A few short weeks ago I photographed my first (and possibly my last) wedding.

When my dear friend casually asked me to photograph her wedding, I was kinda stunned. I immediately said yes, but the weeks and days leading up to the event had me in an internal panic. I’ve never shot a wedding before and I hadn’t really ever intended to. They seemed so stressful and I thought it was so clearly outside my skill set. I researched and rented new lenses for my camera, I created a shot list and a timeline, and I (in painstakingly great detail) walked myself through the day many times. I was nervous, but thrilled at the same time.

Dawn isn’t the kind of bride who had a whole host of preconceived ideas and monumental expectations. She trusted me to do my thing and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. I set out to do a good job, and while there are a ton of things I wish I would have done differently, I know I accomplished my goal. While I have no intention of becoming a wedding photographer, I feel more confident that I can do it. Here are my favorite captures from their big day.

I couldn’t have done it without my wonderful husband. It was such a pleasure to do something I love with him by my side. He kept me calm, encouraged my ideas, helped me pose, and even took some fantastic shots himself.

I learned a few things, including:

• Large zoom lenses are extremely heavy
• Bring a charged backup battery
• Dad jokes can do wonders on a person who refuses to smile
• Large families and dark spaces are stressful to photograph
• Bring snacks for yourself because you probably won’t get a chance to eat
• Use your surroundings and improvise
• Sandals without a sole probably aren’t a good idea
• Don’t let your props out of your sight
• Sparkler photos take practice

Ultimately, I’m pretty proud of myself and I know that both Dawn and Stefano have pictures they’ll be happy to have in their family for generations to come. I’m honored to have been such a big part of their love story.