• As I said in their engagement session post, Jessie & Shelva met each other at a Super Bowl party when they were both wearing Hawaiian shirts in the dead of winter for no reason.  I love that!

• Their venue, the Culinary Vegetable Institute, is SUCH a hidden gem!!  I highly recommend that couples check it out because it’s beyond amazing.  The ceremony garden is gorgeous, the vistas are breathtaking and the food is mouthwatering.  If you are looking for a great place to get married and have everything in one location I HIGHLY recommend looking here, even if it is a bit further than you would want to go.  It could easily turn into a mini destination for you and with Cedar Point and the Lake Erie Islands so close by your friends and family can turn it into a mini vacation!

• To top off the amazingness of the venue, they also had celebrity chef Lee Anne Wong from Top Chef as their Chef!

• Needless to say, the food was delicious.

• So was the desert.  They  had cupcakes with a berry compote sauce (HEAVEN!), a bacon chocolate cake and ICE CREAM LOLLIPOPS!  They were seriously amazing and I hope this becomes a trend because they were beyond delicious and too fun!

• I knew I adored Jessie and Shelva from when I first met them at their engagement session but when I heard Kate Winslet’s Aria from Heavenly Creatures being played for the processional I knew that we were kindred spirits.  I ADORE Kate Winslet and I did a mental happy dance (for shooting and happy dances do not mix).  YAY!

• Special thank you to Michelle for coming out to second shoot for me.

Vendors

Chef:  Lee Anne Wong
Florist:  Tina B Florals
Venue/Catering: Culinary Vegetable Institute

Just a hint of the awesome gardens at CVI!

Jessie got ready in the suite in the lodge.

 

They opted to do a first look which was perfect and everyone teared up – including me!

 

We did a super quick session before the ceremony in the fields of sunflowers on the property.

 

Favorite!

 

The ceremony location could not have been any more perfect!

 

Shelva’s parents escorted her down the aisle first.

 

Jessie soon followed with her parents, I loved them having both parents escort them!

 

See what I mean?  GORGEOUS venue!

 

They incorporated a Quaker tradition where family members and friends stood during the ceremony to give their well wishes and blessings to the new couple.  I adored this and I was tearing up too.  SO emotional but full of love!

 

There wasn’t a dry eye in the garden!

 

This may be my favorite ceremony shot ever… LOVE.

 

 

They had lavender tossed at them as they made their way back down the aisle, another favorite of mine!

 

 

I thought this little darling was going to end up in the fountain at some point but she managed to just splash herself enough to cool off!

 

There was a corn field and as an avid lover of Children of the Corn (it was my favorite movie when I was 5, not kidding!) I BEGGED them to go play with me in the field.

 

A quick dip shot and we were off to the reception!

 

One of their requirements was that there were images of the chefs cooking and that we eat!  YAY!  I love when I’m encouraged to eat!!  Michelle got this great image of their menu (which included MAD LIBS!!! AWESOME!) while they were cooking in the background.

 

Just a sampling of the amazing food that was offered.

 

Lee Anne putting out some of the entrees that were offered while the venue owner Farmer Lee Jones gets a picture of the food.  Such a great group of people!

 

A heartfelt father and daughter dance.

 

A mother and daughters dance!

 

Ending with a ring shot… another favorite of the day!