This intimate backyard wedding in Burke, VA was photographed by Sarah Mills on Saturday, July 31st, 2021. Sarah is a Washington, DC wedding photographer available for weddings in the surrounding area, big or small.

What led me to meet Tamara and José and photograph their sweet, intimate wedding day with their family? Tamara’s sister! I had the pleasure of photographing her sister’s family almost 2 years ago, so when Tamara met José and started planning for their wedding day, I was recommended! I just love when I get to photograph and see the same family for different occasions! I feel such a personal connection to the family, and trust in me as a photographer comes much easier on the wedding day. Because Tamara and José are both from San Diego, CA I wasn’t able to meet them in person until the day of the wedding but during our consult call to discuss wedding details, I was able to get to know their story of how they met! Tamara started online dating off and on to find love over the last few years, but it wasn’t until José decided to give it a shot that she truly felt pursued. José instantly connected with Tamara, and it was such a breath of fresh air for Tamara as they decided to date that they soon after decided to visit José’s family in Mexico. Their relationship was so natural and fun, they felt as if they’d known each other forever. José’s family loved Tamara, and months later Tamara’s family felt the same love for José. That’s right, the rest is history! Not to mention Tamara was the first woman that José decided to pursue through online dating. I love their story and it was such an honor to photograph them as they became Mr. & Mrs. Nuñez!

Their wedding day was a perfect, sunny day surrounded by those who love them most – family! They hadn’t seen each other for 3 days, so their anticipation had grown making the first look even more special. Tamara’s sister surprised her before the ceremony with their great aunt’s ring that she had worn at her wedding, passing it down to her. Such a special moment! The ceremony was officiated by the same man who counseled them as a couple in San Diego, José’s brother presented a special reading during the ceremony, their nieces delivered the rings, Tamara’s sister sang and played the song for their first dance as husband and wife, and her brother in law cooked the BBQ meal for everyone to enjoy together as they celebrated their love. The closeness of their family certainly created such an intimate day. I wish the very best for Tamara and José as they become a new little family, hand in hand as husband and wife, and it was such a sweet honor to be there!