I had the incredible privilege of capturing Aubrey and Major’s entire love story—from their engagement session to Aubrey’s stunning bridals. And now, the grand finale: their Molto Bella wedding.

They had known of each other through mutual friends and attending the same high school, but it wasn’t until sophomore year at a homecoming after-party that they actually started talking. From that moment on, their story began to unfold, leading to the beautiful day I had the honor of capturing—their wedding day at Molto Bella.

From the moment Aubrey shared the story of their proposal, I knew this was a couple whose love story was as unique as it was heartfelt. Major had carefully crafted the perfect plan, telling her they were headed to their friend’s lake house for a birthday party—a completely believable story since gatherings like this were typical in their circle.

The plan seemed foolproof. He told her they needed to arrive early to help set up, which she naturally assumed meant decorating and prepping inside. Little did she know, this was no ordinary trip to the lake. During the entire 45-minute drive, her nose was buried in a book, completely unaware of the life-changing moment that was just around the corner.

When they arrived at the lake house, the first clue should have been that their friend’s truck wasn’t there. But Major, keeping his cool, casually explained that their friend was running late. He suggested they start moving tables and chairs from the upstairs balcony to the patio. And that’s when things got interesting.

She described throwing the “biggest hissy fit known to mankind”—understandably frustrated about being fully dressed and suddenly tasked with manual labor in the sweltering October heat of Louisiana. As she followed Major up the stairs, still grumbling, it wasn’t until she reached the second-to-last step that everything changed.

There it was: the balcony beautifully decorated, and the realization hit her. But instead of excitement, her initial reaction was disbelief. She froze, thinking Major was pulling some elaborate prank. But as the photographer and Major patiently waited, it became clear this was the real deal.

Her reaction during the proposal was a mix of shock, joy, and overwhelming emotion as she processed what was happening. But Major wasn’t done yet. After taking some photos at the lake, he revealed there was one more surprise. They headed to his mom and stepdad’s house, where she was met with a crowd of friends and family, all gathered to celebrate their engagement.

From that moment on, it was full-on wedding planning mode. She chose Molto Bella as the venue because of its incredible versatility and the unique character it exudes. With something for everyone and an abundance of space, it gave her endless possibilities to bring her wedding vision to life exactly as she imagined!