Kate + Matt's Simple + Dreamy Sandbridge Virginia Beach Wedding

Kate and I met through a mutual friend a few years ago when I was between studio managers and KINDA panicking about it. She whisked into my life with a calmness and confidence that I really admire, helping me organize my office and get things back on track. After a few weeks, though, she told me that she and her (then) boyfriend were planning a move to Korea. Of course, I was thrilled for her (though I fell slightly back to panicking) and watched their adventures via social media. Then, last summer, she emailed me to say that they were coming back stateside to do a small wedding in early October — and asked if I could shoot it.

I’m going to be very honest here — usually, October is THE MOST HECTIC MONTH for weddings. Everyone’s gotta get a piece of that foliage, you know. But because my birthday is in October and I am a major birthday diva, I try to take one weekend off to celebrate. Kate and Matt were getting married on that weekend that I had set aside for birthday stuff (fun fact: my partner and I have the same birthday so it’s double the fun). I told Kate I would think on it, and after a few days realized that Kate and Matt are TOTALLY “our people": adventurers, laid-back, doing things their own way. So I said YES and I’m so glad I did.

Kate and Matt got married on the beach in Sandbridge, VA (many Virginians will tell you it’s the quieter southern sister to VA Beach and they are very, very right). They had a great group of family and friends with them, and decorated their giant beach house with photos from all their travels. We spent some time after the ceremony walking down the beach and talking about their post-wedding plans, which were basically: drive west until we find a place that suits us. I loved that so much. And we just learned that they did choose a place (for now): Salt Lake City!

Kate and Matt’s wedding was more than a celebration of their love, but it was a cozy resting place where they could spend time with their nearest and dearest before flinging themselves to the wind and exploring the world together. Oh and of course it was a dance party, because duh.