Hailey + Chris, Married! | San Diego Wedding Photographer

When I got to the Handlery Hotel in San Diego’s Mission Valley, I walked through the front doors and approached the bellhop.

“Can you tell me how to get to the Executive Room?”, I asked.

“Sure, head all the way down that hallway and take the elevator up one floor.”

I turned around to make my way there, and I saw Chris, the groom,headed my way. I was surprised to see that he was already dressed and ready to go, seeing as there were still about three hours until the ceremony and the bride hadn’t even started getting ready yet. When he saw me he shouted, “Hey!” and ran to give me a hug.

As I released him from the hug I said, “Hey, why are you already dressed? I wanted to take some pictures of you getting ready!”

He laughed and replied, “You’re way too late! I got ready two hours ago. I don’t want to take any chances today; everything has to be perfect!”

He sent me off with another hug, and asked, “Can you give that hug to Hailey?Tell her that I miss her and I can’t wait to marry her!”

I did as I was bid. Hailey laughed and said, “He’s been doing this all day!”

We ordered some room service, found a romantic jazz playlist, and started getting ready. Hailey’s sister, Kendra, sat her down and started doing her makeup. Six years prior, I had done a pinup shoot with Hailey and Kendra, and as I watched them I became emotional thinking about how fast time flies and how much we had all changed since that day.

Hailey’s longtime best friend helped her into her dress. We all drank a glass of champagne for courage, and then I made my way down to the gardens.

Hailey’s mother joined the couple on stage to bind their hands together for the handfasting ceremony, which they chose to do as an homage to their Celtic heritage. Hailey and Chris then exchanged vows, and we all bawled our eyes out (fun fact: turns out it’s pretty difficult trying to photograph a ceremony through tears).

Before the big day, I asked Hailey what part of her wedding she was most looking forward to. “Saying, ‘I do'”, she replied. I watched with great anticipation, stifling my sobs, as Hailey finally said those two little words.

Everyone in the crowd was either laughing, crying, or applauding as they were pronounced man and wife. I’ve been to a lot of weddings, but never have I seen such an animated group of guests. Everyone was beaming as the bride and groom made their way down the aisle, hand in hand.

And so began the reception. We ate, we toasted (both champagne and marshmallows), we cornhole’d (I may have made that word up), and we danced into the long hours of the night.