Drew & Nikki's Magical Snowy Columbus Wedding at The Westin Great Southern Columbus & Ohio Statehouse on February 8, 2020

Last month, or what feels like last year amid the global pandemic, Donny & I had the pleasure of photographing Drew + Nikki’s magical winter wedding in Columbus, Ohio. This day seems so far in the past in light of what is currently happening all across the world and here at home, but we haven’t lost sight of how amazing this day truly was, nor have we forgotten how special each and every wedding, couple, and family we have the honor of photographing is to us! Donny & I are beyond grateful for our couples like Drew & Nikki and everyone who has been a part of the Jessica Kae Photography family as well as our followers. We are so happy to be able to share highlights from this absolutely unforgettable day with all of you! :)

First off, Drew & Nikki are such a sweet & fun couple! They are best friends, fiercely devoted to one another and family. They are so much fun, intelligent, funny, and simply make a beautiful couple. Donny & I enjoyed working with them so much!! Secondly, their wedding could not have been more perfect! Even the weather cooperated—in February! It was a magical day filled with lots of love, laughs, and memories, and we are so happy to have been able to capture all of the feels and be a part of such a special time in Drew & Nikki’s lives!

The day began with detail photos of Drew & Nikki’s wedding attire, dress, jewelry, shoes, & sentimental items, per usual, followed by getting ready photos. Before their ceremony, Drew & Nikki decided to do a first look to take advantage of the natural sunlight for outdoor photos. This is a great option for couples who don’t necessarily want a traditional wedding or for those who are planning to get married during winter time given that the sun sets much earlier in the day. This really enables all of us to take advantage of pretty natural light for formal photos such as bride & groom and bridal party portraits. We did this first look in the Grand Ballroom at the Westin Great Southern Columbus, the site of their ceremony & reception. This was such a beautiful location for these photos given its classic character and ornate windows and architecture. After capturing some sweet moments before the ceremony, we drove over to Rich Street Bridge for some magical snowy bride & groom photos.

Nikki had been praying all week that we’d get snow for bride & groom photos, and apparently her prayers worked because it literally began lightly snowing (not enough to disrupt our plans or make it dangerous), shortly before we headed outside for portraits! These photos at the bridge, especially, were MAGICAL with the snow!! Donny & I had Nikki & Drew use our clear bubble umbrellas for a couple shots to avoid getting too wet before the ceremony, but the snow was great for the most part! It always photographs so well, and we’re so in love with these photos from the bridge!

After leaving the bridge, we headed over to the Ohio Statehouse for wedding photos with the bridal party. This location is an absolute classic, featuring Greek revival architecture! Nikki & Drew obtained a permit to use the Atrium, Rotunda, & more, so we had it all to ourselves to work some magic, which wasn’t very hard given the beauty of the building and the awesome group we had. The Rotunda was especially gorgeous! We also used the outdoor stairs for bridal party photos, which was beautiful, again, with the snow lightly falling! It wasn’t even that cold, either (by winter standards at least). We really couldn’t have asked for anything better in February!

After taking formal photos, we got ready for the big ceremony in the grand ballroom at the Westin. Drew & Nikki’s ceremony was packed full of emotional & funny moments—like much of the day. They shared their vows, smiles, laughs, and a big kiss before getting the party started!

Drew & Nikki’s reception was sooo much fun! Family & friends gave so many sweet & funny accounts detailing how amazing their favorite couple truly is! There was even a surprise guest appearance from Brutus, THE Ohio State Buckeye’s mascot! Brutus LIT UP the dance floor and sparked a riot, and we have the photos to prove it haha It was awesome and acted as a really a fitting way to wind down what was an amazing day!

There’s so much more we can say about how amazing this day was, but we’ll focus instead on what we do best and illustrate it with captures! Donny & I had so much fun telling this beautifully unique story and we hope you enjoy this blog as much as we do!! :)

Drew + Nikki’s first look was sooo sweet! :)

Here comes Brutus!!! (This was a surprise for Nikki & Drew and they had NO idea this was going to happen!)

Thanks, again, Drew & Nikki for choosing Donny & I to tell your beautiful story and allowing us to be a part of this amaaazing day! We had so much fun with you both as well as your bridal party and family! We wish you all the best as you begin your journey together in marriage! Here’s to a lifetime of happiness!! :)

Special thanks to all of the wonderful vendors who made this day possible:

• Ceremony & Reception Venue: Westin Great Southern Hotel Grand Ballroom

• Wedding Coordinator/Planner's Name + Company: Alissa Belna

• Bridal Gown Designer + Boutique: Hailey Paige, Luxe Redux Bridal Boutique (Columbus)

• Bride's Shoes: Banana Republic, Madison 12 hour pump

• Groom's Attire: Jos. A Bank

• Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie

• Hair Salon + Hairdresser: Bouquet Hair, Taylore Fitzsimmons

• Make-up Artist: Alex Weingarth

• Florist: Flowerman

• DJ/Band: Moments Into Memories DJ

• String Quartet: Kelsey Broker