Jen & Jacob’s Beautiful Fall Wedding in Omaha
Fall wedding season is upon us, and naturally, I’ve found myself reminiscing about some of my favorite fall weddings from years past. With the endless gloomy and rainy weather Omaha has been serving up lately, I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever see a golden hour again.
So today, we’re taking a little walk down memory lane to one of last fall’s weddings that might have been one of the most perfect fall days. The temperature was just right, the sun made an appearance at all the right moments, and there was still just enough warmth in the air to make the whole day feel extra magical.
Jen and Jacob’s fall wedding day started quietly at Church of the Holy Spirit in Bellevue, Nebraska, where they got ready separately with their wedding parties. The couple opted for a traditional aisle first look, meaning they didn’t see each other until the ceremony later that afternoon.
We photographed the bridesmaids and groomsmen separately, but not before Jen had a special first look with her dad. I love a first look between couples, but I REALLY adore a father-daughter first look. I can’t help but tear up every single time those dads shed their first tears. There’s just something about that moment that gets me every time.
A Traditional Church Ceremony in Bellevue
Jen and Jacob had an intimate wedding ceremony at the church, and I had a pretty unique experience while photographing it.
The pastor personally invited me up to the altar to photograph the couple lighting their unity candle. He even allowed me to step in front of the couple and photograph from the choir area — a spot that photographers typically aren’t allowed to shoot from during the ceremony.
I was honestly so confused when he asked where the photographer was during the ceremony. Then I realized he was inviting me up to get some pretty awesome angles that are usually nearly impossible to capture!
As an Omaha wedding photographer, I’m always looking for those little opportunities to tell the full story of a wedding day, so I was both shocked and incredibly grateful for the chance to capture those moments from a different perspective.
From Bellevue to Falconwood Park
After the ceremony, we headed to Falconwood Park for the reception festivities!
During cocktail hour, we finished up the combined wedding party portraits, couples portraits, and any remaining family photos we hadn’t been able to capture at the church. Then, later during the reception, we snuck outside again for another round of couples portraits during golden hour.
And this is exactly why I always try to build a second round of portraits into a wedding timeline.
Not only does it give us the opportunity to capture your wedding portraits in completely different lighting and locations, but it can also be one of the only chances you get to step away from the party and have a moment together.
Seriously — schedule the alone time.
Your wedding day goes by ridiculously fast. Between greeting guests, taking photos, eating, dancing, and doing approximately 47 things that everyone suddenly needs you for, it can be surprisingly difficult to actually be alone with your new spouse.
Even 10–15 minutes can make a huge difference.
And bonus: you get more photos. It’s a win-win.
A Packed Dance Floor
By the time we made our way back inside, the dance floor was HOT.
I’m pretty sure nearly everyone was out there shaking it — parents included — and honestly, those are some of my favorite moments to photograph.
I LOVE an open dance floor and all the chaos, movement, and ridiculousness that comes with it. Capturing the energy of the party is one of my favorite challenges at every wedding. There’s something so fun about freezing those split-second moments when everyone is completely in the moment and having the time of their lives.
That’s the stuff I want to remember.
So, without further ado, here are some of my favorite photos from Jen and Jacob’s beautiful fall wedding day in Omaha and Bellevue, Nebraska.
Venors
Main Photographer: me
Second Photographer: @elizabethjacksonphotography
Venue & DJ: @falconwoodpark
Hair: @hair_by_brooke_brandt
Dress: @nebraskabridal.wahoo
Tux: @menswearhouse
Cake: @flourishbakerycompany
Florals: HyVee
