What’s a more personal touch to big day than having your backyard wedding at your parent’s house? Julie + Dehan truly had their dream day with close family + friends by their side.

Their Story

“Dehan and I were introduced by my best friend Claire,” Julie told me. “At the time, she was Dehan’s coworker and now also close friend. Our first date was actually just a few short weeks before the pandemic began! Despite the darkness that time brought, 2020 ended up being one of the happiest and most beautiful years for us. It did not take long for us to realize that our relationship was one that would last a lifetime. In April of 2022, we decided we wanted to make our union official! We wanted a small and intimate commitment ceremony in my parent’s backyard (with Claire officiating, of course!). We are thrilled for even more celebration down the road in Turkey, where Dehan was born and raised and where his family lives.”

Backyard Wedding

A quick note about Julie + her family– I’ve known them for years! I went to sleep-away camp in Northern Michigan with both Julie and her sister Emily (with whom I had shared a cabin). It was really great to reconnect with everyone. Again, one of the absolute best perks of this job is getting to document weddings for folks who I already know + love. It made this day so much more special for me as a photographer!

I arrived a little bit before their ceremony to take some portraits of the couple. I swear these two COULD NOT stop being cute + cuddly. It really felt like all I had to do was press the shutter. I could honestly feel my face hurting from the immense amount of smiling I was doing. The wedding was charmingly conducted by their friend Claire as they spoke their vows under the chuppah. Julie told me that the crochet blanket that made up the top of the chuppah goes back many generations (she listed a few “greats” for the lineage). I loved that they incorporated such a special heirloom in their wedding. And like the many family members who had married in the past, Julie + Dehan stepped on the glass, kissed, and were officially married!

Reception

After we finished family photos, I surprised the couple with a *very special* bottle of cheap champagne I’d brought along for some spray photos! We had a lot of fun playing with that as the rest of the family cheered us on. The rest of the evening was spent hugging, having an impromptu dance floor, and eating some Turkish cuisine. We heard some great speeches and listened to a very special blessing from one of Julie’s good friends.

I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect evening. Holy smokes. I’m so grateful that I was able to capture Julie + Dehan’s backyard wedding. A million MAZEL TOV’s to these newlyweds! xx

Florals: Whole Foods / Catering/Rentals: BellaRu / Dress: Luxe Bridal