The Ellis Wedding Columbus Ohio | Jenna & Joey

There is something extra special about photographing a wedding when I already feel connected to the family. I first met Jenna and Joey at Joey’s sister Erica’s wedding to Tyler, and I was so happy when they reached out to me about photographing their own wedding day. From the beginning, I knew this was going to feel like getting to spend another day with people I already loved.

A Wedding at The Ellis in Columbus

When Jenna and Joey first contacted me, they weren’t even sure what their wedding would look like. They were considering something much more intimate—perhaps a beautiful dinner with a small group of their favorite people. As their plans evolved, though, their celebration grew right along with them, eventually becoming a gorgeous wedding at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio.

And I’m so happy it did. Jenna and Joey deserved every bit of the grand celebration they ended up having.

The Ellis was the perfect backdrop for their day, with its modern black-and-white space transformed into something completely their own. I remembered Joey’s mom, Jill, and her incredible decorating skills from Erica and Tyler’s wedding at their residence, so I already knew what she was capable of. Still, seeing what she did with The Ellis was incredible. She completely put her touch on the room—and even did all of the flowers herself. From the florals to the thoughtful details throughout the space, Jill took an already beautiful room and made it feel personal, intentional, and completely reflective of Jenna and Joey.

Wedding Portraits Around Downtown Columbus

The weather kept us watching the sky throughout the day, with thunderstorms threatening to roll through Columbus. Somehow, though, we kept finding the perfect little pockets of time to sneak outside.

We headed to the Ohio Statehouse for portraits, taking advantage of its classic architecture before the weather could change its mind. I love wedding days that require us to be a little flexible, because sometimes those quick decisions lead to some of my favorite photographs.

But more than any location or backdrop, what stood out to me was Joey.

There is absolutely no hiding how enamored he is with Jenna. Every time he looks at her, his entire face changes. That huge smile showed up over and over again throughout the day, and getting to document a love that is so easy to see is one of my favorite parts of what I do.

A Celebration That Felt Like Family

One of the greatest gifts of this wedding was simply getting to spend more time with both of their families. Having photographed Erica and Tyler’s wedding before this one, there were already familiar faces throughout the day. This time, I got to know even more of the people who surround Jenna and Joey with so much love.

And the nieces and nephews absolutely did my heart good.

By the end of the night, I had a tiny entourage trailing behind me as I photographed the reception. They were checking in on what I was doing, following me around the room, and stopping to give me hugs. Those are the kinds of moments that never make it onto a wedding timeline, but somehow become some of my favorite memories from a day.

Jenna & Joey’s Grand Celebration at The Ellis

I keep thinking about how this wedding began as the possibility of something small and intimate and eventually became this full, joyful celebration at The Ellis. And somehow, it still maintained that intimacy. The room may have been bigger and the guest list longer, but the day remained centered around the people Jenna and Joey love most.

It felt like exactly the celebration they deserved.

Jenna and Joey, I am so grateful that Erica and Tyler’s wedding brought you into my life and that I got to come back and celebrate with this family all over again. Joey, never stop looking at Jenna exactly the way you did on your wedding day. And to the tiny crew who followed me around the reception and gave me hugs—I hope I get to see all of you again someday.

I cannot wait to see what life brings Jenna and Joey next.

Venue: The Ellis Columbus
Photos: The Ohio Statehouse
Planning and florals: Jill Frank
Hair: Cactus Hair Salon
Makeup: Blythe Egbert