Chloe and Nate had always dreamed of eloping in Italy. They were planning on 2027—just the two of them, but life, as it often does, shifted.

Chloe’s Nana—the woman who raised her, loved her deeply, and shaped so much of who she is—was diagnosed with cancer and entered hospice care. And suddenly, the idea of waiting didn’t feel right.

So they brought the wedding home.

On a warm Sunday evening, Chloe and Nate stood in the backyard of the home where Chloe grew up in with her Nana.

Before she walked down the aisle, Chloe shared a moment with her Nana. She held her hand. Told her how beautiful she looked. Told her how thankful she was that she could be there—really be there—for this day. The ceremony was quiet and full of meaning. Just two people choosing each other in a space already filled with decades of love.

Italy is still happening though (because, as Chloe said, you’re hot enough, why not get married twice?). But this day, this home, this version of their vows—it was everything.

It reminded me why I do what I do. To witness. To remember. To capture love in all its real, beautiful forms. If this story moved you even a little, I hope it reminds you: there’s no “right” way to get married. There’s only your way. The one that feels like home.

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Planning an intimate wedding? Let’s talk. I’m here for the nontraditional, the emotional, the wildly meaningful.