This wedding is very near and dear to my heart because it is my baby sisters wedding.

Their wedding ceremony took place at Cape May, NJ Lighthouse Beach.

I always wanted a sister named Dolly and I waited through three sisters and then a brother until I got my own live “baby Dolly.”  We have always been close and I have been a second Mom to her all of her life.

She has also followed in my footsteps and trained under for me for many years and I’m so happy to have her as my employee on photoshoots and right hand in the office.  She has grown into an amazing, godly woman who I am so proud of.

Jared & Dolly met a couple of years ago while making pizzas at Hershey Park… Yup!  How ironic!  It grew from a friendship and long conversations about their faith into a deep love for each other.  God has brought two beautiful lives together and it’s amazing to see their love for each other and for their heavenly Father.

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Now, on to their wedding day!

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Since my brother is a pilot and had flown down to the beach for the wedding, they started off their day looking down over Cape May!

You couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day!

Since I have done Dolly’s many hair-doo’s all of her life… guess who got to do her hair and make up for her wedding??!!  Yup, I wear many hats when it comes to my siblings wedding days.

My beautiful Dolly headed to see her Groom who was waiting for her on the beach where the Cape May/Lewis Ferry boat comes in. It was awesome to be her photographer and follow her throughout every part of her day and I will always cherish these memories.

It was evidently the season to fish right off of the shore, so there were fisherman in waders ALL over that beach.

Can his smile get any bigger?!  I submit not!

Then off she went to Cape May Lighthouse Beach to meet her Groom for the ceremony
Her flower girl and ring bearer dropped shells down the isle from a red sand bucket

At this beach they were only allowed to bring in the altar display, no chairs. So they improvised and bought red tablecloths and cut them into strips and hemmed them. These made perfect mattes for everyone to sit on and to create the ‘isle’ type feel. It also wound the red color nicely throughout the ceremony area. Then there was the finishing touch of Grandpa’s hand picked seas shells from many beaches over the years.

Joseph wearing many hats for the day too… literally.  He photographed and recorded the ceremony from the front.  Thanks to lots of family and friends, we had babysitters for our own little munchkins so that they could also enjoy their Aunt’s big day!

My lovely sisters and sister in law were the instrumentalists.  It was breathtaking and romantic to hear those instruments out on the beach!

I don’t think there was a dry eye after Dad prayed for the new couple

And the two become one in Christ!

The Groomsmen were waiting while the ladies had their photos taken, so they ventured a little too close to the water. The Ring Bearer saw his opportunity and ran right out into the crashing waves.  The Groom and Groomsmen got him out right away and headed back to the ladies… This photo needs no words and is priceless!

Then we headed for Sunset Beach just in time for the sun to set

Once the last ray of sun had set, we headed for the Cape May shops. Another one of their favorite places!

The beautiful cathedral was the perfect place to end the evening with one more sweet kiss

Although it was a lot of hard work to have the wedding in another state, the ending results were beautiful, timeless and romantic… just what the Bride & Groom were looking for.