Some weddings are big and full of hundreds of people, while others are quiet, intimate, and centered around the people who matter most. Julia and Ryan’s August wedding was exactly that. It was a beautiful backyard celebration with fewer than 15 people, and somehow, it felt like everything they needed was right there.
Julia and Ryan first met in class at the University of Arkansas, and their story eventually led them to this sweet, intimate day surrounded by their closest family and friends. I was lucky enough to photograph their wedding after being referred by their cousin, and from the moment I arrived, it was obvious just how much these two love each other.
A First Look Full of Emotion
Julia and Ryan chose to do a first look before the ceremony, giving them a quiet moment together before the rest of the day began.
There was something especially sweet about watching them see each other for the first time. With such a small guest list, the entire day felt personal and intentional, and their first look was no exception. It was just the two of them, taking in the moment and soaking it all in.
And honestly? They just radiated happiness.
You could see how comfortable they are together... It was the kind of happiness that doesn't need to be posed or directed. The smiles, the little glances, the way they naturally gravitated toward each other... it all made photographing them feel effortless.
A Wedding That Was Truly About Them
With fewer than 15 people in attendance, Julia and Ryan's wedding wasn't about putting on a big production. It was about being together.
Their backyard setting made the day feel relaxed and personal, allowing them to focus on what the wedding was really about: promising forever to each other with the people closest to them there to witness it.
There is something so special about intimate weddings. You notice the little things more. Every person there has a reason for being there. Every hug feels a little more meaningful. Every laugh carries a little further.
And when the couple is this obviously in love, you don't need much else.
The Sweetest Kind of Love
One of my favorite things about photographing weddings is getting to witness the little moments that happen in between the big ones.
The way Ryan looked at Julia. The way Julia smiled when she looked at him. The quiet moments between photos. The laughter. The excitement. The little touches that happen naturally when two people are completely comfortable being themselves together.
Those are the moments I want my couples to remember years from now.
Not just what their wedding looked like, but how it felt.
Julia and Ryan's day felt joyful, genuine, and incredibly full of love. It was intimate without feeling small, relaxed without losing any of the significance of the day, and completely reflective of the two people at the center of it all.
I'm so grateful I got to be there to document it.
Congratulations, Julia & Ryan! 🤍 Thank you for trusting me to capture such an important chapter of your story. I hope these photographs always bring you right back to this day being surrounded by the people you love and beginning your next chapter together.
