James (Jay) & Lisa were married in Hocking Hills Ohio at Crocketts Run, and we were so excited when they hired Mulberry & Sage to be their destination wedding photographer. The wedding was more like a vacation for the guests; the fun started Friday with canoeing and hiking in Old Man’s Cave. The resort had multiple cabins on site so it was perfect for family friends to relax and enjoy the weather and scenery, all while being able to walk to the lodge where the venue was. It’s the perfect location for 2 families joining together and celebrating a marriage.

The whole atmosphere was so incredibly laid- back, and it helped that they included lots of friends to help them with their day, from hair and makeup, officiant, music, & even photography (Courtney has known Lisa for at least 10 years now; she was her sister’s roommate in college, and they always joked she was the dark haired version of her sister, because they are so alike in personality. They also dub her their “5th sister.”) The officiant had a funny story, because he is a long time friend and neighbor, and Lisa gave him the choice to stay home and watch all her farm animals while she was away, or get certified to marry them. It was his first wedding. His wife played the guitar and sang beautifully for the ceremony and their first dance.

Lisa brought all the rustic decorations with her from home,  and needed 4 trucks/SUV’s to get it all to the location. She even brought the whiskey barrels, and hand-stained all the lanterns on the table. Her bridesmaids also helped her assemble all the bouquets the morning of the wedding.

Lisa wore white Birkenstock sandals with her dress, and they came in handy as we hiked through the caves for the bride and groom portraits.

Jay and Lisa had a first look, which she called the ‘wow moment’ that we want to steal for all our clients now. She had no idea, but was delivered a 3 page letter right before seeing Jay, that he wrote, telling her all the reasons he was excited to marry her. The cabin we posed in front of was from the late 1800’s & was the original cabin at the now-resort.

Jay was born a city guy and from the suburbs, but we all knew he was right for Lisa when he didn’t hesitate to jump into the farming lifestyle together with her. They have a wide variety of animals that he shares the workload and responsibility for. He even owns his very own Carhartt now, and we all agree that he is a certified “country boy” from all the experiences Lisa introduced him too.

Lisa’s daddy/daughter dance was super cute because what started as a dance between the two of them quickly turned into a family affair when, one by one, her 2 sisters, brother and mother jumped in to join them. Her dad looked so proud, and it was the sweetest moment.

We hope you love this small glimpse into Lisa and Jay’s big day. If you’re in the market for a destination wedding photographer, we’d love to chat with you!