Joe hated her laugh. Annette thought he was nothing but a jerk. So at the end of their would-be first and last date when she turned her face at just the right moment and cheeked him, Joe viewed it one way: Challenge accepted.
And by the first week of March when they shared their wedding day, his mission was accomplished, and they had the biggest champagne flutes to toast to their unplanned future and newfound family.
Family definitely had a solid focus in this grey and blush-colored celebration, as it was a total family affair. Annette’s daughters Riann and Lexi were two of her enthusiastic bridesmaid (partnered with best friend Danielle, there were quite the awesome trio for Annette). Tre’, Annette’s son, walked her down the aisle to a teary-eyed Joe –only after the son himself had an emotional moment when he first saw his mom in all her bridal beauty (the phrase “You’re the most beautiful bride I have ever seen!” was uttered more than once). Their toast were also filled to the top with real and raw heartfelt feelings; everyone melted in the ballroom of Lakeside in Glenwood at the end of their speeches when Joe’s uncle approached the couple, and welcomed Annette into the family, stressing one of the most important feels: Without family, we are nothing.
As much as it was emotional it was also humorous, which was another way this amazing family showed each other their love and makes the most of each day together. They were incredibly relaxed and comfortable with each other, which made every pose and every picture automatically that much lighter and brighter, as their joy was more evident. They were creative, putting forth their own ideas as we traveled around town for family formals (Joe had a great instinct to incorporate bridges into their shots, which made for some exciting image opportunities). They loved to laugh, giggling and grinning the whole time throughout their wedding day, a trend that will no doubt continue on throughout their marriage.
Florals // Big Lake Florals
Venue // Glenwood Lakeside Ballroom
Entertainment // Mystic Nights
Dresses // David’s Bridal
