Weddings | Lane Baldwin Photography

Katie & Kyle | Cleveland Wedding03.06.13

Throughout the ceremony, Kyle snuck glances at Katie. Like, I’m about to marry this girl! I can’t believe it. They both said they knew fairly early on that they would be together but the awe in Kyle’s face was still so evident.

The respect these two have for each other is obvious. They’re the kind of couple that are always building each other up, and Kyle loves to pull out all the stops and surprise Katie. Take his proposal, for example. Katie’s family in New Jersey hosts an annual Labor Day party that they both planned on attending. When Kyle told her he couldn’t go, I’m sure she was disappointed but … you probably know where this is heading.

Kyle secretly flew to New Jersey, stayed with one of her friends, bought Katie flowers and had her friend deliver them. They were, in theory, apology roses for missing the party. Lo and behold, Kyle was there, hiding in the wood waiting for the right moment to pop out and surprise Katie.

Family is hugely important for these two, and I love that Kyle incorporated that into his proposal. Family and friends (like, 400 of them!) from all across the country traveled to Cleveland to be with these two on one of the most important days in their lives. From the moment Emily and I arrived to the bridal suite, we could tell how much Katie and Kyle are loved.

Thank you two for trusting me with your photos, even when you were a tad cold. I’ve loved getting to know you, and I can’t wait to keep up on all you have ahead of you. You are fabulous!

While I was with the girls, Emily hung out with the guys …

Katie’s sister gave Katie this book they used to read when they were little. How perfect is it for this day (the subtitle on the book says “A photograph album of my big sister’s wedding”)??

Katie, you are radiant!

On the way to the church, the sun broke through the clouds and we enjoyed a LOT of sun!

I love that glance between Katie and her dad that Emily caught from behind.

There’s one of those glances I mentioned …

Fun wedding party! And they braved the cold to get some awesome portraits!

Haha, those photos up there make me laugh.

You guys are so easy to work with! Love all these portraits!

One of the coolest things about the wedding was the traditions they pulled in throughout, including having 1,000 origami cranes displayed on the place card table and being lei’d by Katie’s grandpa.

SO MUCH dancing! I’ve never seen a dance floor that crowded!

To see more from Katie and Kyle’s classic wedding, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:

Ceremony: St. Patrick’s Church
Reception: Marriott Downtown at Key Center
Florist: Highland Heights Floral
Makeup: Lindsay London
Hair: Wedding Hair of Ohio
Cake: Wild Flour Bakery
DJ: Selective Sound Entertainment
Bride’s Dress: Casablanca
Bride’s Shoes: David’s Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: David’s Bridal
Tuxes: Men’s Warehouse
Transportation: Lolly the Trolley
Honeymoon: Kaua’i, Hawaii! (Only the best honeymoon spot ever! )

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Katie & Kyle | Wedding Sneak Peek02.26.13

Our 2013 wedding season has officially begun! I’m so glad I got to start it with Katie and Kyle’s beautifully classic downtown wedding this past weekend. It is obvious to see how much they love each other and how much they are loved. So many of their family and friends traveled from out of town to celebrate with these two, and every one of them was friendly and welcoming. Here’s just a little peak at their day. A full blog post will be live next week!

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The Best of 2012: Weddings01.15.13

The 2012 wedding season blew away my wildest expectations. Period. I should have known that the people in Northeast Ohio (my old stomping ground!) would be awesome, but I was feeling very unsure of this whole solo photography thing so I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Haha! It’s ridiculous but that’s how I’m wired.

The 12 weddings that I booked myself after October of 2011 were phenomenal, and I’m so blessed to now know these fabulous people. I got to shoot two weddings as a second shooter with my friend and mentor, Amanda Donaho Photography. Working with her is not work at all! And lastly, I got to be a part of one of my best friend’s U.S. wedding reception. Talk about an honor.

Without further ado, let me show you some of my favorite wedding images from 2012 and re-introduce you to these beautiful people!

Dee Dee and Dave’s intimate, downtown Cleveland wedding:

Corey and Brian’s 1920′s-inspired, Cincinnati wedding (with Amanda!):

Elizabeth and Kevin’s beautiful, backyard wedding:

Nicole and Chris’ classy, barn wedding:

Lindsey and Alex’s heartfelt U.S. reception:

Ashley and Justin’s fun, downtown Cleveland wedding:

Kelly and Josh’s Willoughby wedding (with Amanda!):

Colleen and Mike’s orange-and-gray, driving-range wedding:

Melissa and Greg’s sweet, Chagrin Falls wedding:

Ashley and Dan’s green-and-white, damask wedding:

Melissa and Michael’s fairy tale, Serbian wedding:

Sarah and Jon’s outdoor, Club at Hillbrook wedding:

Kelly and Steve’s orange-and-blue, fall wedding:

Valerie and Alex’s rustic, Brookside Farms wedding:

Colleen and Joe’s downtown Cleveland Renaissance wedding:

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Colleen & Joe | Cleveland Wedding01.10.13

She knew after their third date that she wanted to marry him. Her friends thought she was crazy, but sometimes crazy isn’t really that crazy.

“Joe is the most genuine person I know,” Colleen said. “He cares so much about his friends and family, and he anticipates my needs and goes above and beyond to make sure that I’m comfortable and happy.”

For Joe, it was a couple of pennies that tipped him off.

“She came with me to look at apartments in Lakewood and for some reason there were pennies all over the ground,” he said. “I joked that I was going to pick them all up for good luck, but every single one was tails. As we waited for the owner, I looked over and she was flipping them all over. I asked what she was doing and she said, ‘Giving a little good luck to the next person that walks by.’ It was the most genuinely kind thing I’d ever seen.”

Colleen and Joe, it was an honor to spend your big day with you. I honestly learned so much about what a genuine, respectful relationship looks like. Thank you for being an example to us all!

So pretty!

I was loving all the twinkle lights in the Christmas trees!

Before Colleen walked down the aisle, two of the three ring bearers SPRINTED towards Joe. It was hilarious!

Post-ceremony celebrating!

There are so many cool places to shoot at the Renaissance!

AAhhh, the disco balls!

Then Joe sang Colleen a song. It was honestly the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen at a wedding. Colleen, you have a good one!

RadioActive is phenomenal! Check them out!

To see more from Colleen and Joe’s downtown Cleveland wedding, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:

Ceremony: LaPorte United Methodist Church
Reception: Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
Event Planner: Elissa Burnett at Renaissance
Florist: Blooms
Hair and Makeup: Revelations
Bakery: Wild Flour
Band: RadioActive
Bride’s Dress: CasaBlanca
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bill Levkoff
Tuxes: Vera Wang
Shoes: TOMS
Honeymoon: St. Lucia!

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Wedding Albums01.09.13

I am really, really, really excited to share my new wedding albums with you all! It has been quite the process making a decision on my album company (shout out to Madera Books!), figuring out what design software suited my needs best, designing my first couple albums and then getting them printed. I can for sure say that it was all worth it now that I have the beautiful albums in my hands!

These books are truly heirloom quality. I’m now offering a leather option that comes in its own heavy-duty leather box. The material and pages are beautiful and top-of-the-line. My clients will get to choose their album color and type via 20 or so swatches, courtesy of Madera.

I’m also offering a linen option that’s a little more cost effective, but just as pretty! Three of my four 2014 packages include at least one album (the linen option will be used for a guestbook and the leather will serve as the heirloom wedding album).

Check out these beauties!

The pages are flush mounted and super thick!

The guestbook albums are designed with lots of white space so your guests can leave you happy thoughts on your big day.

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Colleen & Joe | Wedding Sneak Peek12.18.12

This was the perfect wedding to end my 2012 season. It was so heartfelt, complete with the groom serenading his new bride with “Hallelujah.” Colleen and Joe, the best to you guys as you begin your life together. More to come after the holidays!

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Valerie & Alex | Wedding11.09.12

They were supposed to be watching the movie, but they talked through the whole thing instead. That’s when you know it’s a good first date. Valerie and Alex went to high school together but didn’t know each other until they were set up by mutual friends. As Alex says, “One date turned into two dates, then three and then the rest is history.”

I loved getting to know these two and their families … something that’s super important to both of them. I don’t think I’ve seen a closer family than Valerie’s. It was so fun to watch them interact and then see Alex right in the middle, already a part of the family. And Alex’s is the same way. They have family get-togethers every week.

“My favorite thing about Alex is that he would do anything in the world to make me happy,” Valerie said. “He always asks me if I want the moon, just like in It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Valerie and Alex’s wedding at Brookside Farms in Louisville was SO great. Everywhere I turned there were more DIY details, creating lovingly by Valerie’s aunt Pam, cousins and other family members. This wedding was truly a team effort … in every sense of the word. And THAT is what I think weddings should be like.

Thank you two, plus all of your family and friends, for making Emily and I feel like part of the group from the minute we arrived. Your bond is inspiring, and I wish you all the best with your Florida adventure!

You are a beautiful bride, Valerie!

The guys got dressed at the church while the girls got ready at Gervasi Vineyard. Let’s just pause a moment here and talk about how beautiful Gervasi is … !

I love how good Valerie is with her younger cousins. They absolutely adore her and loved helping her get ready.

Valerie and Alex’s wedding just barely beat out Hurricane Sandy. We were disappointed it was raining in the morning, but I’m pretty sure we lucked out. Like a lot.

Valerie has a really special relationship with her dad. His give away was so sweet.

1) I was in heaven at Brookside Farms. SO many amazing places to shoot!

2) Valerie and Alex left tons of time for portraits, which made me really happy.

3) THE RAIN STOPPED JUST FOR US!

You two. So photogenic.

Best wedding party EVER! No complaints about the cold and they stuck around for the whole portrait time to help hold things and fix Valerie’s dress and veil.

And then I died and went to heaven …

Aunt Pam is the best!

Instead of shoving cake in each other’s faces, they got the best man and maid of honor. So funny!

Emily and I are slightly addicted to “twinkle lights” as she calls them, so shooting inside this barn was fabulous.

To see more from Valerie and Alex’s rustic, fall wedding, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:

Ceremony: Zion Lutheran Church
Reception: Brookside Farms
Caterer: Old Carolina Barbecue (dinner) and Charlie Brown’s (bar)
Florist: Symes and Sons
Hair and Makeup: Intrigue Salon and Spa
Cupcakes: Caroline’s Cupcakes
DJ: DJ Crew
Paper Goods: DIY
Bride’s Dress: Maggie Sottero
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: David’s Bridal
Tuxes: Men’s Warehouse
Details: DIY
Honeymoon: Riviera Maya, Mexico!

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Kelly & Steve | Wedding11.01.12

The skies were gray, it was spitting rain and the wind was blowing, but in the salon Kelly was super calm. I was secretly a little nervous about the rain because I realllly wanted to use our first choice location for portraits. We made it through shooting the dress and most of the details outside until it started to rain, but miraculously? It didn’t rain for ANY of our entire portrait hour. It all worked out, which is something I need to remind myself of constantly while shooting weddings.

It all worked out, kind of like Kelly and Steve’s relationship … going eight years strong! They’ve been dating since high school and successfully made it through four years of long distance during college.

“I knew after we made it through our long distance relationship that we could make it through anything,” Steve said.

These two are so full of life and genuinely love being around each other. And Kelly wins the award for my most hilarious bride this year. So funny and so bubbly. You guys, thank you for having me as part of your big day! I’m so glad I got to join the party. You all deserve a lifetime of happiness!

The wind was blowing so hard but we got that dress in the tree and the invitations weighed down with sticks.

And this is why it’s awesome to get ready in a light-filled room. You’re gorgeous, Kelly!

Married! And off to the barn! We’re so lucky the rain held off!

If this barn looks familiar, it’s because I used it for Chelsea and Drew’s engagement session. Love it!

Oh you guys. SO amazing. Some of my favorite wedding portraits ever.

Kelly’s grandparents won the anniversary dance. So sweet.

And then this little guys got the dancing started …

Hahahaha. I love that Emily caught this. Someone please tell me the story behind this.

To see more from Kelly and Steve’s wedding, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:

Ceremony: St. Jude Church
Reception and Catering: Ahern Banquet Center
Florist: Off Broadway
Hair and Makeup: Belleza Salon and Spa
Cake: Becker’s Donuts and Bakery
DJ: Selective Sound Entertainment
Paper Goods: Blue Envelope
Limo: All Occasion Limousine
Bride’s Dress: Galina Signature
Bride’s Shoes: Lulu Townsend
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bill Levkoff
Tuxes: Calvin Klein
Honeymoon: Jamaica!

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Valerie & Alex | Wedding Sneak Peek10.29.12

I can’t even begin to tell you how awesome these two + their wedding party were. It was misting and it was cold and no one complained when we spent an hour and a half taking pictures outside. I think I complained more than they did! I absolutely loved working with Valerie and Alex and their family and friends, and I’m hoping to get back to the beautiful Brookside Farms again someday.

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Sarah & Jon | Wedding10.25.12

Sarah and Jon are THE sweetest people ever. They have this quiet relationship that you just know is super strong. Sarah says that her favorite thing about Jon is that he puts her before himself, but just from observing them a few times, I would say that’s mutual.

“We are pretty big homebodies, but it’s because we would much rather be around only each other and have each other to ourselves,” she said. “Most people get sick of each other after spending every possible moment together, but we love it.”

See what I mean?

You guys, thank you for having me as your wedding photographer. It was a huge honor and I’m so thankful I got to witness the beginning of your marriage. The best to you both.

Sarah and Jon had an intimate wedding at The Club at Hillbrook in Chagrin Falls. It’s SUCH a gorgeous venue. I felt like I was at Downton Abbey the whole day.