LaDonna & Willard | Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel Wedding

Do you believe in love at first sight? Because LaDonna and Willard certainly make me believe! These beauties had their first date in Central Park. They met and walked around the park together talking for not one, not three….not even six, but OVER TEN HOURS. Will continued to walk even though he was wearing the wrong shoes and had to work policing a parade the next day on his feet. This, my friends, was the start of true love. On. Day. One.

It makes sense that they would be into a pair of good comfortable shoes after their 10-hour hike through the park. Shoes continued to be a theme throughout their relationship; they’re into converse and get a matching pair each year. LaDonna had a beautiful pair of Louboutins set aside for her party, but her REAL wedding shoes were a pair of INCREDIBLE bedazzled high top Converse. Will opted for snazzy tan leather Converse for him and his groomsmen. Comfort & style, people.

If the shoes aren’t enough of a hint at how simultaneously cool and cute these two are, let’s add a truly epic handshake before their kiss. This handshake was some beautiful choreography that seemed to somehow encapsulate their relationship perfectly. Don’t ask me how, it just did. It was oddly inspiring and made me want all of my couples and my boyfriend and I to have cool handshakes. It was perfect.

We had some fun during our portrait adventure through Poughkeepsie. Will’s best man Tom* was our driver and DJ. When we stumbled on a tunnel with some fun street art, we pulled off to the side and got some honks. These were quickly drowned out by Tom blasting “Kiss Me” from the car. It was at once hilarious and an absolutely perfect movie moment.

LaDonna and Will are so at ease with one another; their relationship is also rooted in beautiful unwavering faith that echoed throughout the day. They fit perfectly together and so do the people that surround them. Some close friends and family members hadn’t met yet; mirroring that first date in the park, they immediately matched.

LaDonna & Will, it was such a pleasure to hang out with you two in Poughkeepsie on your wedding day! Your love for each other is inspiring and adorable and I’m so happy and lucky that I got to capture it all!

Love,

Sydney

*or was it Kevin?

Shoes: custom Converse from Eshays, Louboutin

MUA: Face by Nicole

Dress: Essense of Australia

Flowers: Lucille’s Floral of Fishkill

Cake: The Pastry Garden

Venue: Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel