This is the photo they asked for the moment the moon rose high enough to see. At The Wilds in Bloomington, after dinner, toasts, and a reception that had everyone on the dance floor, the bride pulled me aside with that excited whisper: “Can we get a shot with the moon?” The sky had cleared to perfect black, the full moon hung bright and low, and we slipped outside for a few quiet minutes while the party kept going inside.
The Wilds is magical at night. With 125 acres of farmland and no light pollution, the moon feels close enough to touch. Her strapless gown caught the moonlight like silk, his black tux blended into the night except for that red boutonnière pop, and their smiles, soft, private, full of the day’s wonder, lit up brighter than any flash ever could.
We waited until later in the evening for this one, but the truth is: the closer the moon is to the horizon, the larger and more dramatic it appears in photos due to the moon illusion and atmospheric magnification. If you’re dreaming of a moon portrait at The Wilds, we’ll plan it for earlier, right around nautical twilight when the moon is low and huge, just peeking over the treeline. But even high in the sky, like this one, it still feels like the universe showed up to celebrate with you.
At The Wilds, the stars come out, the fire pits glow, and the moon always cooperates. Whether it’s low on the horizon or high overhead, we’ll make it part of your story.
Your wedding night deserves the moon. And I’ll make sure you get it.
Captured with the Nikon Z9 and a 70-200mm lens at 200mm, the couple is lit with an Ice Light and the image is edited to look like film.
Location: 6483 Kent Rd, Bloomington, IN 47401.