Sixteen years ago, this sweet gal named Sara Beth Taylor was in a class where I was giving a demonstration about graphic design. After the class, she asked me to photograph her wedding. Never had I though about a career photographing brides, grooms, families... I wanted to sell my photos as art! I said yes after that sweet Southern charmer and her wonderful mother said they believed in my artistic abilities (I had a few photographs in my portfolio during the class time.)
Dean and Angela, married 2015... on their new journey together. May your bike tires always be full of air and your journey be one of love, honor, trust and great memories.
Zoom forward to 2015... one of my dear artist friends got married and it would be my final wedding to photograph. When she told me about their wedding, it was going to be simple and super unique, I couldn't resist. One last wedding before throwing in the sweet towel of success on having photographed many wonderful couples and their families and friends. I'm moving back into commercial work and families only. (Reasons are many but mostly time to hang with my family on Saturdays and I love commercial work AND seeing families grow.)
Angela's makeup was stunning, as was her awesome vintage dress. Make your weddings your own, people. It makes the photographer so much more excited.
Dean works at Eastside Cycles in Nashville. Angela has been a client of their's for some time, so it was the perfect backdrop! The wedding was small and the reception was at the their condo pool. Angela's sisters and mother were there to lend the southern food flare. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed watching the two of them tie the knot and say their sweet nuptials. I even got to work with a "saster" of mine - a sister from another mother - who is now an amazing makeup artist. Amelia Mallard Faulkner and I have been friends since she was 5 and I was her babysitter. It was the perfect type of wedding to go out on a high note.
In all these years, I have cried a little during almost every wedding at some point. The work that goes into a celebration of two people uniting together deserves a toast. Always say thanks to the event coordinator, caterer, photographer, videographer, servers, DJs, musicians and ministers. For all of you brides and grooms that entrusted me to photograph this major milestone – I send a toast to you! For those of you who continue to entrust me to photograph your families, thank you so much and I'm really enjoying this ride!
Being married for nine years on September 9, I celebrate with you – through the good times and the not-so-great, better, worse, rich, broke, sickness, health, life, death – thanks for letting me photograph your start together. The journey is one that I will always be grateful for and look back on as great memories.
May your journey be one filled with Hope, Love and Light!