A Cozy Courthouse Wedding and a Joyride

As the lyrics to The National's I Need My Girl filled the car, everyone in my Subaru knew they were experiencing a true moment. You know the kind I'm talking about. One of those brief pauses in life that gets safely tucked into your memory for as long as you're present enough to experience it.

The day Antje Zwink and Ben Chenoweth got married was full of those kind of moments. The couple decided to have a small, intimate wedding at the Franklin County Municipal Court this past Monday after Ben's new job didn't recognize the couple's domestic partnership. Or as they put it,

"We snuck off to the courthouse yesterday. Best $25 we ever spent!"

Judge Jody Thomas married the couple, who also turned out to be a former client of Antje's! (She's one of the creative geniuses behind decorative painting company, Bellalusions.)

After the final "I Do's", we jumped in the car and stopped at a few places around Columbus to bask in the joy of the day. (And to capture more moments. Because, you guys, I'm not kidding, there were so damn many of them.) First, we stopped at Columbus Metropolitan Library, followed by a toast at Antiques on High where the bartenders bought them their first drink. It always makes me proud to call this city home when I see strangers go out of their way to celebrate each other.

After our tour of Columbus, it was time for me to drop them off at The Guild House. On our way there, I asked Antje and Ben if they had any song requests. (Partially because I'm the best pretend Uber driver around, but mostly because I knew my wife's rap station was about to rage.) They asked for The National and the song, I Need My Girl started playing. They have now officially deemed it "their song."

Keep scrolling for more shots from their day. And, if you're recently engaged or longtime lovers looking to get married, here are some tips on where to start.

It was an honor to be your "spirit guide" and photographer, Antje and Ben!