I’m so excited to share these amazing Ashford Estate wedding photos with you today! Ashley and Michael were such a joy to work with and I cannot wait to see where life takes them.
Ashley chose to have her winter wedding be a green velvet theme. The bridesmaids wore stunning long green velvet dresses and carried white floral bouquets with greenery – it was breath taking! Ashley wanted a winter wedding all of her life but not a “Christmas” wedding – I feel the route she went was beautiful and timeless – it was perfect for the look she was going for!
Read below to learn more about this amazing couple and to see photos from their big day!
Mike and I met at a dirt race track in Orange County, New York. It was October 2013, my Dad had gotten himself involved in this dirt race car stuff and me – the city girl – turned my nose up to it at first. He kept asking me to come along and watch just once, so finally I did. And that was the first time I met Mike.. When I saw his face I got butterflies in my stomach. We didn’t talk much.. he offered me his jacket as the night went on and it got a little bit colder outside. The night ended and we went our separate ways. The next night he sent me a message on Facebook and we got to talking from there. It was definitely not a fast moving relationship. But, started going to more races the following summer and we started to build a relationship from there. We both look back on that first day we met in October 2013 and can replay the whole thing from start to finish. It was an important day because it was the first day of the rest of our lives together.
The most important thing to me when planning our entire wedding was the photographer and videographer. Of course, I wanted everything to be perfect and exactly how I was envisioning it all to be, but the photos and video are the everlasting memories of the ONE most important and special day in our lives so far. I knew who I wanted as the videographer for years. I had his name written down in my “wedding inspiration notebook” since someone I know got married in 2012. This was Rob Adams Films. Then it’s finally my turn.. went venue hunting first and found The Ashford Estate (obsessed – want to move in there permanently). So, during the first meeting there, I see Vanessa Joy Photography’s albums on the coffee table and was immediately drawn to the style of photography and the way she makes a bride look. I wanted to be one of her bride’s so badly. When I got home I searched her website and was just about to send in the form on her website to check availability and BOOM… find out she’s married to Rob Adams!! It was a match made in wedding heaven and I know I had the dream team for something that was the most important to me and Mike.
The inspiration behind our wedding theme was full winter and just something different from the norm. I don’t know why, but I always wanted a winter wedding. Ever since I started looking at pictures and Pinterest of course, the photos of a winter wedding spoke to me the most. I knew I wanted winter, but not Christmas. Between my inspiration and my amazing vendors all of my winter wedding dreams came true. The color combination of green, grey, white and black with a hint of rustic flare made for a warm, cozy and gorgeous atmosphere.
My favorite memory from our wedding is our first dance together. The song we chose, From This Moment On by Shania Twain, just really gave both of us all the feelings. Every word felt true to our relationship and actually gets us both very emotional! After everything was all said and done we both said when we danced to that song in front of our entire wedding we felt that we were standing in that room all alone – just us two, listening to the words and holding each other and just the overwhelming feeling of love.
To my children one day – the feelings that I had on my wedding day from beginning to end were nervous, anxious, happy, completely overjoyed, and then love. As I look back on not just the day itself but the whole weekend celebration the overwhelming feeling is just love. Both of our families love and support throughout our relationship and the whole planning process was amazing. Our wedding celebration was the culmination of all of the love. Even the next morning, waking up with everyone still there was just a wonderful feeling. I cannot wait to show my children our photos and video so they can see what a wonderful family they have.
Weaving together moments of intimacy and grandeur to create alluring, romantic, and moving portraits.
Vanessa Joy is a highly sought-after wedding photographer known for her stunning imagery and artistic vision. She is internationally recognized for her exceptional talent and unwavering commitment to her craft. From elegantly composed photographs to a seamless blending of timeless sophistication and modern flair, Vanessa Joy's work has captivated audiences worldwide.
