Lili & Ian are a sweet and gorgeous couple. They met through their shared love of Bulgaria. Lili is from there originally, and Ian is a student of all things musical and Balkan. Ian was teaching a Bulgarian dance class and Lili wanted to know who this American guy was who thought he knew Bulgarian dancing! So, she went to his class and the rest is history.
For their wedding, they chose the Frank Lloyd Wright House in Oberlin, Ohio which is owned by Oberlin College and managed by the Art Museum. It was a small and intimate outdoor wedding and the day was unbelievably beautiful. The day, May the 21st, had special significance to the families as well. It was the holiday of Saints Constantine and Helen.
Lili & Ian incorporated Bulgarian traditional music into the ceremony played on traditional instruments (the Kaval and the Tupan) by two of Ian’s best friends. They also had a ritual fire lighting, to represent the tradition of dancing on embers, a custom from the area of Bulgaria where her grandfather is from. After the bride and groom kissed, the bride’s mother tossed water out in front of the couple in another Bulgarian tradition. Then the married couple was able to walk out along the path of the water into their new married life.
After the ceremony, the couple and their friends and family went inside the Frank Lloyd Wright House for a toast.
I love photographing small weddings. I am able to create portraits of all of the guests and really get to be a part of things. Here are some of my favorite images from the day.
Lili wore a gorgeous Tracey Reece dress with adorable espadrille-style wedges for the outdoor ceremony. She changed into her swank, pink Jimmy Choos for the party.
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