We traveled down south to Barn on the Ridge in Burlington, Iowa for Ivan and McKaylyn’s wedding day. They were blessed with a perfect fall day for their wedding, and I don’t think we saw a cloud in the sky during the duration of our time together.
We started the day with the girls getting hair and makeup done, while many of them had at least one eye on the Iowa football game. That wouldn’t play out quite the way everyone hoped. The rest of the day, however, was just about ideal … except the photos later in the day with their 5 dogs. That wasn’t quite ideal, as the dogs’ excitement from being in a new outdoor playground caused a flurry of movement AND bowel movements.
After getting ready was wrapped up and we had everyone ready to go, Ivan and McKaylyn donned their wedding attire and were set for their first look. Let’s be honest for a minute. Ivan was a mess on this day. Dude broke down crying at least 5 times. When the crying was directed at her, McKaylyn just laughed at him. 😅 It was clear that this day and his bride meant a ton to the man. I love and respect that. The day was more emotionally charged than most though, because both Ivan and McKaylyn have lost parents, so they honored them in many ways throughout the day with photos, songs and other tributes. Though not physically present, they were definitely a big part of the day.
Beyond the dog photos and poops, we spent some time with the new bride and groom and their wedding party creating some sweet (and very bright) photos.
Ivan was again a mess at the ceremony as McKaylyn walked down the aisle to him, and she again got a kick out of making him cry. All was well with the ceremony until I decided to venture to the other part of the pond for a different perspective. Apparently I got a little too close for the geese’s comfort and they frantically honked and flew away, drawing no small attention to themselves . . . and me unfortunately. My bad! We’ll just say it lightened the mood. 😉
At the end of the night, they were blessed with a ridiculous fireworks display that was probably 15-20 minutes! To be honest, I’m not sure there is a more stressful thing that I have shot, because there are a number of challenges that exist when shooting a couple with fireworks in the background. It’s pitch black. You don’t know what is coming next. You want to slow the shutter down somewhat so the fireworks can look more dramatic, so it’s tough to get photos sharp. Many times the fireworks are launched way up in the sky, so you have to shoot with a really wide angle. And definitely the biggest one—there are no re-dos! Once those thousands of dollars have been spent, they gone! FORTUNATELY, I think we got some really sweet shots, and I will always welcome the opportunity to capture such dramatic moments despite the aforementioned stressors. The payoff is certainly great!
Ivan & McKaylyn, thank you guys so much for having us be a part of your beautiful wedding day! It was a privilege to partner with you guys and behold the most epic fireworks display we’ve seen yet! Congratulations!
Hair – Riots & Rebelle’s Salon
Makeup – Karley Dawson & Mackenzie Cooper
Flowers – Myers Potting Shed
Cake – The Flour Barn
DJ – It’s Electric Entertainment
Dress – A Storybook Ending
Catering – Arty’s (Wilton)
