On February 3, 2018, I was kickboxing on a Saturday morning and as I was doing double roundhouse kicks to a freestanding bag, my knee bent in when I landed and I saw stars as my mind went black. As soon as the initial screaming pain went away and I started to make my way out of the karate dojo… my mind immediately went to April 14, 2018 where I knew I had to be ready to photograph my first wedding of the year. At the point of when I hurt myself, I did not know I had torn my ACL, but two days later I found out that I had. I got an MRI that same day on Monday and I got scheduled with my surgeon to have a consultation, where he told me they like to wait at least one month to do the surgery. The reason for that is so that I can do four weeks of pre-physical therapy to get ready for the surgery. When he told me that, my heart sank and I knew that would not work for me. I said to my doctor, “What do I need to be able to do before surgery?” and he replied that my knee needs to have full range of motion before he will operate on me. So we set the surgery date for February 22 and I told him that I promise nobody will work harder to get ready for February 22 than I will. On February 20, I went for my pre-surgery consultation with my surgeon and he was very impressed with my progress. I spent at least 2 to 3 hours every day at the gym getting my muscles as strong as I could before surgery. On February 22, my surgery went well and I immediately started physical therapy again the next day.  I basically went every single day except for Sundays for six weeks. My therapist was very impressed with my determination and I told him that all I needed to do was be ready for April 14. Literally every single moment of the last seven weeks was gearing up for this wedding because I knew I had to be on my feet for 12 hours and as I’ve mentioned before in my blogs, there’s no “kind of being present”. You have to be 100% “ON” on the wedding day and I didn’t want my knee to have my mind in another place. The day of the wedding I was seven weeks and two days past surgery and I was pretty freaking proud that my knee held up the whole day without any trouble. I did take a break during dinner to ice it for 30 minutes, which I think helped as well! OK enough backstory- let me tell you about the amazing wedding day! 

So Joel and Lauren found me through Lauren’s brother and sister-in-law’s wedding, Matt and Meredith, I shot last fall at Bear Creek. We did their engagement shoot and I immediately fell love with them. I could tell they were so sweet together and so in love! I also always feel like I have a major emotional connection with the first bride and groom of the year, because the build up is so big to get to that moment and then with this year and everything that went on, I feel like that was multiplied by 100. But the excitement and anticipation didn’t disappoint and the wedding was amazing.

The weather was unseasonably warm, we’ve had rain both before and rain after the wedding with freezing cold temperatures and in the 30s but on their wedding day it was almost 80° with a beautiful spring breeze that felt beautiful. When I got there in the morning, the guys were having a good time in the room down the hall at the Hotel Bethlehem and the girls were in the bridal suite finishing up hair and makeup. Lauren looked gorgeous, as did all the girls, and the color of the dresses were dusty pink, which is my favorite color right now, so they all looked gorgeous. I drove on the limo with the girls, as my second shooter met me at the ceremony. Their puppies surprised everyone by arriving at the ceremony after the service! After church, we headed back to the Hotel Bethlehem to do photos in the colonial district down below the hotel and oh my goodness it was incredible. The light, the people… everything was perfect! 

We took them outside for some fun night shots and let them take a breather. Then they came in and danced the night away! It literally could not have been a more perfect day. At the end of the night, Joel and Lauren came up to us and told us how much it meant for them that we were there. Lauren was in tears as she hugged me and said she could not have gotten through the day without me. That hug and those words combined with the emotion I felt, made every single moment of the last two months worth it! 

As a small business owner, we don’t get sick days. When we do, it affects a lot of people. I knew there was no way I wouldn’t be shooting that wedding, so whatever that meant for me to work as hard as I could to get there, that was what it was. I am so glad and so honored that I was with you guys to capture your day. I hope you’ll always look at these photos and remember how happy that day was for you. 

Joel and Lauren, I hope God will continue to bless your lives and if you decide to have little babies, remember I’m a newborn photographer as well! Xo Lg

Ceremony: Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, Whitehall, PA

Reception: Historic Hotel Bethlehem, Bethlehem, PA

Event Coordinator: Kelsey Lynn at Hotel Bethlehem

Videographer: Konnor Kopp

DJ: Dice Productionz

Flowers: Pondelek’s

Cake: Cozze Cakes

Limo Rental: A&A Limousine

Hair: Bella Hair

Makeup: Makeup by Roxy

Suits: Jos A Bank

Wedding Gown & Bridesmaids Gowns: Jon’s Bridal by Suzanne

Bridal Jewelry: Macy’s

Rentals: Elegance Remembered – chair covers and bows

Wedding Song: “Say You Won’t Let Go” by James Arthur

Lodging: Historic Hotel Bethlehem, Bethlehem, PA