In preparing to capture the big day on camera, a wedding photographer asked the bride-to-be if she planned on wearing a veil.
“She said, ‘No, actually I’ll be wearing (my daughter),’” photographer Laura Schaefer recalled of her meeting with Dalton Mort. “I told her that I thought that was a great idea, both practically speaking and that it would make for beautiful and unique photos.”
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She wasn't kidding!
Earlier this month, Schaefer put up a post on her professional Facebook page, Fire & Gold Photography, displaying some of the photos from Mort’s wedding. The response was overwhelming, to say the least.
“I knew that the bride would love the images because she specifically asked for photos of her wearing her daughter while kneeling and praying,” Schaefer said. “(But) I didn’t have any clue that (the photos) would take off in the manner that they have. It was just a simple post in response to a request to see photos of (Mort) wearing her child.”
At last check, Schaefer’s post had been shared more than 4,100 times, with more than 5,000 likes and 545 comments. Many of those comments include pictures of other brides and bridesmaids babywearing on their own wedding days, or friends' wedding days.
“The shares and comments have been shocking,” Schaefer said. “I’m floored by the response the photos have been getting and I’m so happy that people have been inspired and touched by them.”
Ellora, better known as Ellie, is now 2 ½.
“(At the time), when I started thinking about how I could incorporate her into our wedding, babywearing is the only thing that seemed like it would make sense,” Mort said.
Still, Mort said, she wasn’t always super familiar with babywearing.
“I bought that wrap for the wedding and she went on a bit of a babywearing strike the most before the wedding,” she said. “Ellie was actually great though. I think with all the people around, she was relieved that I wore her. She gets overwhelmed around large groups. The reason I chose that wrap was because it loosely went with the colors I used. I didn't plan on how well it went with the church.”
Schaefer wasn’t fazed by the babywearing.
“It didn’t surprise me since I knew Dalton loved wearing Ellie on a regular basis, and this would allow her to keep Ellie contained and happy during the wedding mass as it was going to be Ellie’s nap time,” she said.
As you can see from the photos, Ellie did take that nap -- she fell asleep about 20 minutes into the mass, Schaefer said.
“She fell asleep easier than she ever does at home,” Mort said.
At one point during the ceremony, she even nursed.
Mort and Schafer met through a local moms group in Steubenville, Ohio. The wedding took place July 28, 2018. Ellie, by the way, fell asleep on her mother in a LILLEbaby carrier at the reception, as well.
So next time you think you're "touched out," moms of toddlers and babies: think of Mort.
“(Schaefer) wasn't there at that point, and it was a lot less glamorous by the end of the night,” Mort said.
We're still not over these photos. So much glow, so much mama glamour.
For what it's worth, that gorgeous wrap appears to be this one found here, but it's currently sold out.
All photos used with permission from Laura Schaefer/Fire & Gold Photography
Instagram: @fireandgoldphoto