I know you often hear about the value of a portrait, especially those of us in the wedding industry.  As someone who has experienced its value in my marriage and seen how it has strengthened our family, I know those words aren’t meant to be casually thrown around.  They have weight and meaning to me, more than I often share, until today.

Our wedding portraits were taken by a dear friend at the very early stages of her career before ever owning a DSLR.  She took them out of love and value of the sanctity of that day.  We had actually hired another photographer who backed out a month before and Katie graciously stepped in when there was literally no other option.  It was peak wedding season and everyone else was booked.  I have learned to value those small 5×7 images more than gold over the past few years and they sit at the core philosophy of what I do.

Our wedding day was one epic event with friends and family gathered around as we danced in an art gallery that I used to work in.  It was simple, funny, and full of love.  A wedding day is one beautiful event that leads into the adventure that is life.  We wouldn’t call it an adventure if it was safe and smooth sailing . . . life can be beautiful, chaotic, and sometimes messy but I believe that amidst the chaos, our wedding photos pull us back to the truth and the core of who we are.  We are people who love each other.  We are a husband and wife that committed to forever before God and that is what those little 5×7 images remind me of every single day.  This is also why we value anniversary sessions so much as a family and in my business.

Anniversary sessions continue to tell the story of your marriage long after the wedding cake has been eaten and the bouquet has been caught.  They add stronger roots to the portraits of your wedding day.  They weave together on the wall of your home the legacy that you are creating within your family and those whom you interact with and serve on a day to day basis.  We had our anniversary session done last month with Andrew and Tianna Yentzer. and this beautiful image popped up in my instagram feed of our children and it reminded me again of the value of art as it can heal and strengthen the soul.  I cried when I saw it, I cried when I showed it to my husband, and I was still crying the next morning when I looked at it. I finally realized why this simple and yet beautiful image captured so much emotion for me with its use of negative space and my inward knowledge that something was missing.

Seven years ago, I never would have thought this possible. Seven years ago I was flying back from shooting an engagement session in San Fransisco and feeling ill. I went to the doctor only to find out that I had been pregnant again and was going through a second miscarriage. It was emotionally raw and left me feeling bitter and angry. That same month on Thanksgiving Day we learned that we were pregnant again with our son who is now six. Our big, tall, beautifully caring child who was such a blessing after so much heartache is now six.

A few years later we wanted to add to our family and went through a similar cycle of fear and frustration with the loss of two more babies. After a surgery in September of 2013 the doctor told us to not expect any more babies for a long time. We found out on election day of 2013 that our little firecracker would be born in July of 2014.

I don’t write this for pitty or praise but because this beautifully crafted image reminds me not of the pain of that loss but of the overwhelming joy and blessing I have of being their momma. It reminds me of why I and others like me are called to tell these stories through the use of our art.  That it can heal a broken soul and strengthen a heavy heart on days when you need to be uplifted and reminded of what you have promised to each other and what God has blessed you with.

I passionately believe that your life deserves to be captured in a way that when you look at the portraits on your wall, that you will be reminded of the joy you felt on the day you promised to be his forever. That when life gets busy or hard, that your wedding pictures and anniversary sessions will bring you back to all the joy and wonder that you felt with each passing chapter in your book of love.  I want to be the one that captures your day one and your day 2,351.