Michull & Maggie | part one

It's always an insane honor to be asked to photograph someone's wedding.

I've said before how incredibly intimate it becomes when you're allowed into such a special moment in a person's (or a couple's) life and I hope I never take that for granted.

But when it's not only someone you know, but someone you love and someone who is a brother you never had and someone who has been there for you when you've been at your lowest, and celebrated at your highest, and never faltered in making you smile even when you thought you never would again?

Well then.

Let's talk about honor.

There aren't a lot of love stories I've ever seen from the start.

A lot of times you meet a couple once they're already a couple, or you see them together just sparingly enough that their significant other is just an occasional cast member in the story of your friend's life.

But with Mike and Maggie, I can remember so clearly the day I met each one of them, and the moment I found out they were a thing. I remember conversations with Mike leading up to them actually getting together and I remember the night he told me they were engaged. The ups, the downs, the excitements and the struggles.

For almost six years I've been able to call Mike one of my best and dearest friends and at this point I can hardly remember my life without him in it. And to see him marry his other half, his person, his sweet Marge… It's something I will never quite understand the true specialness of.

I mean hell, he's part of my Twitter handle… You know that means true friendship.

So here we go… A peek into the wedding day of Michull and Magathor.

THE AGE OF THE FIRESTINES.

(I'm the only one who thinks that's a thing)

Mike and Maggie actually got married at the Allen County Court House in Fort Wayne, Indiana instead of a big formal ceremony (much to his mother's mild dismay - she was hoping for a full catholic wedding ceremony… Sorry mama). It killed me, for many reasons, to not be able to take any photos inside the courthouse (cameras and cell phones are strictly prohibited, although sneaky me got my phone in but was too chicken to take it out and snap any pictures). Anyway, that means there are no photos of the actual ceremony which kills me because not only was the interior of the courthouse absolutely stunning, but it was truly the most amazing wedding I think I've ever witnessed.

The look on Mike's face when he saw Maggie for the first time?

I've got that one etched in my memory and filed under "priceless".

(right next to it is the moment when, as the judge welcomed everyone to this auspicious event, Mike looks down at the man's feet and says, "Ooo! I have those shoes.")

But after the vows? Oh, honey… That's when the fun began...

"I'll just pose by this glorious foliage!."

Pretty standard. I wasn't hoping for much with this one.

Occasionally though, I caught them off guard and/or bribed them into a sweet pose.

MANY FIRESTINES!

Who can say where they get it from...

Oh, and Maggie's family… Amazing. Perfect match for the Firestine clan.

It was funny on Friday because this was more about her mom not knowing what to do with her hands and worried about making it look like Maggie was pregnant… The next day we laughed because little did we know this was actually entirely true!

(Wee Baby Firestine, comin' atcha!)