Claire and Ben were married last month at Gateways Gardens in Greensboro, NC. I can’t wait to share some of their story with you today. Claire and Ben met online. After weeks of getting to know each other virtually, they had their first dinner at Sixth and Vine in Winston Salem. They headed to an improv show after and ended up talking until 3am that night. I’ll save the rest of their awesome love story for their next big day!

Claire and Ben originally planned a big wedding day for June 27th, 2020. As the world drastically changed this year, they altered their plans. They decided to have a reception for their friends and family next January but they still wanted to get married in a small ceremony on their original date. 

Gateways Gardens is one of Ben’s favorite places to visit. They decided it was the perfect place for their wedding. The stage they were married on has a huge book that says “Once Upon a Time.” It was a perfect backdrop for what Claire called her “fairytale wedding.” A small group of their family and friends gathered to celebrate their love.

The morning at the Gardens was sunny and warm. Ben, his son Liam and their dog Zelda arrived along with a few other friends and family. Ben and Liam donned boutonnières that Claire made. At 10am in the morning Claire arrived looking beautiful in a veil her Mom had worn on her wedding day. She was also holding a bouquet that she had created! Claire was immediately greeted by Zelda.

Ben, Liam and Zelda walked down the aisle and Zelda was handed off to a family member. As Claire and her father walked down the aisle you could see the love in Ben’s eyes! You could also hear how badly Zelda wanted to be with them. So Ben brought Zelda onstage and she happily stood with her whole family as her parents were married.

After the ceremony, everyone gathered for a few pictures and congratulations. Claire, Ben and I then wandered the Gardens and I got to see firsthand what an amazing couple they are. I had so much fun getting to know them better and admiring how well they fit together. Looking back through all of their pictures, I got to experience again how wonderful this day was. This wasn’t the wedding that they planned but it was perfect for them. 

When I said goodbye they stayed together alone in the Gardens. I love that they got to spend so much time together on their wedding day. Even though it wasn’t “as scheduled” they savored the present and loved the day for what it was! A day of love that I know they will cherish forever. 

Thank you Claire and Ben for trusting me to capture your memories. I can’t wait to finish the rest of these pictures. For now, here are your previews! I wish you the happiest second half of 2020 and I will see you in January!