchen together we make some pretty awesome masterpieces. Another masterpiece, her smile, she can light up any room with her smile!”
I do, me too…

Man and wife!  I have a few more traditional shots of this, but for me, the tilt gives it that sort of fun loopy head-over-heels feel, plus the patterned wall and carpet feel celebratory, like confetti and the guests gown gives that pop of excitement from the wedding guests, too and balances out the photograph…

Ross shared, “The champagne toast was something on the spot that I came up with. It was just from the heart and really just wanted to let everyone know how thankful we were for them to be there for us and be a part of our special day before we exited the room as husband and wife.”

Ross shared, “It was great having Cooper, our puppy (literally 9 months old at the time), with us as he brought so much joy and happiness to all the guest who finally got to meet him after seeing so many pictures. Not to mention he was a little angel the entire time and was even at the wedding ceremony, so being able to have him with us on our special day meant everything.”

Ross shared, “It was such a treat getting to know Andreas family better. They are some of the best people I have ever met and the most genuine and loving. Andrea possesses many of the same admirable traits that you can see in her family members.  It totally makes sense who Andrea is when you get to know her family.”

Ross shared, “We went to Bedford Springs to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2017 as it came highly recommended by friends. When we stepped on the grounds, we knew it was special as it was able to capture the beauty of the mountains with the elegance of the resort itself. I turned to Andrea and said “we have to get married here” – we weren’t even engaged yet!”
Andrea stated, “The main building of Omni Bedford Springs is stunning. I could not wait to get pictures of those beautiful columns and fountain in the front! It feels grand as soon as you pull in from the driveway.”  I used a tilt-shift technique to bring sharp focus to the group and fountain and almost to make it feel like they were miniatures, to give a sense for the grandness of the building…

Ross explained, “I was excited to have our guests from all over the world come and experience the history that Bedford has and the beauty of the grounds. Our wedding took place over three days and it was magical to have each event in a different location in Bedford Springs that gave each event its own feel and vibe.”
Awww how excited are they???

Ross smiled, “As for the incorporation of the 1967 Camaro, we have always been a classic car family. Some of my first memories are getting into a Camaro with my farther and going for a drive on a beautiful Sunday evening.”
He went on, “My parents also drove away from their own wedding in a 1969 Camaro on September 1st, which as you can imagine only made the experience more magical!”

He continued, “A lot of my childhood revolved around going to classic car shows or helping my dad in the garage and these moments have really been special to me as it helped to forge the bond and relationship that I have with my family.”
He went on, “The first moment I was at Bedford, I always had this image of incorporating the Camaro into the wedding as it represents my family and since our family would be growing with the addition of Andrea and her family we needed to capture this magical moment with the Camaro.”

Andrea and Ross visited their “almost ceremony spot…
She explained, “Though there were thunderstorms earlier, after the ceremony it cleared up and Ross and I were able to visit the ceremony spot and have some pictures there. I think it actually worked out for the best…”

She went on, “In the end, it gave us a much more intimate ceremony indoors while also giving Ross and I our own time at the waterfall that was so important to us. I thought I would be so disappointed that we had to get married inside but it really was so beautiful and gave Ross and I our own special spot to go to later in the day.”
If you look closely you can see the waterfall in the background…

Ross shared, “Not only is Andrea the most intelligent woman I have ever met, but she is stunning and breathtaking in every aspect.”
He continued, “I mean I can still remember the first time I met her.  It was special because for the first time I had connected with someone so easily and it was like we had known each other for years. From the beginning, we were destined to be together “soul-mates.” I love how she is down to earth, funny, passionate, and overall my better half/best friend.”
Andrea shared, “Describing all the things that make Ross special would take me 1000 years. He is truly the most genuine and trustworthy person, handles every challenge with ease with his calm personality, and most special, he is such a thoughtful person. I can honestly say that he literally knows me better than I know me!”

Ross explained, “A real highlight of our wedding day for me was being able to have a “getaway car” and that time alone.  It was a lot of fun because not only did it allow us to rest and get some incredible photographs, but it also was a lot of fun to rev the engine in front of friends, family, and guests at the resort.”
Ross added, introspectively, “I also felt it was important to use the Camaro in our wedding as it sorta represents our relationship. Both of us being long distance, always having to travel to see one another, and now we get to travel together as one, a “Reid” to whatever future destination awaits us!”

Andrea explained, “Theresa from Everitt Florist deserves a shout out for really helping us capture our vision for the head table and everything while still keeping us to our budget. Also, she was so helpful in coming up with the centerpieces, even in terms of non-floral decor. She helped us so much!!”
I love the dandle lit gold and green look and long banquet tables…

Ross explained, “Andrea’s brother Nicholas, gifted us with “a dance on the clouds”  because he wanted our first dance to be magical.  Andra and I both loved it!”

He’s the second groomsmen in from the left and he looks really pleased, I love to shoot in layers, here you see the clouds in the foreground, the bride and groom frozen in a spin and many of the key players in the background as well as the lovely Collonade Ballroom:

I love to play with different visual elements throughout the wedding day and the toasts are no exception– here I used candles and champagne bubbles in the foreground to add visual interest– nope, it’s not photographed, I captured it in camera!

Ross shared, My brother’s speech was unforgettable– it was was very genuine, touching, and completely created on the spot. Usually, he is very quiet and keeps his emotions tucked away, so leading up to his speech I really wasn’t sure what to expect….”
He went on, “He shared a story about how he always looked out for me as a big brother growing up and made sure he had my back, and after meeting Andrea and seeing how she had his back that one night at the casino and this was the moment that he knew she would have my back and look out for me as he always has done. That alone was emotional for me and had me tearing up…”
I played a lot with the light here, playing up the vibrancy of the walls and mysterious lead into his brother’s speech…

He continued, “… but what really got all of us emotional was when he mentioned my grandmother and how Andrea’s grandmother reminded us of her.  That was the moment I became flooded with all sorts of emotions. First, it brought up emotions from my grandmothers recent passing, but at the same time I was happy that he was able to connect and relate to Andrea’s grandmother and all of Andrea’s family and experienced a little of the depth that I have experienced with her family over the past few years.”
He summarized, “For me, this moment was magical, because it just goes to show you how people and families thousands of miles apart can relate and feel connected through their love and relationships with one another.”

Ross shared, “One particular detail is woven throughout the evening, that was actually a nod to my grandmother, who we were hoping would make the wedding, but passed only a few months prior were blush colored roses.  It was my grandmother’s favorite color for a rose. It was very special to us, as it helped to make it feel as if she was there.”

Let them eat cake– sometimes it’s the little things…

Andrea explained, “Our personalities compliment each other perfectly. We bring out the best in each other and challenge each other to grow and succeed. We are each other’s #1 fans and I feel so supported in all aspects of life- whether it is applying for jobs, trying a new hobby, or just about anything, I know he believes in me and helps me to achieve my dreams.”
How sweet it is… I love the symmetry of this shot:

Ross shared, “What isn’t there to love about, Andrea? As my mom mentioned in her toast, from the moment I first met Andrea she was the “BnB” of them all “Brains n Beauty” that is a tough combination to find, and even harder to find in a person that you instantly click with…”
Ross’ dance with his mother, she is so beautiful inside and out:

Andrea smiled, “My dad called me a couple months before the wedding and asked, “Do you want to do a serious dance, or do you want to shake it up a bit?” I asked what he had in mind and within minutes I had a flurry of youtube videos of father-daughter dances with a twist. My dad is NOT a man that would openly dance at a party, never mind a full-on choreographed dance!!!!”
She laughed, “It was difficult to plan it as I was living in Birmingham AL and he was in Toronto, Canada. So I filmed the dance routine with Ross dancing dad’s part and sent it to him so he could practice in Canada. Then we met up in New York City for my final dress fitting, we practiced for the first time in real life in the hotel room with just 2 feet of dancing room (we both got bruises from accidentally bumping into furniture).”
She concluded, “We were so excited to perform it on the wedding day as we surprised everyone and no one could believe that we had it organized it! It was so fun and is one of my favorite highlights of the wedding.”  Ross looks equally thrilled:

If you like than you shoulda put a ring on it– all the single ladies put their hands up… 😉

The party lights on the dance floor were a lot of fun, I really like working with DJ Tony, from Soundwaves Entertainment, and so did Andrea and Ross…
They shared, “DJ Tony had a great personality and went out of his way to make sure that we were comfortable and was such a professional.  He really took the pressure off of us and everyone had a lot of fun, the dance floor was packed!”

Haaa, Andrea’s brother doing the worm…

Ross shared, “Looking ahead I am so excited about our journey together. For years we had to plan visits on when to see one another and always had to end our trips with a  goodbye, but now being married we no longer have to worry about that. I know moving forward she will have my back and I hers and together we will be able to achieve anything.”
He continued, “I am most excited to see what awaits us in the future, because up to this moment my life with Andrea has been the best years yet of my life and I can only imagine what else is in store for us!”

Ross smiled, “The entire day was surreal to be honest, from the moment I first saw Andrea walking down the aisle to the sparkler send-off.   I wouldn’t want to change anything about it. It couldn’t have been any better.”
He continued, “I remember thinking, we did it.. we finally did it.” After months of planning and all the years being long distance, everything about the day couldn’t have been any more magical.  I finally married my soul mate.  All of it was just incredible.”

Wedding Vendors:

• Venue – Omni Bedford Springs Resort (Maggie Patterson)
• Flowers: Everitt Florist  (Theresa)
• Videographer: Bows and Veils (Matt and Alex)
• DJ: Soundwaves Entertainment (DJ Tony)
• Bridal shop: Kleinfeld Bridal (Designer: Lazaro)
• Bridal shoes: Bella Belle
• Invitations: B Weddings
• Photographer: Rhinehart Photography

If you would like to see more of Andrea and Ross, check out their super-fun engagement session in the chemistry lab, just click here!
If you’d like to see more weddings from the Omni in Bedford Springs, click here.