As a kid, I grew up going to Woodward park. It was just down the street from my house, so my mom, three siblings, and I ended up there quite often on nice days. It’s a beautiful verdant patch of land with tons of trees and azaleas, in the middle of an already beautiful part of Tulsa. As a kid, I found it extremely disappointing that it didn’t have a playground.  30-odd years later, when my youngest sister got married, It was the obvious choice for her first look and portraits on her wedding day.

A lot of wedding photographers wouldn’t photograph their own sister’s wedding. They’d want to be able to be present and enjoy the party. To be honest, trying to balance my role as a photographer and maid of honor that day was a bit much, and I ended up defaulting into photographer mode. (I’ve been a bridesmaid at 3 weddings, and a photographer at 300, so that makes sense). During the recessional, instead of waiting for the best man to walk me down the aisle, I took off after the bride and groom with my pocket camera. My sister, Hanna, knew what she wanted though. She had assisted me on a handful of weddings when we both lived in Denver and she had no doubts about wanting me to be her photographer. She even asked that I photograph the ceremony with my professional grade pocket camera from the front of the aisle. For the group shots I was in I pressed other friends and family members into service.

Hanna also knew right away that she’d be getting married in our hometown, Tulsa. Finding a venue was trickier. Our parents tied the knot at the historic (and gorgeous) Harwelden Mansion back in 1981, and she loved the idea of continuing their legacy, but Hanna’s guest list was too big to fit comfortably in that space. She and her husband, Dave, who is also a Tulsa native, eventually settled on the rooftop at Welltown Brewing, which ended up being just perfect.

Hanna got ready with her six bridesmaids at Tulsa’s Hotel Indigo in a gorgeous suite on the top floor. Most of us stayed with her there the night before so we could get up bright and early for hair and makeup. Hanna’s hair was done by September Dobson, an extremely talented hairdresser and close personal friend of the bride and groom.

Hanna and Dave wanted to spend as much time together as possible on their wedding day, and they wanted to actually have some fun with their wedding party. First, they met up for an emotional first look at Woodward park. After a half hour or so, the bridal party met them there for portraits of the whole group. Then, the whole group headed to one of Hanna and Dave’s favorite local spots, Hodges Bend. At Hodges, after a quick break for coffee and cocktails, I posed the wedding party like I imagine Annie Leibovitz would on one of her legendary Vanity Fair covers. Once the group was together, I instructed my dad how to take the photo and stepped into the frame (that’s me next to the bride—I was blonde at the time).

Hanna and Dave’s Ceremony was held on the rooftop deck at Hodges Bend. Guests were seated at Hodges’ existing picnic tables for the ceremony. Candace of xx designs (who famously decorates Tulsa’s Roosevelts’ bar every christmas) did the decor. Guests were able to mingle inside and out on this temperate September day and enjoy the view of the Tulsa skyline.

When the party ended, guests saw the happy couple off with sparklers, downstairs along the street. Hanna and Dave rode off into married life on Dave’s prized Indian Motorcycle.