Our Favorite Photo: Courtney & Mike Marsden

When Courtney and Mike Marsden said “we do” at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, it was not without some hurdles. A thunderstorm, for one, altered their plans for an outdoor ceremony and a giraffe-attended cocktail hour.

“Fortunately, we had the ability to move the ceremony under the covered patio section,” Mike says. Adds Courtney, “It worked out perfectly! There were scattered showers throughout the ceremony, but it was clear for ‘before’ photos and the reception—and everyone stayed dry.”

And in fact, that very thunderstorm produced some of the couple’s favorite images of the day. Courtney’s first pick, of the newlyweds kissing under an umbrella, “shows that we could care less about the fact that it was raining—in that moment, we were loving every second of being Mr. and Mrs.”

Courtney’s other faves included a shot of her and Mike grinning at their officiant—Courtney’s sister—in anticipation of being pronounced husband and wife, and a series of candid photos that she says show reality better than any posed portrait ever could.

For Mike, there’s only one favorite photo, taken on the Heart of Africa patio after the rainstorm had passed.

“When I see that picture, I see us looking on to what is next in life—but together, as a newly formed couple. As one,” he says. “The setting around us also complemented the metaphor: the sun representing the bright future ahead, and the rain behind us.”

Want to share your favorite wedding photo with Bustled readers? Upload it and answer a few short questions about the big day atcbuswedmag.com/FavePhoto, then check back here every Tuesday to see if it’s featured.