If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that the very first wedding I shot was actually a happy accident.
Two of my closest friends were getting married and I had recently gotten a camera and was playing with it and getting to know how to use it. We drove up 14 hours from West Palm Beach, FL to Birmingham, AL just to be there and things started going awry pretty much from the start. I had promised Jenn I would do her makeup (since back then I was still a professional makeup artist), so I got to her house early that morning to help her get ready. The plan was her mom was going to do her hair (her mom used to be a hairdresser), I would do her makeup, her sister would help her get dressed and her stepdad (used to be a professional photographer) would do the photography.
All of these things sort of fell out of place, but I really wanted to make sure she had the wedding she envisioned because she really truly deserved it and we had been through some shit.
I believe as a baseline, everyone deserves to be happy, but especially those who have struggled and really seen hardship. Everyone deserves to be successful, and not have to scrounge up every dollar just to survive, but let's not get into politics.
Let's go back. So, I told you all what the original plan was but what ended up happening was entirely something else. Her mom ended up being pretty late, so I started with makeup. When her mom arrived, she didn't feel confident she could do what Jenn wanted, so I youtubed how to do a waterfall braid and we made it happen. We drive out to the venue and it is absolutely stunning, if you've ever wanted a non traditional wedding and you're in Bham, AL I definitely recommend Sloss Furnace. I was skeptical at first, but with the decorations, it was enchanting.
Her stepdad ended up forgetting his camera equipment and was preparing to take her wedding photos with his camera phone, I can't make this stuff up guys, and I just so happened to have BAM! in the car with me. I said no worries, and started snapping away. Her sister was incredibly pregnant, so I helped her get into her dress and I could feel the gratitude emanating from Jenn.
I fell in love with weddings that day. Before that, I was a commitment-phobe who hyperventilated at the mere thought of marriage and weddings but something in me shifted that day and it was like the hopeless romantic in me became a hopeful romantic.
Earlier this year, we began throwing around the idea of a 10 year anniversary shoot, since I felt I could do so much better than 10 years ago. That little idea turned into a full-blown vow renewal. Well, maybe not full-blown but we did travel out of state for it.
In another insane whirlwind trip, I drove 6.5 hours into northern Georgia after work on a Friday to get up early on Saturday and drive another 2 hours up some crazy curvy mountain roads (yes, I did get elevation and car-sick and had to pull over twice) to go to a small college campus attached to one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've ever seen, Toccoa Falls. And then drive 6.5 hours back home because I missed my baby and my husband. We gathered at the base of the falls for Jenn and Ray to renew their vows and promise to continue to brave through this crazy life together and keep loving each other through it. Ray's best man from 10 years ago even officiated!
It reminded me that Happy Endings aren't an end of a chapter but the journey through life and the daily choices we make.
Something else I didn't really want to admit out loud, let alone to myself, but earlier this year I was pretty much ready to hang up my camera and give up on my dream. But this vow renewal reminded me just how much I love doing this, and re-ignited the fire within me.
and just a little throw back...
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