Serenity and Tony will be celebrating their 1-year anniversary this weekend, so I thought I would surprise them by sharing a few highlights from their fabulous wedding ceremony that took place last May. (You might remember them from their Longwood Gardens engagement session blog.) Weddings on Memory Lane - located in Hershey, Pennsylvania - was such an incredible backdrop for their celebration. Everything took place here, from getting ready through to the end of the reception, and the venue had the perfect locations for all of it!

I was attending a family wedding in North Carolina this day, but my team of associates took incredible care of Serenity and Tony and documented their day perfectly. (They photographed the wedding on my memory cards, and I edited all of the images to match my style.) I’m so fortunate to have a wonderful team to call on when needed, and couples that trust me to take care of them - in person or from afar.

Without any further hesitation, here is a selection of details (ridiculously stunning details!) and moments (crazy, sweet, emotional moments!) from Serenity and Tony’s Day #1. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the dream team responsible for making all of the magic happen!

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Thank you to the following team who made their wedding day vision come to life!

Venue: Weddings on Memory Lane

Wedding Coordinator: Melanie Haldeman

Florist: Melanie Haldeman

Cake Artist: Jody Mack

DJ: Klock Entertainment - Wil Monestime

Hair Artist: Down Street Salon

Makeup Artist: Prism Beauty and Wellness, Sierra Hoke

Ceremony Dress Boutique: ASOS

Reception Dress Boutique: Lulus

Bride’s Shoes: Keds x Kate Spade Bridal Sneakers

Bridesmaid Dress Boutique: ASOS and Lulus

Tuxedo/Suit Boutique: Joseph A. Bank

Officiant: Kurt Gregory

DIY personal touches: cake stand/plate, triangle ceremony backdrop, aisle flower boxes, reception sweetheart table backdrop

Last spring, Kaitlin and Haruki had an intimate wedding ceremony surrounded by a small group of their family members and friends. (You might remember Ruki’s incredible surprise proposal that took place at the Biltomore Estate!) Like many other couples, due to COVID-19, their bigger celebration had to be postponed to a later date. Well, that celebration is finally happening next week and I thought it would be the perfect time to share some of the highlights from their Day #1 as husband and wife.

Their wedding day was absolutely perfect. Their wedding party consisted of Haruki, Kaitlin, and Haruki’s two children. They are so lucky to have Kait as a bonus mom, and she is incredibly luck to call them hers. They were so overjoyed to officially become a family, as you will see from the selection of photos posted below.

Kait got ready at their home, while Ruki got ready at the Biltmore Forest Country Club. Right before the ceremony began at The Cliffs at Glassy Chapel, Ruki and his son had a first look with his daughter, and Kait shared a first look with her dad. The sun was shining brightly, and the tears were flowing! It really was a beautiful day all around - from the weather, to the emotions, to the absolutely stunning couple. Kait’s cathedral length veil (adorned with cherry blossoms to honor Ruki’s Japanese heritage) glistened beautifully against the bluebird skies and puffy clouds!

Haruki was speechless when his bride walked through the Glassy Chapel doors with her proud, adoring father. And Kait was equally elated to set her eyes upon her groom. Ruki’s mother read an incredibly touching poem from her late husband, and then Ruki and Kait exchanged vows and promises to each other and to their children. Their promises were sealed with a kiss - actually a few kisses!

Ruki, Kait, and I stopped at a few of their favorite spots at the Biltmore Estate for some couple’s portraits. Then, we headed to Posana in downtown Asheville for their reception. They reserved a private room at Posana, and it was decorated so beautifully. The hugs, laughs, and tears - lots of tears - continued at Posana. I’m sure their upcoming celebration at the Biltmore Forest Country Club will also be overflowing with love and fun, and I can’t wait! Congratulations again, Mr. and Mrs. Nakamura! See you soon!