When Lucas first emailed me last May about capturing his proposal to Pia while on vacation in New York, I couldn’t believe that I would be meeting clients from GERMANY! As excited as I was, I truly was not prepared for how attached I would get to this sweet couple and all the adventures we would have together after our initial meeting. Had someone told me that a little over a year after witnessing Pia and Lucas get engaged, they would be flying me to Düsseldorf to be a part of their wedding, I wouldn’t have believed it. Remember these?!:

My own family being from Germany, I had a natural attachment to the country and so having such wonderful clients waiting to welcome me into their home to meet their family and friends made me feel like the luckiest girl, EVER! I had been to Germany before, but nothing could compare to returning to such a gorgeous country and seeing familiar faces after getting off that plane! This amazing couple not only made sure we were taken care of our entire trip (I brought my DAD with me for fun!!) but they made sure to show us and teach us everything that there was to learn! Everything from German traditions to the history of the city…they taught it all!!

Every moment of this trip was so filled with genuine happiness and celebration; we truly feel like a part of both Lucas and Pia’s families. The time spent with everyone is just invaluable to me and I honestly cannot think of a time when I’ve ever felt so included and so LOVED by so many people!! What wonderful families and what wonderful friends!

With every passing day and new event, this trip became more and more exciting. Pia and Lucas were so sweet in inviting us to their civil ceremony the day before their actual wedding which gave us a pretty look at the outskirts of the city as well as the beautiful German wedding traditions. So incredibly gorgeous! And even the day of the wedding, Lucas invited me to witness a tradition where the day of the wedding, the groom picks up and presents the flower bouquet to his bride (I love that!!)

Lucas and Pia chose a gorgeous greenhouse venue for their ceremony and reception and it’s uniqueness alone made it one of the most beautiful venues I’ve ever worked at. Nestled in-between pretty farms in the German countryside, Lucas and Pia exchanged their vows in a beautiful greenhouse surrounded by blooms and greenery. Just too beautiful for words! Even though we dodged torrential rain, some lightening and some serious thunder, we were still able to takes portraits in between the rows of incredible plants and flowers across the nursery…we even snuck out for sunset portraits by the fields!! Oh my goodness, was this wedding a DREAM! I couldn’t help but stop throughout the day and remind myself that I was REALLY there and really celebrating the wedding of such wonderful people in such a special location.

When my mother’s Oma left Leipzig in 1917, I bet she would never have imagined that one day her great-granddaughter would be returning to her home country to capture so much love and excitement while being immersed in its rich culture and traditions. She would have been SO proud and I can’t help tearing up just thinking about it!!

I regularly get so attached to my clients and form such strong bonds with them, but the friendship that has developed between myself, Pia and Lucas is one of the most special I’ve come across in my career. To have such caring and sincere people to work with makes it so easy to transition into friends…and lifelong ones! I am so eternally grateful for the memories I’ve shared with this amazing couple and for the new friendships and adventures they’ve introduced me to as well. I can’t wait to return to Germany (and soon!) and to create more memories. Congratulations, Lucas and Pia!! xo