Riley + Colin

A Sorella Farms Wedding

Ohhhhhh my sweet Riley and Colin were married on July 8th, 2017 and had such a beautiful, beautiful Sorella Farms wedding.

You guys…this is FOR SURE one of the toughest and most tearful blog posts I have made to date. Not sad tears obviously, but tears of pure HAPPINESS for Riley and Colin! Of course, also secretly tears of sadness because my girl Riley is moving to California at the end of the month to start her journey hand-in-hand with Colin as he continues his career in the Marines.

You see guys…I first met these two when Riley contacted me to take their prom photos!!! PROM!!! She was in 9th grade, and he was in 11th grade. I remember thinking about how PRECIOUS (and super shy) they were when I was taking their photos. Of course, one of the FIRST things you notice about both of them are their BLUE eyes! I am not even going to lie to you guys, but from that very first moment I just knew these two were going somewhere. Sure enough, through a couple more proms, Colin joining the Marines, Riley becoming one of my 2017 Senior Reps, getting engaged, graduating, Riley’s GORGEOUS bridal portraits (you can find those here), their PRECIOUS engagement session we took two days before their wedding (you can find that here), and everything in between…the celebration of them uniting as one began! It’s been quite the honor to not only watch it all happen, but to become such good friend with them both, and ohhh the love I have for them both and their families.

Cheryl and Riley wanted to make sure everything was well planned so that not only their guests and family enjoyed the wedding, but that they also knew everything was taken care of and they could then enjoy the wedding themselves. With that being said, I want to give a HUGE shout out to how beautifully the owners and staff at Sorella Farms worked. My gracious everything ran like clockwork. From the beautiful and fun colored florals by my BFF Amanda Day Rose, to the incredible decor, the beautiful mountain views, and so much more…Riley and Colin are now MARRIED and my heart couldn’t feel more like it is about to explode from the excitement just *thinking* about the fact that these two are now ONE!!!

When and where did you both meet?

I met Colin during my freshman year of high school. He sat down at the lunch table with one of my friends and I thought he was so cute but I was too nervous to say anything at all to him.

When did you know he was the one and vice versa?

Riley: I knew Colin was the one from the very beginning. I met him and then about a week later we were hanging out. Everything just felt right when I was with him. Then it was time for him to go to boot camp which meant no communication besides letters for several weeks and I knew that would be the true test, but through it all our love only grew stronger with each letter and each FaceTime. I knew if we could make it through being apart for so long and keep thriving in the relationship that he was truly the one.

Colin: I knew Riley was the one from the moment I laid eyes on her. The way I saw my future when I looked into her eyes. The first hug. The first conversation. The first kiss. Everything about her just made it so clear that she was the woman I was going to marry.

What’s the one thing you both love each other the most for?

Riley: I love that Colin gives his all no matter what it be he lets nothing hold him back. He works harder than any man I’ve seen. Ever since the beginning he’s shown me how dedicated he is. Whether it be with work or our relationship he’s given 110%. He always makes me feel so loved and important. Colin is really the sweetest man I’ve ever met. I love his love the most. He always makes sure I’m taken care of even thousands of miles away.

Colin: What do I love most about Riley? Where can I even begin? How do you pick one thing you love the most about the love of your life? I love everything about her from her eyes to her smile to her hugs to her faithfulness and strength. The thing I probably love the most is how supportive she is and how she never gave up on our relationship even if we were thousands of miles apart. I know how hard being so far apart is on her and every day she keeps a smile on her face and never forgets to tell me how much she loves me. I’m truly lucky to be marrying this woman.

How did he propose?

We were at a small get together for Christmas. He knew I’d want all of my family and friends there with me during such a special moment. He lit some candles and put them in a heart. He had my mom blind fold me, and when I opened my eyes I saw him down on one knee with everyone I love around.