Lauren and John were married September 28th 2019 at the St. Matthew Church in Norwalk Connecticut. The ceremony was very special as John has been a member of this church since he was a child and it was the perfect setting for the couple to exchange vows and start their new chapter as husband and wife. After the ceremony the couple, their families and bridal party hopped on a super fun trolley so we could tour around to some of their favorite locations in the area. We stopped at a lovely park near downtown Rowayton and strolled through the main street for some portraits too! We photograph a lot of weddings on Nantucket but we do love to travel to new places for weddings! Getting to see more of this special area of Connecticut was such a treat and we loved hearing about Lauren and John’s history in this area, the perfect place for them to have their wedding!

“While living in Chicago, John and Lauren bought John’s Grandparents house in Rowayton, CT. John grew up nearby and when he showed Lauren around the neighborhood, she immediately fell in love with the beach town. He says she knew they were going to buy the house long before he did. When they started wedding planning, they always knew they wanted to be married at John’s childhood church, St. Matthew. However, the reception was up for discussion so they walked to Bayley Beach for sunset to talk about it. Lauren immediately wanted to have the reception right there on Bayley but there wasn’t enough space for their large wedding party. Then John suggested Wee Burn Beach Club next door. As they walked along the sand to check it out, Lauren knew it was meant to be. It was perfect and they cannot wait to spend the rest of their lives walking to the beach for sunset and reminiscing about the amazing evening they had starting their Forever Chapter.”

I photographed Lauren and John’s Nantucket Engagement Session at many of their favorite seaside locations on the island including a beach cruise to the iconic Great Point Lighthouse. Simply put Lauren told me a few times leading up to the wedding “We’re beach people!” which I just loved – our kind of people! The venue they were married at was beautiful and as the sun began to set we did a few more portraits before their big entrance into the ballroom to kick off the never ending dance party. I loved Lauren and John’s account of a memorable part of the day…..we always love when couples take a moment to reflect and let the day sink in, enjoying each other’s company.

“While waiting to enter the reception for our first dance, we escaped our Bridal Party and stood on the stone wall along the beach. It felt like ten minutes but it was probably more like two. We looked out at the sparkling water and sunset, the same view we’ve been looking out at for the past two years imagining our wedding day. It was quiet as everyone else was inside and we were able to reflect on becoming Husband and Wife and the incredible party we had ahead of us. We heard a lot from couples that it is hard to find time to be together on the wedding day so we made sure to have a few moments alone. We will never forget that moment on the stone wall before we were whisked in for our first dance and the night flew by.”

In addition to having huge hearts and being two of the most caring and thoughtful people we’ve ever met, Lauren and John are incredible dancers too! Their smiles are huge and they have a charisma and energy that you can see from across the room. Photographing their day, from the early moments with champagne and laughter to the end of the night with cheering and sparkers, was a non-stop celebration of the love these two share! We can’t wait to see this couple again out on Nantucket and are so thankful to have been their photographers!

Special thanks to Cary Tozer for traveling to Connecticut with me to photograph this wedding!

Wedding Ceremony: St. Matthew Church, Wedding Reception: Wee Burn Beach Club, Photographer: Katie Kaizer Photography, Wedding Videographer: Summit 21 Productions, Wedding Band: Perry Rossi Orchestras, Wedding Florals: Braach’s Flowers,  Bride’s Wedding Gown: Allison Webb Bridal from The Plumed Serpent Bridal, Veil: Britten Weddings, Groom Suit: Indochino, Groomsmen Custom Belts: Brewster Belt Co., Bridal Shoes: Jack Rogers, Paper Suite: J.Papers, Rings: Kosta Jewelers, Cake: Alyssa’s Cakery, Beer: Tribus Brewery