Catherine Milliron

This year was simply too good for words — so I put it in a video instead.

Thank you for an absolutely wonderful year.

Brooke and Seth got married at Ariel Foundation Park’s Schnormeier Event Center on the most gorgeous late summer day, and let me tell you, it was magical. Everything about their day was perfect – from the gorgeously coordinated dresses, to their tear-filled prayer together before walking down the aisle, to their spontaneous exit lit by the phone flashlights of their closest friends. Every part of their wedding was true to them: the best man brought a picture of young Seth to show-and-tell during his speech, Brooke made sure all her wedding guests wished her sister happy birthday on her wedding day, and together they danced the night away with their nearest and dearest.

Katie and Nathan’s day started the way all the best wedding days do – with a forecast of RAIN (*insert all the crying faces here*). But never fear, we found creative ways to dodge the scattered rain showers and their day was absolutely one for the books. You’d never even know that it rained, because their joy far outshone any clouds hanging over their wedding celebration.

Emily is one of my dearest friends from college. Not only did we become fast friends at our job in the admissions office of our university during my freshman year, we also share the same home state (the greatest home state, may I add – the great state of TEXAS y’all). So even when we were out of school for the summer, we actually spent a whole summer of college both living in Dallas and it was such a special season. Even though we’ve both graduated, we have still kept in touch, so when I hosted a brunch for Christmas this year, I knew I wanted Emily there.

Phoebe is a vocal music education major, and part of her degree requirement for graduation is that she must perform a senior recital. I remember that life alllllll too well (since that was me literally eighteen months ago), so when she reached out and asked me to take her pictures for her senior recital, I thought I knew exactly what she had in mind. Most senior recital pictures feature someone in a long flow dress standing in the middle of a field of tall grass somewhere, but not Phoebe. She said she wanted something different, unique, and edgy. So we set out to make that vision come to life.

I met Hannah and Mike through another one of my precious 2019 couples, Christina and Josh. When I first met these two, I knew we were going to be fast friends. We spent their engagement session in downtown Columbus in the Short North district, laughing and dodging the crowds of people as they danced and hugged in the middle of the bustling city. They were so sweet and loving towards each other, and they were willing to adventure and try new things – they even stood in the middle of moving traffic so I could snap a long exposure shot, freezing them in time.

I’ve known Kayleigh for what honestly seems like forever. I met Kayleigh when she was probably 8 years old, and gosh, she’s honestly become family to me. I always call her my sister, and her family is my “second family.” Her family were the first ones to let me take their portraits back when I firstttt got my camera in high school (bless their hearts – they were SO kind to me and loved their pictures even though I made them all wear purple and stand barefoot in a park…what on earth was I thinking haha??).

Once upon a time, one of my dearest friends in the whole world asked me to be in her wedding. Saying yes to being a bridesmaid in Megan and Jay’s Michigan winter wedding was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made. Then, Megan asked me another question – if I would also do double duty as her wedding photographer. My initial gut reaction was to excitedly say yes, but then my logistical side started panicking. Was it even remotely possible to be a photographer AND a bridesmaid??