Chelsea & Drew | Cleveland Ballroom at Park Lane Wedding

They weren't exactly chummy after their first meeting. Chelsea and Drew worked the same summer job on their break from college, and in Drew's own words: "For some reason I was totally dedicated to my summer job. I am such a perfectionist." That was the problem. Chelsea describes Drew's dedication as "enthusiasm" and it totally overwhelmed her.

"He acted like he knew everything and his way was the best way to do whatever task," she said. "He will tell you he was the manager but really he was a cafe associate just like me."

Something changed, however, because after that first summer of working together, the two stayed in touch when they went back to their respective schools. Chelsea realized that Drew is just super warm and friendly and cares extra about everything he does.

It took a couple more years before they would even start dating, but there was no looking back once they started. Their relationship even survived long distance after Drew graduated from college before Chelsea.

"I love Drew's smile," Chelsea said. "It is irresistible and makes it so hard to get mad at him. I also love his sense of humor. He knows how to make me laugh and can brighten any mood."

Chelsea and Drew are the type of people that feel like your friends 10 minutes after meeting them. They're both so friendly, and I've loved getting to know them this past year! Thank you for always being so awesome, you two. I can't wait to see where life takes you (and what kind of dog you settle on)!

This little flower girl just thought Chelsea was the coolest. I have to agree with her!

Chelsea's dress was so pretty!

I love that Drew escorted his mom down the aisle.

And THIS is the face of an excited groom ...

I have my friend Brittany to thank for that wide-angle shot up there. :)

Love this bridge in the Flats. Such a great backdrop!

Favorite.

Gorgeous, Chelsea!

You too, Drew! ;)

And then it was off to the Cultural Gardens ...

This is another favorite. You nailed it, Drew!

I loved shooting at The Ballroom at Park Lane! Melissa and her team are fabulous!

Popcorn bar!

To see more from Chelsea and Drew's navy and yellow wedding, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:

Ceremony: Bay United Methodist Church Reception: The Ballroom at Park Lane Caterer: Marigold DJ/Lighting: Selective Sound Florist: Urban Orchid Hair and Makeup: Vanity Lab Cake: Wild Flour Bakery Bride's Dress: Wtoo Bride's Shoes: Etienne Aigner Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal Tuxes: Men's Wearhouse Limo: A-1 Mr. Limo Invitations: LookLoveSend Program Fans: Magnet Street Honeymoon: Western Caribbean Cruise!

Chelsea & Drew | Cleveland Ballroom at Park Lane Wedding Sneak Peek

This wedding was one of the most fun I've had all year. Between Chelsea and Drew's demeanors, their families and bridal party, the debut of our photo booth, and their venue (the Ballroom at Park Lane), I would be perfectly happy shooting this wedding all over again next weekend. What do you think, guys? Come back from your cruise and get married again? ;) These two planned their navy-and-yellow, chevron-themed day immaculately. Everything went off without a hitch, and I can't wait to show you all of it in a couple weeks!

Brittany & Ryan | Anthropologie-Inspired Cleveland Wedding

Brittany is one of the kindest people I know. For real. She was one of the first photographers I really got to know in Cleveland, and I was so grateful to her for responding to my message and saying she was up for getting coffee! She is just so, so sweet and after all that I heard about Ryan, I was really excited to meet him! I have to say, he fits Brittany perfectly—very warm and friendly and understanding of two photographers who were ready to take lots of pictures. :)

A few months ago, these two decided they were ready to get married. They planned a small, intimate ceremony along the edge of the Metropark in Bay Village. The Fuller House is one of my favorite spots for a Cleveland wedding (remember Elizabeth and Kevin's?), so even though it was FREEZING outside, I was excited to shoot there again.

I must say, this wedding is proof that you don't need to spend a million dollars and two years planning the perfect celebration. I love that Brittany and Ryan kept it 100% focused on the marriage and what it means for them ... that is really, after all, the most important part of a wedding. And this was one of the most sincere and heartfelt weddings I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

It was truly an honor to be asked to photograph your wedding, you two. Thank you for reminding me that a wedding is not about collecting stuff; it's about the vows and the promise and the bond. You guys are so great. I can't wait to hang out as married couples. :)

Brittany and Ryan had a small family get together at their house before their ceremony. Brittany is definitely an artist. Look at that presentation! :)

You know I loved all the colorful details!

Their dogs are super important to them. Of course we had to get a family portrait!

Then it was over to the Fuller House to get married!

Fun fact: Brittany and Ryan's invitations/announcements were the same as Nathan's and my save the date!

Love that black and white one up there.

So cute! Very Brittany, I think. :)

And then the sun peaked out just for them and we all about fell over. It's been a very gray winter in Cleveland.

To see more from Brittany and Ryan's sweet and simple wedding, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:

FAQ: Getting the Most out of Family Formals

I get a lot of questions about family formals, and rightly so. If I hadn't worked with a wedding photographer before I got married, I wouldn't have even known what "family formal" meant. Basically, family formals are the posed family photos that take place right before or after a wedding ceremony.

For the record, I want to point out that I am not a "pose-y" or traditional photographer. If a bride or groom is looking for these formal photographs throughout their wedding day then I am not the right photographer for them. I reserve a specific time for family formal photos, which have been meticulously planned for that specific time, and otherwise I'm shooting interactive portraits or as a fly on the wall.

That being said, I do think traditional family photos are important. I understand that grandma might not want to hang a candid shot on her wall or that this might be the first time your entire family has been in one place all together since 2004. I know I cherish the family photos we have from our wedding.

So, let's talk about how to make the family formal experience run smoothly and a good time for all:

1. Tell the applicable family members ahead of time that they should stay after the ceremony (or come before the ceremony if you're doing a first look) for photos. When you're coordinating so many people, someone is bound to be missed. Despite best efforts, it never seems to fail that someone on the family formal list leaves for the reception, either forgetting they were supposed to stay or never having been told. Send your family members a quick e-mail a couple weeks out to let them know that you'd love a photo with them before or after the ceremony.

2. Designate a family member to help round people up during photos. I have a planned list of photos that my assistant uses to get people lined up, but it always makes things go faster if a family member who knows most of the people on the list helps get them on deck. We don't necessarily know who Aunt Sally and Uncle Jim are, but a cousin can pull them out of the crowd.

3. Plan for a manageable number of photos. Look, I totally get that this is the one time everyone is together and you want to take advantage of that with lots of photo combinations, HOWEVER, it won't be a pleasant experience for anyone if you have 53 different groupings to get through. :) A couple months before a wedding, I send the bride and groom a list of family formal photo ideas. The list is long. I don't expect them to check every, single one. Ten to 12 different combinations is generally very manageable and can be done in 20 minutes if the groups don't include 50 people each. If a couple wants more photos than that but we don't have the time for it, we'll do a few more photos at the reception. Win-win!

4. Think about the lighting. If you have the option to take family formals outside, DO IT! I would choose natural light, bright photos over the light of a shadowy, dark church any day (notice all the photos in the blog post were taken in natural light). So if you and your family are OK with being a little untraditional, plan to move outside for photo time.