THE SECOND & OUR WEDDING {part three}

destination wedding photographer

It’s been another busy week in the Gielow household.  Brendan has been practicing like crazy for a tournament next week, and I’ve been trying to get caught up before the first wedding of the year in Orlando this weekend!

We celebrated our Valentine’s Day early because we will be out of town on the actual day.  I made Brendan breakfast in bed, and he took me out to our favorite restaurant OF ALL TIME:  Rooster’s!  If you live in Charlotte, you MUST visit.  Their food + service is to die for.  We were going to go out dancing afterwards so I could practice my Zumba moves, but we ended up falling asleep at midnight with the lights on!  :)

Today I’m posting part 3 of our wedding.  Sean did an incredible job of capturing the emotion of our ceremony.  Our “formal” pictures are also some of my favorites from the entire day.  The photo above is just a glimpse of the 65 stairs I had to walk down.  It was the longest bridal processional of ALL time!

All photos in this post © Sean Flanigan.

prayer at wedding

We prayed with our bridal party and immediate family right before we walked down for the processional.  It was such an emotional and special time that Brendan and I cherished.  In fact, this was one of our favorite moments from our wedding day. And, it wasn’t planned!

michigan beach destination wedding

This photo is one of my favorites and my current screen saver!  I love the effect of the tilt-shift lens.

creative wedding invitations

I spent a TON of time working on our ceremony programs.  There was confetti attached on the front, and the program was hand-sewed to the paper.  You can’t really tell from the photo, but the thread was the opposite color of the paper so that it would show.

hand made ceremony programs

bride and dad walk down the aisle

This photo is after I almost face planted.  I walked barefoot on the sand; therefore, my dress was much longer than I had anticipated, and I stepped on it!  Thankfully my dad caught me before I completely embarrassed myself ;)

michigan wedding photographer

After I took my own picture of the ceremony (you can view it here), I became really emotional realizing that my dad was giving me away.

I couldn’t keep it together.

I’m so glad our pastor waited a few seconds before he began the ceremony to take everything in.  I love that Sean captured that moment.

charlotte wedding photographer

father of the bride hugging groom

funny wedding pictures

We had a surprise during our ceremony!  Our parents wrote us letters that Pastor Dave read.  They were hilarious and embarrassing.

beach wedding setup

We bought bamboo from California, and they actually sent us the wrong poles two weeks before our wedding!  Thankfully their customer service was awesome, and we were able to get everything on time.  My dad built the “arch,” and the fabric was from curtains in my bedroom.

anchored in love

^ This is actually a screen grab from our wedding video by my friend & colleague (and very talented photojournalist), AJ Chavar.  Our pastor’s wife (and friend), Misty, and my old youth pastor, Tim, sang “Anchored in Love.”  It was kind of our theme for our wedding…meaning anchored in love with Christ, each other, and loving others.  We both have it engraved on our wedding bands.

washing feet wedding

Brendan and I chose to wash each other’s feet in lieu of lighting a unity candle.  It took me a while, but I finally found a pitcher and basin from the Gibson Mill Antique Mall in Concord, NC.  I also found the window table and chair shown.  We wanted a symbol of serving each other in our marriage, just like Jesus had showed His disciples before The Last Supper.  Our reading was from 1 John 3:1-17 (NIV):

1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  

2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

   Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

formal hatfirst kissthings to throw recessional

I spent a small fortune on eco-confetti because we didn’t want to have to vacuum (if that’s even possible) or damage the lakeshore.

eco friendly confettirustic wedding pictures

I’ve actually photographed seniors here before!  But, it’s amazing how different a place looks through another photographer’s eyes.

nc wedding photographersean flanigandahlia bouquet beach inspiration

^ The pin that I inherited from my grandmother.

beach wedding inspirationsoft wedding picturesmegan and brendan's weddingpine trees wedding pictures

There’s this insane pine forest lot on the way to our reception, and the light is killer.  As Sean remarked, “the light is making out with my lens!”  Yes Sean, we still talk about your funny photo sayings!

summer wedding ideas

The “posed” shot for our grandparents ;)

fall wedding ideaswedding in the woodsbacklit wedding picturesmontague weddingsmichigan weddingsmuskegon weddingswedding photography michigancharlotte weddingscutebeach bouquet

Jamie at Chalet Floral did an amazing job with my bouquet.  I told him what I had in mind, and he created exactly what I was picturing!  I wanted Dahlias not only because they are my favorite, but also because they remind me of my grandparents.  My grandfather grows them in his garden, and when my grandmother died, he picked hundreds to decorate the funeral home.  A beautiful, sweet memory of mine.

Jamie also used White Stock and Anemones.  I had my heart set on Peonies, but they are out of season in September.

martina liana wedding dressgroom white tuxbokehtitleist shoes

Brendan is sponsored by Titleist & FootJoy, and  he had these shoes custom-designed without spikes for our wedding day.  Thanks Titleist and FootJoy!!

megan gielowhappy bride + groombride groom kissso happy

Next week I’ll be posting about all the DIY goodness from our reception decor + reception pictures (of course!)

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  1. Katie says:

    Megan, Your pictures are gorgeous and the look of pure joy of the two of you was beautifully captured :) So happy for you two as you live life together as husband and wife!! I know God is going to use you two for great things!

  2. Kelly says:

    Wow! Your wedding pictures are absolutely gorgeous! Love the light, the happiness, the beautiful details and the pine forest… just beautiful.

  3. […] are incredibly special, energetic, and fun to be around.  You might recognize Dave and Misty from our wedding ceremony. Or, from these photos a couple years ago. :)  We braved the cold Michigan weather at […]