I always love photographing weddings, but I have to admit it’s even better when the bride and groom are good friends of mine. There’s something so incredible about getting to photograph the marriage of two people I love dearly. This stunning Crane Cottage wedding was a truly beautiful, classic Southern affair set among the Spanish-moss covered oak trees celebrating the love of my college friends Jon and Rebecca.

I was introduced to Jon during my Stanford years and we immediately bonded over our love of cooking. Coffee ice cream and fruit sorbets were our specialties and we’ve cooked together many many times over the years. Fun fact, Jon is actually the one who introduced me to Sam, who was his roommate at the time. I didn’t really get to know Rebecca (who I know better as Reba) until later on, as they were long-distance for much of their relationship while Reba pursued a pro-golf career before heading to law school. Even before I met her, however, I could tell how perfect she and Jon were for each other. Jon is always a blast to be around, but he literally lit up every time he was on the phone with Reba. I have never seen a couple who has had such a solid long-distance relationship and it was such a joy to see them together over the holidays and summers.

Back in January of last year, I saw Jon wandering around the house with a sketch pad at all times. Not long after, he told me and Sam that he was working on designing an engagement ring, as he was planning on proposing to Reba in May or June! I was fascinated by the process and loved seeing the ring go from sketch to 3D model before being cast and lovingly hand-polished by Jon before the diamonds were added. I begged Jon to let me photograph the proposal on Carmel Beach and have been looking forward to their wedding ever since!

Jon and Reba’s Classic Southern Crane Cottage Wedding at Jekyll Island Club Resort

As soon as Jon and Reba started planning their wedding, they knew they wanted it to be a destination wedding in Georgia, near St. Simon’s where Reba grew up. They quickly narrowed in on the lovely Crane Cottage, which is part of the Jekyll Island Club Resort on Jekyll Island, the sister island to St. Simon’s. With a beautifully maintained sunken garden for the ceremony location, a lawn in front of a reflecting pool for the cocktail hour and a lovely courtyard with string lights in the middle of the cottage for the reception, you would totally think Crane Cottage was designed for weddings!

The bridal party stayed in Crane Cottage for the weekend and the rest of the wedding guests were just a short walk away at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. I LOVE that Reba chose to have all her bridesmaids pick their own floor-length black dresses. They all chose different styles that fit their personalities perfectly and the overall effect was so incredibly classy. And every girl needs a floor-length black dress in their closet, right? The bridesmaid bouquets were beautifully simple, a mix of blue hydrangeas and baby’s breath. In a nod to the first piece of jewelry Jon made for Reba (and Jon’s favorite flower), there were calla lilies in the boutonniere’s and Reba’s bouquet.

My favorite part of Crane Cottage? It’s surrounded by incredible Spanish-moss covered oak trees which were the perfect backdrops for portraits. The day before the wedding, the weather was fairly cloudy and we even got some sprinkles of rain, but the weather on the wedding day was glorious, leading to rays of sunlight streaming through the oak trees. Plus, unexpectedly, there were tons of butterflies in the sunken garden during the wedding ceremony. Jon joked that he ordered them specially, haha!

After we did the bridal party portraits, the groomsmen stuck around to lift the bride on groom onto the branch of one of the mossy oak trees!

Yes, that’s a red velvet blazer!

Jon and Reba had their first dance in the courtyard of Crane Cottage under the string lights.

Congratulations again to Jon and Reba on their incredible wedding! If you liked this elegant Crane Cottage wedding, you may enjoy this rainy spring wedding at the Patapsco Female Institute in Baltimore. Contact me or email me at alice@aliceche.com to book your wedding now.

• Planner: Ally Moline Events
• Florals: Edward on St. Simon’s
• DJ: Island Sound
• Venue + Catering: Crane Cottage at Jekyll Island Club Hotel
• Hair + Makeup: Fantasy Hair + Makeup
• Bridal Shop: Urban Set Bride