Over Labor Day weekend, I was so privileged to be invited to travel to downtown Cincinnati to photograph Andrea and Misha’s wedding celebration! I’ve known Andrea and Misha for several years now, having met them through mutual friends. Even before they were engaged, I was lucky to call them friends. They are two of the most genuinely kind people you’ll ever meet! Unfortunately with them living in Minnesota, I haven’t had the opportunity to see them as much as I would like. I couldn’t be happier for them when they got engaged during a trip to Europe. So I was beyond thrilled when they asked me to be their wedding photographer. Knowing them, I anticipated a laid-back day full of love and laughter with family and friends. I also expected to brush up on my Russian a bit and eat plenty of challah!
On the way to Cincinnati the morning of their wedding, I encountered some pretty horrible storms. But lucky for us, they were on their way out of Cincinnati – we had a dry day ahead of us! It was a bit overcast for much of the day, but that’s pretty perfect for mid-day portraits. Andrea and Misha opted for a first look and portraits before their wedding events. I staged their first look at Garfield Park, with plenty of trees and framed with arches – reminds me just a bit of the Short North neighborhood in Columbus! From there, we invited the wedding party to join for portraits as we explored the neighborhood, discovering various alleys, brick buildings and interesting murals! I had never shot in downtown Cincinnati before and I just loved exploring a new area. Andrea and Misha budgeted plenty of time for portraits, so we had a variety of backdrops.
After portraits, we arrived at their wedding venue, The Phoenix, where we gathered with family and witnesses, and their rabbi Leigh Ann, for their ketubah signing. Down the hall, they held their ceremony, and followed that with a handful more portraits of just the two of them back at Garfield Park, where setting sun just came out at the perfect time, producing beautiful light! The arches were lit too – I couldn’t resist taking advantage!
Andrea and Misha are a worldy couple – Misha was born in Russia and immigrated with his family in the 1990’s; Andrea and Misha met while abroad in Israel and together have visited countless countries around the world over the course of their relationship. They displayed a slideshow at their reception that gave just a taste of their cultural backgrounds, diverse travels, and the exciting day when Andrea moved to Minnesota from Ohio and ended the long distance! Then their Minnesota friends surprised them with a film portraying their relationship from their perspective. I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed more at a wedding reception! I think that was definitely one for the record books – it was difficult to shoot while laughing so hard!
The night continued with the Hora and some Russian dancing. And more than a few chants of “Gorko!” Mazel Tov to Andrea and Misha!
