Mr. and Mrs. Gross - 8.17.24 — Chelsea May Photography

I am here to proclaim that 2+1 = 4.

Confused? Don’t worry, you’ll understand soon.

Steven and Michaela go way back. They originally met in high school but the decade following high school, they both lived separate lives. During that separate time, Michaela got a head start on their future family without even realizing it - that’s when the beautiful Maya showed up.

But after ten years, they reconnected and it was just easy. When I asked Michaela how she realized he was “the one”, she replied that she loved watching him with her daughter, Maya. She then followed up that she couldn’t elaborate or she’d start crying. But I totally get it… just seeing how he is with her… DNA is not even remotely taken into account here. He loves her as if she were his own. This new bride reflected on how she loves how much he takes care of her… and I can definitely say I witnessed that firsthand this weekend!

For Steven, he appreciates how laid back and chill she is. Falling in love with her was easy even with the time apart. The excitement of this new life together truly came from the day-to-day things. Simply building a life together was exactly what made their connection so perfect.

The weather on Saturday was pretty crazy. The rain was scattered in timing and intensity. I kept looking around for a rainbow because there were so many instances of sun and rain, but no luck there. The fact that the rain did not bother our newlyweds is such a testament to how laid back they are. For them, the important part was getting married and enjoying the company of their loved ones. Nothing else was going to bring that down! They even were up for doing “sunset” photos in the rain if it didn’t clear up in time. While that would have been fun, we also did end up with some gorgeous photos with the post-rain clouds.

One of my favorite parts of their day was their first look. The raw emotion of the moment was just so beautiful. It is so clear how in love the two of them are. And of course, we know I’m a sucker for tears from the groom.

Their ceremony was perfectly short and sweet… but the excitement was only just beginning! In a big reveal during family photos, they pulled out the ultrasound photos of their little one who is due to arrive early next year! This was not only the union of Michaela and Maya (2) with Steven (1), but the announcement of the addition of another to the family (=4). I also love how they included their pup, Luna, in the photos as well. She was such a good girl! Maya is also thrilled to be a big sister!

The rest of the evening brought quality time with family and friends, delicious food, board games, and dancing! Let’s also not forget the gelato stand that they brought in rather than having a cake. I tried the lavender lemon shortcake and it was SO GOOD.