Alysha + Nate got married

September 5, Alysha and Nate had a beautiful ceremony to celebrate their love story. I posted engagement pictures of Nate and Alysha earlier this year and talked about how they are just a naturally photogenic couple. Their wedding day was no exception. It was so much fun getting to witness their love story....





Alysha is a for real beauty queen, she has participated in and won several pageants. I know, you're shocked right?





Alysha is the ONLY girl...Nate must have had to do some serious convincing.


Doesn't she just look the biggest sweetheart? This time, you CAN judge a book by her cover because she genuinely is such a beautiful person inside as well as outside.


Aaaaaand then, we have....the boys:


Nate wasn't the only one to hit the jackpot....wouldn't you agree ladies?


They waited until actually putting the rings on during the ceremony to see their respective wedding band, I thought that was pretty cool.


Nate and Alysha's church was just renovated...they were the first couple to be married in the sanctuary. Check out that stained glass window!


I love me some white space...




One of the things I loved best about the pictures was how into the flower girl/ring bearer Alysha and Nate were. I just love this picture.


I don't know about you, but this one would definitely be hanging in my house somewhere...


Or...this one?




Their wedding color was TEAL....of course, my faaavorite color!






The sunlight was so perfect that night, the mosquitos were not. But Nate and Alysha were good sports, you can't even tell they were being eaten alive!




I love getting to watch couples who are just natural with each other. Especially when the guy isn't afraid to get his picture taken. Despite having a case of the sickies, Nate was fabulous to work with during the guys' pictures and Alysha, well...I think that speaks for itself.

Thank you both so much for letting me be a part of your wedding, your love story and hopefully more special moments in your life. It was amazing getting to witness your love together! Congratulations!!

A Photographer's Honor

I can not take credit for the beauty that is going to follow. However, upon opening my email this morning and reading this, it brought tears to my eyes. Tears that reminded me my job goes far beyond getting the "normal" photos of the day: bride, groom, families, first kiss etc; I blogged about this last year upon the death of a recent groom's father. His father passed away very unexpededly and they wanted some good pictures of him for his memorial service. It was then I realized the importance of what I do....

This email came to me this morning and I could think of no better way to show this other than to copy the message at it appeared. To my fellow photographers, though I am sure you need no reminder the importance of our job, I am sure this will touch you as deeply as it touched me. Better grab some tissues...



Her name is Katie Kirkpatrick, 21 years old. Next to her is her fiance Nick, 23...This picture was taken prior to their wedding, January 11, 2005. Katie has terminal cancer and spends hour in chemotherapy. Here Nick awaits while she finishes one of her sessions.....



Even in pain, and dealing with her organs shutting down, with the help of morphine, Katie took care of every single part of the wedding planning. Her dress had to be adjusted several times due to the constant weight loss.



An expected guest was her oxygen tank. Katie had to use it during the ceremony and reception. The other couple in this picture is Nick's parents, very emotional with the wedding and of course to see their son marrying the girl he fell in love with as an adolescent in high school.



Katie, in a wheel chair, listening to her husband and friends singing to her.



In the middle of the party, Katie had to rest for a bit and catch her breath. The pain does not allow her to stand for a long period of time.



Katie died 5 days after her wedding. To see a fragile woman dressed as a beautiful bride, makes you think...happiness is always there within reach, no matter how long it lasts.


Sometimes I am so busy trying to get the "list" of pictures that I forget about the moments that may never happen again. How soon we forget that our lives are a blip on the radar, whether we live 21 years, or 100 years. In the spectrum of eternity, it's literally the blink of an eye. Seeing these images this morning brought my focus back to why I love being a photographer. I love capturing beauty, I love documenting someone's life in that exact moment, exactly as it happens. I have so much to be thankful for when it comes to having this career: I get to meet amazing people, I get to photography in beautiful venues, and most of all, I get to use the talent God has given me to bring joy to others.

It is my hope that each of you reading, whether a fellow photographer or not, can find purpose in what you do, and know that each of us has been put on this earth, during this moment in time to serve the Lord.

Christ's Love,
J

I am so blessed

Like most of you watching the news today, I am reminded of the tragedy that happened eight years ago. In some respect,it seems like another lifetime that our country was attacked but on the other hand, I remember exactly where I was. It was my senior year in high school, I was sitting in my Chevy Corsica making a left hand turn towards my dentist office when I hear it on the radio. It didn't sink in until later that day just what had actually happened. Not knowing anyone in New York, I remember not being all that emotional about it then. But, since becoming a mother, I have felt emotions in the last three years about this day that I wasn't able to feel in 2001.

To think of those Americans being trapped, or in a plane that was crashing just breaks my heart to the core. I look at my precious son watching his Dell Touch safely on his bed in my care and am brought to my knees in thankfulness that he is safe. I ache for those mothers who lost their children, or for the children who lost their parents on that fateful day. How easy it is to get lost in our daily routine of life, yet somewhere in this country someone's "daily routine" was forever changed on September 11, 2001. I think of the little girls who haven't gotten to kiss their daddy good night in eight years...the mothers who can't make a homemade pie for their son...the little boys who never were taught to throw a ball by their dad, it breaks my heart for them.

I take for granted the life I have, I get to stay home with Jaxson through the week, I have the most fabulous job in the world, a husband who loves me and a God who protects me. It is my prayerful hope that all of my readers can take a moment to remember the awesome life our Lord has blessed each of us with. God Bless each of you!

Starr+Adam got hitched!

I have been absolutely horrible about blogging lately. Life gets so much in the way it's pathetic. But, I'm back in my working groove will be updating lots of things in the coming weeks as this is my busy time of the year. Yay for more beautiful weddings!

August 15 I had the priveledge of photoing Starr and Adam's beautiful wedding. I LOVE getting to photo couples who are fun, energetic and down to earth people. These are some of my favorites from their day!

P.S. Notice the new branding? I think I like this so much better, it doesn't take so much away from the picture, what do you think?