Olivia and Jonathan's Wedding at Castle Ladyhawke

I had the absolute honor of hosting Olivia as an intern in my 6th Grade ELA class during the Fall of 2021. She was as close to perfect as a student teacher as you could get! Not only that, we were kindred spirits…I said several times that we were the same person, just separated by about 25 years! We both love Disney, we both love reading and writing, we both were students at Winthrop and actively involved in BCM (formerly BSU), and most of all…we share the same strong faith. When she got engaged and asked me to be her wedding photographer, I was thrilled!

I had heard all about Jonathan before I met him, but when I finally met him at Olivia’s senior photo session, it was obvious why God placed these two together. A few months later, we had so much fun photographing their engagement photos in Charlotte…they are just so comfortable and relaxed together, full of fun and laughter!

The weekend of the wedding was nothing short of perfection…it was in June, before the summer heat settled in, and it was in the mountains, so the air was fresh and cool. The entire wedding party + some of the guests stayed at Bear Lake Reserve, and they graciously allowed me to stay with them, so I got to meet several of Olivia and Jonathan’s family members. (And they fed me SO WELL!) I cannot speak more highly of this wonderful group of people—they are the reason why Olivia and Jonathan are such kind and amazing humans!

Because of Olivia’s love for Disney, there were all sorts of hidden (and not-so-hidden) details related to Disney love stories, from the blue color she chose for her bridemaids’ dresses (Cinderella), the Disney love song lyrics on each table at the reception, to the castle venue with the tower (Rapunzel)—which we definitely climbed up to for some sunset photos! There were also several other very personal details, including Olivia’s grandparents’ wedding rings tied into her bouquet and their guest book related to travel, which is a passion of both Olivia and Jonathan.

And then venue…oh, this venue! When I visited Castle Ladyhawke the first time for Olivia’s bridal portrait session, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are so many rooms and nooks and crannies for amazing photos, including a library, 3-room bridal suite, knights’ chambers for the groom, grand staircase, carriage house, garden shed, and a hidden room behind a bookcase just for vendors! We had so much fun creating Olivia’s portraits, and I could not wait to get back up there for the wedding!

The wedding day began with Olivia and her girls relaxing and getting ready in the spacious and elegant bridal suite and the guys playing cards in the Knights’ Chambers. There were several first looks…Olivia with her bridesmaids in the bridal suite, Olivia with Jonathan in the gorgeous stairwell of Castle Ladyhawke, and Olivia with the groomsmen out on the veranda! When it was time for the ceremony, Olivia’s mom escorted her down the aisle to her groom, where they said their I Do's, exchanged their vows, and joined together in a family prayer before the big “Mr. & Mrs!” announcement. The ceremony was a literal Cinderella moment, topped off with a bubble exit!

During “mocktail” hour, there were several Disney-themed drinks available to guests. Prior to dinner, they did a private “reception reveal” so that Olivia and Jonathan could see the setup and details before the carriage house was filled with all their guests. And then the two of them officially entered their reception dinner to the Star Wars theme, under a tunnel of light sabers held by their wedding party. After a delicious meal, Olivia and Jonathan shared their first dance and cut their cake. Then the fun and dancing began on the back porch of Castle Ladyhawke, under twinkle lights and against the backdrop of a beautiful mountain sunset. More excitement was created by one of the hypest wedding DJs I have ever met—Cody Pendarvis, whose wedding I also photographed this December! There were so many special dances and songs unique to the couple and their friends, and guests enjoyed an ice cream bar with a variety of toppings. At the end, Olivia and Jonathan shared a private dance before escaping through an arch of sparklers to begin their honeymoon, which was actually just around the corner and up the stairwell in the Castle Ladyhawke bridal suite! They left early the next morning to head off to—you guessed it—a Disney Caribbean Cruise.

Olivia and Jonathan, I am so grateful you gave me the opportunity to photograph your wedding! As a photographer, it was definitely “one for the books.” And as a friend and coworker, it was an absolute honor to be there celebrating with you!

Be sure to scroll down to take a look at this absolutely beautiful love story…

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Castle Ladyhawke

Coordinator: Lindsi of Pinnacle Events

Lead Photographer: Kimberly Cauble Photography

2nd Shooter: Blakely Fowler of Blakely Clayton Photography

Ceremony Officiant: Derek Kiser

Florist: The Blossom Jar Shop

Catering: Castle Ladyhawke

Cake: Cotton Leigh Bakery

DJ: Cody Pendarvis

Wedding Dress: Poffie Girls

Rings: Brilliant Earth