It’s pretty exciting to have two brides to share with you in two weeks. Melissa also got married last Saturday, but since Wendy and I were in Greenwood photographing Leah and Greg’s wedding and Melissa was down in Florida, getting hitched to Jon, we didn’t get to spend the day with her. Fortunately, she asked us to photograph her for her bridal portrait, so we got a sneak peek at just how beautiful she was going to be on her wedding day.

Melissa told me that she and Jon were getting married in a swamp in Florida. I’m still not sure how literally to take that, but nonetheless we figured it would be a good idea to reflect the outdoors in Melissa’s bridal shoot, so we headed down to Sesquicentennial State Park, where there was still some beautiful fall foliage on the trees.

Of course, we didn’t just stick this bride out in the woodsand make her stand around –we also gave her a chance to sit down…

…and generally be gorgeous while the sun set behind her.

Yup. She’s barefoot. We seem to attract that kind of bride. Thank goodness!

Finally, as the sun went down, we decided to have a little more fun with a bunch of balloons we brought along just for the occasion. They didn’t carry Melissa away cartoon-fashion which was, on the one hand, a bit of a disappointment, but on the other, kept me from having to explain to Jon why his finacée was floating over the city of Columbia in her wedding dress.

Jon and Melissa, we hope marriage is as magnificent for you as it has been for us. You’ve both found someone very special!

To everybody else, check back later in the week for adorable children and next week for Leah and Greg’s teasers!