Marianna & Jonathan are amazing people who are madly in love and you can tell that almost immediately upon meeting them. Their winter wedding at the Georgia Freight Depot is one of the most deeply meaningful and beautiful days I’ve ever witnessed, and they and their friends were completely warm and open and one hell of a blast to work with.
Marianna’s bridal inspiration was somewhere in the realm of “Titanic passenger” or Edwardian gentlewoman, which suited her to a “t,” since she’s one of those people who looks like she just stepped out of an antique photograph! Jonathan made the perfect match since he is the kind of person who was born to wear a suit; it just makes SENSE on him! They were an incredibly stately pair and, as always, a delight to photograph.
And the weather, honestly, was perfection. It was drizzling or raining all day yes, BUT it was also overcast - giving us some really delicious soft lighting - and FOGGY, which is always a dream to play with. I love all types of lighting for various reasons, even harsh overhead light is incredibly fun to play in, but soft light has such a specific mood and feeling that worked perfectly for this day.
Don’t be afraid of a little unexpected weather on your wedding day. Not only is rain good luck, but your photographer knows exactly how to best utilize any and every situation. Even if we’re just flying by the seat of our pants - which is most of the time because, let’s be real, weddings are like that - we know how to think quickly and move even more quickly.
Their ceremony was one of my all-time favorites: so filled with deep meaning and love from family and friends, plus the breaking of the glass is always exciting! The lighting for the ceremony was low and candlelit, soft and romantic and fitting perfectly with the rest of the day. The reception was a fantastic dance party with an awesome hora and multiple chair lifts for the bride, groom, and even the parents! Throughout the entire day, it was so obvious how loved these two people are, which always warms my heart and makes my job of capturing awesomeness even easier.
Thank you so much, Marianna & Jonathan, for allowing Gabbie and me be a part of you day!
Most memorable moment from your wedding day?
It’s a big rush of amazing emotions, so it’s hard to pick just one moment. But our ceremony was everything we could have hoped for. Taking a moment to look out at the crowd and see everyone we knew together to celebrate the moment was really incredible. The horah was also very very fun (and an awesome new experience for most of Marianna’s family)!
Funniest moment on your wedding day?
When we were announced by the wrong name was pretty funny. We forgot to confirm that Marianna wasn’t changing her name, so we got a “Mr. and Mrs. [Jonathan’s name]” as we came into the reception. We laughed and rolled with it. What were you most anxious or nervous about regarding your wedding day and how did it turn out?
We were both worried that it wouldn’t be fun for our guests. That couldn’t have been more wrong. We had a blast and think our guests did too.
What advice would you give to other couples planning their wedding day?
Don’t be afraid to make a choice and stand by it. Folks will ask you to make all kinds of choices, and it’s ok to just go for what you think is best and move on. Plan ahead and have help, so that you can just hand over the reins and not stress on the day of. Our vendors (and some very kind family members) were amazing and really handled things on the wedding day. It was great knowing that we could just have fun and let them work their magic without worrying.
If you could do it all over, would you change anything?
I’d approach some things differently - less sweating the small stuff ahead of time - but wouldn’t change a thing about the wedding itself. It was perfect for us. We probably should have eaten more of the delicious food, but we were having too much fun chatting with folks.
Any tips for future couples on how to prepare for their wedding photos?
WORK WITH RAVEN! One of the reasons we wanted to work with Raven, aside from her beautiful work, was that she is both super professional and really fun to be around. We knew we’d be having fun with her and the pictures would show it. Pick someone you really feel comfortable with, since you’ll be spending lots of time with them on a really big day. If you can, do an engagement photo session. It was a great way for us to get to know Raven and get comfortable. Most of all, just be yourself and have fun.
- Florist: Amanda Jewel Floral Design
- Catering: Distinctive Catering and Events
- Cake: MV Kayks Creations
- Doughnuts: Sublime Doughnuts
- Ceremony & Reception Venue: Georgia Freight Depot
- Ceremony Music: Celebration String Quartet
- Reception Band: Mo’ Soul
- Beauty: Angelika Marie
- Planner: Brittany Buttrey (Luxe Studio Events)
- Dress: Kelly’s Closet
- Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie
- Groom’s Suit: Charles Tyrwhitt
- Bridal Accessories: Sew Classy Bridal Designs
- Rings: Solomon Brothers
- Officiant: Malka Packer-Monroe
Raven is an Atlanta Wedding Photographer who captures real people on their totally unique and completely awesome wedding day. She travels throughout Georgia, including Athens, North Georgia, Dahlonega and beyond, documenting love.