Tom and Hiromi were married in the elegant Oakeside Mansion in Bloomfield, New Jersey. The wooden floors occasionally creaking under guests’ feet made for a comfortable feel that added an extra touch of intimacy to their wedding. The gardens in the back were the scenes of a beautiful escape. The colorful leaves falling off the trees and crunching on the ground set the scene for their fall DIY wedding.

Our friend, Tom, met the love of his life while on a work trip to Hiromi’s homeland, Japan. Neither of them were fluent in the others’ language but that did not hold them back. It wasn’t even an obstacle! Realizing he had met the woman of his dreams, Tom didn’t take long to ask Hiromi to come back to New Jerey with him. Do you think Hiromi said “yes”? Of course she did!! I wouldn’t be writing this blog if she had said, “no”. Haha! And these two knew exactly what they wanted!

Hiromi took the plunge and moved to the states to begin a new life. She began to intertwine with Tom’s friends and her future family. I have shared many memories with Tom and Hiromi but there is one that will always stand out. While Hiromi was still learning English, she had trouble understanding a story about a train. With a baffled look, she glanced over at Tom and he instantly started choo-choo-ing and acting out the scene of the conversation. Hiromi immediately understood. They truly had a love language of their own! This was the moment some of us realized that they were meant to be together!

Tom and Hiromi are both very hands on creatives and it radiated through their entire wedding. From the hand-made bridal and bridesmaids’ dresses, to the jewelry and hair pieces worn by the bridesmaids, to the center pieces, and even their moon-shaped photo booth! They made and built it all!

This was the day wedding photography changed for me! I saw it through new eyes. I was able to attend and document my friends’ wedding day! I saw and felt their love! This is the day I realized I wanted to do this for the long run. I wanted to capture the love that was felt on the day two individuals meshed to become one. Thank you, Tom and Hiromi, for helping me see the magnitude of wedding photography! Thank you, Vanessa, for giving me the opportunity and for believing in me!