May 30, 2025
Dayton, Ohio has become such a special city to me this year so it was very exciting to get back for Nick and Julia’s wedding at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church downtown. This wedding is such a great example of prioritizing what truly matters to you. Julia’s Catholic faith and Nick’s dedication to his family shown through this whole day.
I knew it was going to be a good one when the bridesmaid who helped me into the clubhouse where the ladies were getting ready was one of my past brides. It about makes my whole life when I get to see you guys again and hear your life updates! And then I walked up and realized I knew most of the bridal party, too, so it was a very exciting reunion.
It was cool and rainy that day but the clubhouse was a colorful blur of excitement as we all caught up and then I photographed all the getting ready details. Julia’s flower girl was the absolute sweetest, I love getting to see kiddos get so excited about dressing up and participating in weddings.
Then we went on to the church and took advantage of this absolute gorgeous Catholic church to do bridal party photos inside because of the rain. Nick and Julia exchanged and read some beautiful letters to each other via the maid of honor and saved their first look for the aisle. Julia dedicated a bouquet to Mary ahead of the ceremony.
Then the ceremony started! Since only one of the couple is Catholic, they opted for the slightly shorter Catholic Nuptial ceremony instead of the full Mass and it was so lovely. The icons on the ceiling, the excited vows, the tearful bridal party, the beautiful homily all contributed to a beautiful ceremony.
After family pictures, instead of extended time for couples portraits, Julia and Nick opted to go visit his grandmother who couldn’t make it to the wedding. When I say you should do what you want on your wedding day, THIS is what I mean. Do what matters to you and prioritize the things you love, not just what online wedding timelines say you should do. It was such an honor to be there to capture those family moments and is an opportunity I will always be grateful for.
After that, we headed over to the Buckeye Barn and partied the rest of the night. The rain did not dampen any spirits at this reception, let me tell you.
Julia and Nick, you guys are so fun. Thank you for inviting me back to Dayton. It is the biggest honor to photograph weddings and work with couples that came to me via referral. The best part? I get to see this friend group again in November in Louisville, KY and I can’t wait!
Vendor List:
Venue: Our Lady of the Rosary // The Buckeye Barn
Photo: Madeline Oakley Photography
Hair: Heather Rushing
Makeup: Dani Marshall
Dress: Brides & Beyond
Suits: The Black Tux
Catering: TK’s BBQ
Madeline is a Catholic wedding photographer based out of Nashville, Tennessee serving the beautiful Southeastern United States. She uses a documentary-focused approach to capture the beauty, joy, and holiness that is intrinsic to each and every wedding day.
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