Oh, this wedding just makes my heart swell! Sweethearts Nicole & Cody were married in the cutest little white chapel wedding with some lovely floral details and a whole lot of love—and Kenzie Packrall was there to capture it in all its teeming magnificence!
From Kenzie Packrall Photography:
“Some wedding days you go into just knowing they are going to be special, and Nicole and Cody’s was one of those times. They chose the sweetest white chapel to share their vows and put such thought into their day from the details to the communion they shared during the ceremony. Anyone who was at their wedding could tell how much they valued their friends and family as a part of their day. The support they had from everyone was one of those things you love witnessing as a photographer.
As their day unfolded, I loved being able to capture all the little moments that made it unique. By far my personal favorite was when we were able to sneak away to do their portraits. These portraits are the perfect reflection of their love for each other. One of the first things Nicole told me was that she feels awkward in front of the camera, but when I told Cody to just hold her and talk to her, all the worries melted away. If that isn’t true love I don’t know what is! These two are a picture of how a wedding day is just a small, but beautiful part of a love story. I know these two will live their happily ever after long after their wedding day!”
From Nicole & Cody:
How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another?
Nicole: “Cody and I met during my Freshman year of college at the University of Central Florida. When I came to UCF, I started attending a local church where Cody led a small community group. We started hanging out because we had several mutual friends and it didn’t take long before we were regularly taking Saturday morning trips to Starbucks together to read and hang out with a couple of other friends. Over the next few years of college our friendship grew stronger which caused us to consider the thought of dating each other a couple times, but the timing was just always a little bit off. The funny part is, when we actually did get together I thought it was the worst possible timing of all, of course.”
Cody: “The first impression I had of Nicole was that she always thought my dumb jokes were funny. Out of everyone in a room, she was the only one I remember laughing.”
Nicole: “My first impression of Cody was that he was super smart which intimidated me. Honestly, I still think that he’s super smart I’m just not intimidated by him anymore.”
What part of your wedding day was most important to you?
Nicole: “The most important part of our wedding to both of us was our vows. We each wrote our own and spent time reflecting on our relationship and thinking of the promises we wanted to make to each other for our future together. As we stood up there on the day of our wedding we knew our vows came from places of deep love for one another, times that we had hurt the other that had shaped how we wanted to treat each other in the future, places of vulnerability, and places of hope. We knew the promises we were making up there, were/are lifelong commitments and that even if we didn’t always meet them they would be a consistent reminder of the people we want to be for each other.”
What is the best thing you’ve learned from one another?
Nicole: “We have both learned to always talk to each other when we are frustrated or just having a bad day. We both have a tendency to bottle things up and try to deal with it on our own and oftentimes have to make ourselves work through things together so it doesn’t hurt our relationship. Although opening up can usually feel unnatural or forced at first, we almost always feel closer to one another after talking about our problems. I think this has helped us grow to trust each other more and continues to strengthen our deep care for each other.”
What is your favorite thing about each other?
Nicole: “My favorite thing about Cody is his empathy and willingness to listen. I think these two things often go hand-in-hand. Cody is someone who is always there to listen, no matter what the problem, big or small, and no matter how he is feeling, he will always take the time to sit down and listen. He does this not only for me, but also his friends, and even my friends. I think people underestimate the power of just being heard, truly heard.”
What is the most honest thing you can say about love?
Nicole: “I would say that love requires work. That doesn’t sound like the most glamorous description I guess but somewhere along the way I think we can get the idea that love comes easy and that if it doesn’t meet all your needs it’s not right so it’s time to move on. But I disagree. Throughout our relationship Cody and I have had several wonderful, beautiful, joyful, and exciting moments where we both feel like we are on top of the world and I can honestly say it has been the best experience of my life but it has come sprinkled with hurt, and tears, and a lot of trying to put the other person before yourself which is so difficult but so worth it.”
photographer: Kenzie Packrall Photography / ceremony venue: Palm Harbor White Chapel / reception venue: Countryside Country Club / ceremony planner & stylist: Janice Bieu / reception planner & stylist: Elizabeth Craig / floral designer: Gabro Event Services / dress boutique: CC’s Bridal Boutique / dress designer: Essense of Australia / cake designer: Publix Bakery / hair & makeup: Michele Renee the Studio / men’s formalwear: Men’s Wearhouse / decor: Gabro Event Services / shoes: Badgley Mischka / donuts: Jupiter Donut Company / stationary: Minted / DJ: Grant Hemond and Associates, Inc. / videography: Tyler Flores Films / bridesmaid dresses: Alfred Angelo / film lab: Photovision Prints
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