When the bride and her father take their first steps from the back of the aisle, full of anticipation, butterflies, and happy tears, I'm right behind them incognito, perfectly fluffing her train and placing that delicate veil, trying to remain out of sight of the photographer's lens.

Before I quietly take three steps back to sneak away or shut the church doors, I tap her gently on the shoulder and whisper "go ahead, Sweetheart," but I use it as my opportunity to take a peek at my most favorite ceremony moment–the groom's face when he sees her for the first time.

For years, when anyone asked, I proudly stated that was my most favorite moment of the wedding day. And it still ranks high up there, for sure. It's the most pure, precious, vulnerable display of love before the ultimate commitment. As a wedding planner, I have always felt I held a backstage pass, a key, the secret password for access to observe the most incredible wedding day moments. The inside look into someone's life, love, and legacy.

When I design a wedding, investing hours, days, months of creativity and passion into every thoughtful detail, I anxiously await the photos for weeks following to see the tangible proof on glorious display. I admire the flatlays and installations, the getting-ready photos and the first look shots, the golden hour portraits and the dolled-up reception room aglow awaiting its guests. But what I have found myself looking for, what gives me all the feels, is this one particular reception photo. And it all started with my own wedding, five years into my career as an event planner.

Jeremy Harwell, a beloved friend and talented photographer, so beautifully captured the day Ken and I said our vows and celebrated our love with family and friends. I pour over our pictures from time to time, but the most raw, real image that I adore is this candid moment from our reception.

While my brothers-in-law spent twenty minutes making us (and everyone else) laugh and cry during their toasts, with their inappropriate jokes expertly intermingled with such sweet sentiment that I always hoped from my future big brothers, my new husband and I squeezed together at the head table, only the tulle of my dress between us, and together listened. We finally had a chance to sit and hold hands and take a breath. We had a minute to take it all in. And, when seemingly nobody was looking, our photographer captured this moment in time.

I, too, get a glimpse of these moments on wedding day, late into the evening, between checking on catering staff and restyling the pens on the guest book table and carefully listening to the words of those that love these two people the very most. And if we're lucky, a snapshot is captured like these. And if the couple one day looks back through their prints and their album, I hope they remember these very moments so fondly.

My Favorite Part of the Reception