Hey…
I was analyzing my work and planning for the year. Yes, it’s March and I’m still goal-setting. (I’m a list-maker over here so the goal-setting never ends actually.)…and I was thinking…about love…
Love is a powerful motivator. Many of the greatest achievements in history have been driven by love – be it love for a person, a cause, or a belief system even. When we truly care about something, we are capable of achieving incredible things.
…but perhaps most importantly, love connects us to others. This force breaks down barriers and creates a sense of unity. Love allows us to see beyond our differences, to find common ground and to empathize with those around us.
I love LOVE. Always a hopeless romantic. Always a sucker for the love story and the happy ending. Weddings are that, a happy ending of sorts…they mark the beginning of a new chapter and offer a sense of closure, a celebration of love, a symbol of hope, if you will.
In the last few years I’ve been lucky enough to have been asked to shoot weddings again. I’ve kept it small and kept it mostly to myself as I’ve navigated questions about flowers and locations, and got the privileged moments of ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the most incredible gowns, suits, diamond rings and embossed paper!
Here’s the thing…I also got time to observe some of the most tender moments. My couples have loved each other so genuinely, so deeply and without hesitation. They’ve opened car doors, allowed the other the first bite of cake and laughed so heartily that it’s been impossible not to laugh with them. They’ve gently held up veils and have calmed each other’s breathing. They’ve held each other’s faces and have wiped away tears. They’ve been generous with their kisses and their kind words, making promises to each other that have made entire rooms cry.
But more privileged for me, than all of the other things put together, have been the tiny moments I’ve witnessed of exchanged looks, unspoken words and subtle gestures between my beautiful couples. These micro-moments have revealed their depth and intimacy on a level that I had forgotten I would be privy to…these moments that were contributing to the foundation of their relationship, that would sustain them now throughout the highs and the lows of life. (You’ll see here some of the most creative ways to exchange vows in the aftermath of the pandemic.) The privilege was not lost on me as I was reminded of the power to create images that will forever be tools to remind my couples how they had the ability to connect, heal, and uplift each other that day. The privilege of becoming part of their story I tell you...I’m a lucky girl and I never forget it.
If you’re walking down the aisle this year I would love to be there…and I promise to really see you.
