50 Weddings Down and More to Come!

I hit a milestone this weekend.
I have officially photographed 50 weddings! I love wedding photography because I get to capture and bring memories of one of the biggest days of my clients’ lives  back to life. My clients can forever look at their wedding photos and be reminded of their special day.

Love truly shines during weddings, and it isn’t just between the bride and groom, but between the families and friends attending and involved in the wedding. Wedding photos share all of that love and remind the couple that they are never alone in their journey.

In honor of my 50th wedding photographed, I wanted to look back on just some of my favorite memories from the weddings I’ve done.

I will forever remember Carriene and Brandon’s wedding. Many years before, Carriene’s dad had a stroke that rendered him unable to walk. He was confined to a motorized chair. Just as Carriene and her dad were about to walk (and wheel) their way down the aisle, dad surprisingly stood up. He grabbed his cane and walked his daughter all the way down the aisle. It was his first long walk, but he had been working hard and gaining strength. I cried, along with everyone else there. At the reception, he surprised us all again and danced with his daughter for the father-daughter dance. There were no dry eyes then, either. I’m so grateful that I was able to capture and experience those moments!

2020. Ugh, what a year. I only photographed one wedding that year (thank you, COVID), but that was a wedding to remember. Lisa and Chris wanted to make sure their guests were safe. “Spread Love, Not Germs” seemed to be the theme; the saying was even included on the complimentary hand sanitizer bottles. They broke their wedding into two days - one was the actual ceremony and the next day was a small reception. The bridal party wore masks, getting creative with them. Their wedding was a hit, safety precautions and all! In a year full of sadness, their love brought joy. COVID couldn’t stop their love.

This couple was together a very long time before their intimate wedding in 2021 as the pair struggled with addiction for years. Thankfully, the bride was able to get sober. She promised the groom that she would marry him once he too got clean. He took her word and was able to get sober, too. I love that the two were able to overcome such a powerful addiction for each other and for their family. It’s proof that anything is possible with love. ​

One of my favorite quotes is “love is a terrible thing to hate.” This applies to everyone in my book. I agreed to photograph a very small elopement ceremony for two women. You could feel their love as soon as you saw the couple. They had met in rehab, and they encouraged each other to be the best versions of themselves. Sadly, they struggled when arranging their ceremony. No guests would be attending. Neither family approved of same-sex marriage, nor did their families know they were getting married. The one bride’s family was outright hateful. It broke my heart. Beyond that, many vendors and wedding photographers refused them service, being rude or simply non-responsive once they found out they were a same-sex couple. I still don’t understand how people could be so awful. The couple was clearly in love and wanted to commit their lives to one another. Please, please, please never fear to ask me if I’m LGBTQA+ friendly. I absolutely am! And if your family doesn’t support you, I got you. I’m your new fam. ​