Shooting Nouns

Married? Married.

I fell in love with these two all over again two weeks ago while I watched them ramp up to their vows in real time on Jekyll Island.  The purity and kindness and patience and humor they displayed?  Aspirational.

As a shadow with a lens, you see a lot and hear a lot and your heart breaks a lot…but not this weekend.  I was made whole, and hopeful and there were times I feared I wouldn’t be able to focus to shoot for the tears in my eyes or the crinkles in the corners of my eyes from the smiles of the joy they spread.

Happily ever after, indeed.

Gabi and Mike Get MARRIED.

I was honored but hesitant when Colin and Jesse asked me to shoot their wedding.  Weddings aren’t my thing (do I have a thing?) – they scare the hell out of me.  It’s a once in a lifetime event, with back-to-back once in a lifetime moments.   Missing one of those moments, or failing to capture something especially meaningful is a lot of pressure, and I never entertained the idea of putting myself in that situation.

Until Jesse and Colin.

These two are hands down, a couple of the kindest and laid back people I’ve ever met.  They’re patient and gentle and give great hugs.  So when they asked me to photograph their wedding and we subsequently discussed it over a delicious bottle of red wine and laughter – I agreed.

In retrospect, of course, I was being ridiculous.

Spending three days at the edge of the ocean following Jesse around like a stalkeratzi and experiencing her wedding through her eyes was something I wouldn’t change for the world.  Being there when Colin saw her for the first time, being there while she and Baby Mary were having their hair done, standing by as her sister Emily helped her put her shoes on, and seeing them showered with love…it was priceless.

Congratulations to the beautiful couple on their nuptials this past weekend in Seaside, Florida.  Congrats to Baby Mary, who is adorable and adored and threw one seriously fantastic party for a 2 year old.

Thank you all for letting me be a part of your celebration, and for trusting me to trap your memories with my lens.