Danielle & Ryan’s Personality-Filled December Wedding at Knotting Hills
Danielle and Ryan are two of the most fun couples I’ve had the chance to work with, and I knew it would be from the time they told me what they envisioned for their engagement photos.
Their engagement shoot was the reason I started learning off camera flash, because I knew I needed to nail the cigar lounge photos. Looking back, I’m actually impressed that I got any good ones, because the extent of my knowledge was how to physically set it up and to place it 45 degrees from my subject, and a combo of low light and tons of cigar smoke don’t really make for the easiest time focusing. You could say I’ve come a looooong way.
Despite my lack of expertise in off camera flash at the time, Danielle and Ryan loved their engagement photos enough to print a bunch of them to make a gallery wall. There is no bigger compliment than clients who love your art so much that they make it part of their home decor!
Fast forward to December 2023–I wake up at the beginning of their wedding week with NO. VOICE. AT. ALL.
All I could muster was some air and whispers. I kind of freaked out, made sure I had a backup plan (shoutout to my friend Haile) and put myself on strict voice rest for the better half of the week… easier said than done when you have two toddlers who love asking questions. I woke up the day before their wedding with a little bit of my voice back, and even though I still wasn’t feeling (or sounding) 100% by their wedding day, they were insistent that they had to have ME there. I don’t regret that decision one bit.
When I got to Knotting Hills, it was raining, and it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.
Still, Danielle was determined to have the wedding outdoors. Nothing a little extra hairspray and mental preparation can’t handle, right? The bridal suite at Knotting Hills is absolutely gorgeous from the arched windows and doors to the antique clock, floor to ceiling mirrors, and chandeliers throughout the space. The wedding was full of details special to Danielle & Ryan, and I found some of those right in the bridal suite. Her beaded clutch and perfume bottle were already set up on this table looking so cute so I had to snap a photo. Danielle’s bouquet was full of white anemones, ranunculus, and roses, and there was plenty of greenery added. And can you believe that Danielle’s dress started out without sleeves? She actually had them custom-made for the dress so she wouldn’t be cold during the ceremony.
The groom never gets the spotlight, but they do when I’m their photographer.
As soon as I walked into the groom’s quarters/arcade to deliver these masterpieces of footwear back to Ryan, I briefly got to meet Danielle’s family capuchin (yes, you read that right–there was a monkey present) who was tagging along for the day.
Ryan’s suit jacket was custom made with skulls on the lining, and not only were his shoes slaying, but he also had a pocket watch which is something I’ve never seen another groom with… but I think I’m ready for them to come back into style. And let’s just stop for a second and have a moment for Ryan’s shoes. They mentioned during their final call with me that they caught his eye and wanted them to make it into the details photos, but I didn’t realize how FREAKING AMAZING they would be until I laid my eyes on them.
We took some… unique groomsmen photos in the game room, part of the groom’s quarters at Knotting Hill. How fun is this place???
Even though it was misting and in the 40’s, we did most of the photos outside.
Fun fact: this is actually my favorite weather, so I had absolutely zero issues shooting in it aside from the hole I found in my right shoe sole. We did their first look and most of their newlywed photos out in the rain and the weather really lent to the intimate, cozy vibe of the day.
Danielle & Ryan really wanted some couple’s photos in the groom’s arcade, so we kicked all the guys out so they had free reign of the space. After setting the vibe with some music, shooting some pool, playing a few rounds of basketball, and finishing up with skee-ball, we headed back outside for a sneak peek of the garden area that had just opened for weddings. I get to photograph a ceremony there in just a few weeks and I’m so excited to fully see the space!
Danielle & Ryan chose the PERFECT wedding party for super fun photos before the ceremony.
As if the groomsmen photos earlier on in the day weren’t enough, it was next level when everyone got together. It was so refreshing to see a wedding party so laid back and actually enjoying themselves. Not only were they a ton of fun, but they were incredibly easy to work with. We were running short on time before the main event, but we got through the wedding party photos in record time and still captured everything we needed to.
Danielle and Ryan’s ceremony is proof that you should go with your gut and do exactly what you want on your wedding day.
It was funny hearing guests so confused about the ceremony being outside, but the couple and Knotting Hills planned ahead by providing umbrellas and blankets to everyone. Their ceremony was short and sweet but full of laughter, personality, and a few tears. The rain made for the most beautiful color palette and really added a layer of emotion to the ceremony.
I was SO excited when Danielle & Ryan decided to actually participate in their cocktail hour.
One of my biggest pet peeves about weddings here in the Midwest is that it’s assumed cocktail hour is only for guests while the wedding party and couple takes photos. But why on Earth would a couple orchestrate a super fun, personalized cocktail hour only to skip out on the entire thing? Cocktail hour is the perfect time to relax with your brand new spouse and catch up with guests in a no-pressure setting. I could seriously go on for DAYS about this topic. This is why I’m always so stoked when my couples decide that they actually want to enjoy their cocktail hour.
Danielle and Ryan are big whiskey and cigar connoisseurs, so instead of having family photos right after the ceremony (we saved that for later), they opted to share some cigars and have a first toast with a special bottle of Blood Oath Pact No. 6 and some custom leather-clad whiskey glasses.
…and the party was just beginning!
Then, we moved into the reception which arguably may have been my favorite part of the day. They had signature drinks named after their dogs, totally killed their choreographed first dance, did some casual photos of each member of the wedding party with the bride and groom, cut it up on the dance floor during open dancing.
We weren’t able to take individual photos of each member of the wedding party with the bride or groom earlier in the day, so we made some time during open dancing. At this point, the bar had been slinging drinks for a couple of hours and the wedding party was making the most out of the black velvet couch in front of the greenery wall and custom neon sign.
We had a few night photoshoots just because we wanted to, and Ryan and his friends ended our coverage with a tongue-in-cheek group dance with his old soccer buddies to Creed’s “Can You Take Me Higher.”
