Allison and Jadon’s Hermann Hill wedding was the kind of day that proves a wedding doesn’t have to revolve around an endless list of photographs to be beautifully documented.
With nearly record-breaking heat settling over Missouri, we knew early on that spending extended periods outside for portraits wasn’t going to serve them or their guests well. Instead of forcing the original plan, we adjusted. Some of my favorite photographs from their entire wedding day came from that decision!
A Relaxed Wedding Day at Hermann Hill
One of Allison’s biggest priorities was having time to actually enjoy her wedding day.
She wanted beautiful photographs, of course, but she also wanted space in the timeline to relax, spend quality time with Jadon, laugh with their closest friends and simply experience everything they had spent so much time planning.
So that’s exactly what we prioritized.
Rather than filling every available minute with photos, we intentionally built pockets of downtime into their wedding photography timeline. Allison and Jadon were able to be present with one another and spend time with the people they love most without constantly feeling like they needed to rush off to the next photograph.
That balance is something I care deeply about when photographing weddings. Your wedding photography should document your experience, not become the entire experience.
Editorial Wedding Portraits Inside the Chapel
Because of the extreme Missouri heat, we moved most of Allison and Jadon’s portraits indoors.
Instead of the more traditional outdoor portraits around Hermann Hill, we used the chapel itself as our backdrop.
The light inside was gorgeous. Deep shadows contrasted against bright window light, giving us the opportunity to create photographs that felt intentional, editorial and completely different from what we originally would have created outside.
After Allison and Jadon’s first look, we spent approximately 20 minutes creating portraits of the two of them before moving into bridal party photographs, which took about 30 minutes.
Then they got to go enjoy their wedding.
No hours-long portrait session. No disappearing from their guests for half the day. We created the photographs they wanted while protecting the time they wanted to spend together.
A Hermann Hill Wedding Ceremony
Allison and Jadon’s ceremony lasted about 30 minutes and was followed by one of Hermann Hill’s celebratory traditions: popping champagne with their guests.
It was such a fun transition from ceremony to celebration. After officially becoming husband and wife, they were immediately surrounded by the people who had come to celebrate alongside them, champagne flying and everyone cheering.
Those are the moments I love documenting most: the ones where everyone forgets about the camera for a second and simply experiences what is happening.
A Beautifully Curated Hermann Hill Reception
Their reception was beautifully curated by the team at Hermann Hill.
The coordinators did a fabulous job keeping the evening moving while still allowing it to feel relaxed. Everything flowed naturally from one part of the celebration into the next, giving Allison and Jadon the freedom to enjoy their reception rather than worrying about what was supposed to happen next.
The entire evening felt sweet, fun and genuinely celebratory.
And after a wedding day built around intentional pockets of downtime, meaningful time with their favorite people and a photography timeline designed around their priorities, Allison and Jadon were able to do exactly what they wanted most:
Actually enjoy being married.
Planning a Hermann Hill Wedding in Hermann, Missouri?
Hermann Hill is an incredible setting for couples who want a Missouri wedding surrounded by beautiful scenery while still having elegant indoor spaces available when weather changes the plan.
Allison and Jadon’s wedding is also a perfect example of why I believe wedding photography timelines should be built around the couple rather than the photographs.
Beautiful wedding photography doesn’t require spending your entire wedding day taking pictures.
My approach blends documentary wedding photography with intentional editorial portraiture, giving my couples photographs that feel elevated and artful while leaving room for the laughter, conversations, hugs and quiet moments that make the day theirs.
If you’re planning a Hermann Hill wedding in Hermann, MO or looking for a wedding photographer in St. Louis or throughout Missouri, I’d love to document your day in a way that gives you beautiful photographs without taking you away from the people you invited there to celebrate with.
