“ …As we were walking on the pier it became quite cold and I mention that my hands were chilly. Ben said that he had something that would warm them up and reached into him pocket and pulled out a little blue box. I was frozen to the ground and immediately started breathing hard, as he got down on one knee the tears started falling. To this day I still don’t remember everything that he said as I was in shock. I just remember crying and saying yes! Melanie”
Hi there – this is Will from Focus Photography. My wife Lucia and I were thrilled to photograph Melanie and Ben’s wedding, and on this page I’ll show you some of our favorite images. But you’ll also get to read the answers to some interview questions I asked Melanie and Ben.
Tell us about the dress and accessories?
“ I feel like every girls has an idea of what their “dream dress” will be. The dress I choose was even better than what I had imagined. I choose a strapless, sweetheart neckline hourglass silhouette dress by Maggie Sottero from Andrea’s Bridal. I cannot say enough about the level of professionalism and compassion that the girls at Andrea’s have for their brides. … For accessories I knew that being a non-traditional bride that I didn’t want a veil. I choose to go with a pink flower in my hair instead to add just a pop of color. —Melanie”
“ Ben is a Landscape Architect who does design and Sales for Coastal Inc and most days is in khaki shorts and a polo. I had never seen him in a suit until our wedding day and was so pleasantly surprised at how dapper he looked. He was the epitome of Tall, Dark and Handsome. —Melanie”
The First Look
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We are so glad that we did the first glance! A few people were skeptical about us seeing each other before the ceremony, but in the end we were so glad that we did! It was really a more intimate and personal moment for us to see each other for the first time with no one else around. We were able to really react and take time the feel the moment. It also allowed us to take all the pictures that we wanted without our guests having to wait. – Melanie and Ben”
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Between our first glance photos, and our family photos, I don’t think there is one aspect of this wedding we will have missed. I am SO glad that we chose to do a first glance! A lot of people were against it because you see each other before the ceremony. In reality, it ended up being a lot more intimate and special for us because we were able to react naturally and not worry about 200 pairs of eyes staring at us. It was one of my favorite moments of the day, and helped me to be more relaxed about the ceremony. —Melanie”
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We could not have been happier to work with Will and Lucia from Focus Photography. Their professionalism and knowledge were so instrumental on that day. They let us feel completely at ease as they not only helped to organize us to get the photos that we wanted, but they also worked closely with our DJ to help keep the entire day organized and running smoothly. Will was hilarious and kept us all laughing, and Lucia was our go to girl for making sure we all looked great and that all poses were flattering. I knew that with the two of them on our side, our photographs would be stunning. —Melanie”
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Andrew Smith was truly the “best man” for the job. He and I have been best friends since we were 5 years old and ended up on the same hockey team. After going to both Prep school and College together we still enjoy playing hockey and golf, while never shying away from occasional ‘Happy Hour’. –Ben”
“ Stephanie Haiss is my little “big” sister. I’m only 5’4″ and she is almost 6′ so we are quite the “Mutt and Jeff” duo. She is not just my sister but also my best friend. Throughout this whole process she was a wedding planner, errand runner, craft maker, and the best trouble shooter, and she did it all with a smile. I really don’t know what I would have done without her. Melanie”
The Ceremony
“ I hadn’t felt nervous throughout the whole wedding process. Never got cold feet, second thoughts, etc. I wasn’t sure how I would feel standing in front of everyone like that, but I tried to convey composure. When Mel took the corner and came down the aisle, I felt my heart jump through my chest and the only thought that went through my head was..”Wow” –Ben”
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Even though I had seen been before the ceremony for our first glance photos, I was still a little nervous and when our eye locked I instantly got butterflies. All that was going through my mind was how much I loved Ben and that there was no doubt he is who I want to spend my life with. —Melanie”
“ We chose Dunegrass Country Club for our ceremony and reception for its beautiful location and large updated ballroom. Ben is a big golfer so he really loved the idea of being married on a golf course. —Melanie”
The Reception
“ Our favorite moment of all the dances had to be the Mother/Son dance. Ben and his mom danced to “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts and all of the girls stood in a line on the edge of the dance floor and linked arms and swayed while singing the song. Linda was already crying because of her dance with Ben, but when she looked over and saw us all singing to them she started crying even harder. It was a priceless moment. —Melanie”