Dan + Lauren Part II

See Dan + Lauren’s sneek peek HERE and Part I of their wedding HERE.

The morning started out extremely windy! My car was weaving all over the road on my drive to Continental, OH. Lauren’s dad was watching the hour by hour forecast for when we might get a break… which happened to be just in time for the outside ceremony! I love these next shots. Lauren + Dan decided to do a first look session so we had plenty of time before the ceremony to take these.

A few of my favorites of the ladies!

At one point the gentlemen were forming a wind barrier in this alley while the ladies where having their portraits made.

For those that have been curious… the guys are spelling YMCA. 🙂

How we met:

“We met while attending church camp at Inspiration Hills in junior high. There we became close friends, with Dan’s interests deepening beyond Lauren’s feelings of friendship. Here, Dan prayed for God to one day make Lauren his wife. Over the years, we remained close friends, keeping in touch by being pen pals. We began to lose touch with one another once into high school, but still would cross paths every so often.

In November of 2007, after completely losing touch with one another, we began where we’d left off in our friendship. We began to rebuild our friendship, Dan was shot down yet again, we began to communicate nonstop, became best friends, then Lauren finally accepted to go on a date with Dan in November 2008.”

I really like this shot. The guys were so supportive and fun all day!

I have never seen green roses before… they smelled like roses!

Some fun shots with the wedding party…

When Lauren knew Dan was the one:

Although it took me a little longer to share the same feelings Dan had long experienced, it was pretty evident to me in the beginning of our relationship that this was who I wanted my husband to be.

After getting back in touch, Dan & I became closer than ever before in our friendship. He still had feelings for me, but it wasn’t until about 6-7 months after growing closer & closer in our friendship that I began to slowly share those same feelings. It was in this time that Dan & I became best friends. We talked constantly through texting & hung out every once in a while. I was terrified of a relationship although I desperately desired one. My fear of a broken heart was what forced me to lean on God’s will in this friendship, which was only deepening. I longed for my husband & didn’t want to suffer another relationship with no future. As my feelings began to flourish, I began seeking more & more God’s desire for my heart in this relationship. In this seeking, I began learning more & more of Dan’s heart & passion for the Lord. Because a dating relationship wasn’t an option, we were able to talk easily & get to know one another.

I finally shared my feelings with Dan, but we didn’t begin to date right away. Once knowing we shared interest in one another, we began praying about where God wanted us. Our hearts both continued to only grow in our feelings for the other. As our dating relationship began, & continued for a month, we prayed throughout it for God’s purpose & desire. We longed to be where He wanted us, regardless of how we felt at the moment.

After dating for a month, we finally became an official couple. I instantly began praying that Dan was my husband who I’d been waiting for. So to make a long story short, I knew he was whom I wanted to marry within the first 2 months of our relationship.

As you have seen in Part I of their wedding post, Dan is quite the writer. His gift to Lauren was in his own words of his vows to her if they had written their own in the ceremony. Tears filled the room with not only the idea of the gesture but his “love letter” to Lauren. Wow. What a guy!!!

The ceremony took place at the bride’s parent’s home overlooking their pond. Gorgeous!