New Year's Eve Wedding at the Illges House | Columbus, Georgia | Mr. + Mrs. Wilson

Congratulations to the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Wilson of Columbus, Ga.! What better way to ring in the New Year as husband and wife than with a New Year’s Eve wedding!!

Although 2020 was a year filled with changes and pivots, Cortney & Craig took it all in stride by turning what was to be a summer wedding into a New Year’s Eve celebration, punctuating the end of 2020 and launching them into their new adventure together.

Let’s talk venue. I always love shooting at the Illges House, in Columbus, Georgia. The beautiful historic home is the perfect setting to host the wedding party accommodations, the ceremony and/or the reception. Classically decorated and full of southern charm, the House offers great opportunities for original photo compositions. For Cortney & Craig, the old-world glamour of the venue was well-suited for such a timeless couple. The wedding guests enjoyed dining on a full-course spread and dancing well into the New Year underneath the magnolias.

And the flowers. Wow! Cortney & Craig chose to enlist the services of Bloomwoods Flowers. Almost all brides choose to have flowers on their wedding day—it’s tradition, right? But not all brides receive such beautiful works of art. Cortney’s bouquet completely stole the show but the table arrangements were close contenders. Really, it was all flawless. The bridesmaids’ bouquets and boutonnieres were on point as well. And nothing keeps flowers fresh like a beautiful photo! Shooting matrimonial floral presentations is just an added bonus to wedding photography. I’m not mad about it.

Speaking of favorite things. Can you say C-A-K-E?!! Let’s just say the the Columbus Corner Bakery did not disappoint. The cake was as beautiful as it was irresistible!

The most unforgettable part of the day had to be when Craig saw his bride for the first time. Cortney chose to wear Craig’s mother’s silk organza wedding gown — she was stunning! As a surprise and a compliment to her future mother-in-law, Cortney had initials and dates monogramed and then sewn into the dress. I don’t know about you, but I was choking back tears, and thinking, “This is why I love shooting weddings.” What a beautiful and thoughtful detail to be cherished for generations to come.

There is something really special about photographing couples like Craig + Cortney… capturing their joy, love for each other and their love for their family and friends is an absolute privilege and one that I will never forget!

Craig + Cortney, thank you so much for choosing me to capture one of the most important days of your lives. I could not be more proud of the images we created and to call you both my dear friends!

Here are some images from the NYE wedding celebration!