This is a post that has been on my mind for some time now. It has literally sat on my list of blog post topics for over a year now. And even now as I start to type it out, there’s a voice in my head telling me to turn back. But I think it’s time that I share this story with you all in hopes that it can help anyone out there in a similar situation. So here goes nothing.

Wowza. Four years. Time sure does fly! When I look back to our wedding day, I feel like I’m looking at 2 totally different people. We were such babies then and have grown into completely different people today. We were diving head first into the unknown with no idea what was coming for us. The highs, the lows and everything in between. What an adventure these past 4 years have been. It hasn’t always been easy, but in the end it brought us to where we are today which we couldn’t be more thankful for. This life together has turned into so much more than we ever could have dreamed!

I’m taking a break from my usual light-hearted posts to talk about a very important aspect of any healthy marriage. Team work. You and your spouse are working as team to keep your marriage happy and healthy. There are inevitably going to times along the way where working as a team is easier said than done. One of those times being when a big life decision must be made. These are the times where it is more important than ever to work together as selfless partners.

This blog post has to be one of my all time favorites, and I didn’t even write it for the most part! I’ve always said that the greater purpose of my business is not only to provide couples with beautiful and timeless photos from their wedding day, but more so to help them on their way to a beautiful marriage. Capturing the joy and excitement of their wedding day allows them to relive those moments for years and years to come. But this business has also given me a platform that I can use to lift up and encourage many more couples than just the ones I photograph!

For those of you that don’t know, Branden and I are high school sweethearts. We met when we were 14 and 15 and started dating (the second time around) when we were 16 and 17. More about how met in this post. We were each other’s first and last loves. Upon telling this to other people, the usual response is “Aww that’s so cute!” or “You’re so lucky!” We are certainly blessed and grateful that we met each other so young and were able to share many precious memories together like prom, graduations, college, etc. And while there are many fairytale-like elements to marrying your high school sweetheart, it also comes with its own unique set of challenges. As you make the transition from young love to forever love, your relationship is “tested” at every turn.

I’ve mentioned before that the passion behind my business comes from my passion for marriage. A big part of why I love to photograph weddings is because I love being a part of the amazing journey that the couple is about to set out on together! Photographing their love on the day that they vow to spend the rest of their lives together is just a small part that I can play in helping them on their way to an everlasting marriage!