Saturday’s weather was unpredictable in Norfolk, VA, but the beauty and love found at Justin and Sydney’s wedding was not. Justin and Sydney were married in the gorgeous Woman’s Club of Norfolk, a 100-year-old mansion nestled in the heart of Ghent’s historic Hague district.
I met Justin and Sydney from my oldest daughter and her boyfriend who are in a Bible study the newlyweds lead. I knew I loved them before I even met them. How could you not? Justin and Sydney are an amazing couple. They excel at loving people. They are kind, thoughtful, and thankful, and I am honored to be their wedding photographer and friend.
Sydney was gorgeous in her white lace dress and shoes. Her simple pearls added just the right elegant touch, and the veil she wore was the same one her sister wore in her wedding.
Justin wore a black suit while his groomsmen wore grey…perfect, classic, and timeless. Even the 14-month-0ld ring bearer was in his classy grey suit!
The flowers, done by the amazing Ashley of Ashley’s Bridal Flowers, were a stunning combination of orange and purple offset by vibrant greens. They were beautiful!
Justin and Sydney are old-fashioned and didn’t want to see each other on Saturday for the first time until Sydney walked down the aisle with her father. They did have a brief time together, separated by a door, to pray for their day and for their future. I felt like I was on holy ground as I listened to Justin pray that they would be able to make their guests feel loved and appreciated on their wedding day. Even on the day that was supposed to be all about them, Justin and Sydney were thinking of the Lord, their friends and their families.
The ceremony was meaningful, joyful, and celebratory. And the exit music? Why the Star Wars theme, of course.
After the ceremony we took family, wedding party, and romantic pictures while fighting wind with gusts up to 35 mph. Because the wind was so strong, we decided to finish the romantic images in the bridal suite of The Woman’s Club of Norfolk, and boy am I glad we did! Stunning!
A delicious Italian meal catered by Andrea’s La Bella in Ghent followed cocktail hour, and the groom’s sister, Sarah, owner of The Good, Bad, and Paleo, baked all the desserts and the wedding cake, too. They were amazing! Carrot cake balls, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and Italian cookies…not sure which was my favorite!
The groom’s dad imports wines from Spain and chose three special varieties for the occasion of his son’s wedding…a white, a red, and a moscato. Everyone raved about them!
The toasts were what you’d expect when they are for people like Justin and Sydney…they were humorous, filled with great anecdotes, and brimming with meaningful, God-centered encouragement and blessing. Many tears were shed during the toasts. I might have cried, too.
I love father-daughter and mother-son dances. I’m a bit nostalgic, so when I watch those dances, I often imagine what the bride and groom were like as children and I wonder what the parents are thinking about, what memories are they reliving, what are they saying to each other. While weddings mark the beginning of a new season for the bride and groom, they also mark the end of a season for the parents, no matter how old their “children” are. I love seeing the emotion that accompanies these dances. I love seeing parents honored through an old-fashioned tradition. I usually tear up, and I’m glad.
A world-class cake smash, lots of dancing, and a warm send off closed out the perfect evening.
Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Seligman! Many blessings for a happily ever after together!
Melanie Wasko Photography 