With each wedding that I document, I find myself falling deeper and deeper in love with what I do- storytelling. The one thing that keeps crossing my mind as I write this though is DANG- how is it even possible that one single wedding can have such a vast array of deep human emotion in an absurdly short amount of time? There were moments throughout the day that I felt the overwhelming sense of love from family and friends that surrounded this beautiful couple. I saw elation and love written across their faces; the kind of love that brings tears to your eyes and goosebumps to your skin. But, I also felt heartache and a deep sadness that stopped me in dead in my tracks. Let me explain.

The morning of the wedding, Betsy informed me that Andy's dad was going into emergency surgery in a few hours, and in no way could attend. What? My heart sank, and neither of us could hold back tears. Can you even imagine that scenario??? But... love and happiness is all a parent could ever want for their child, right? So the day needed to go on. I prayed for him to have a successful surgery, and I offered them another round of photos with dad once he is up for it. I'm sure I'll cry again. Just as I did this day. Both tears of joy and tears of heartache. Eyes leaking right behind my camera. To be human is to want happiness, but it's also to feel paralyzingly sad and even helpless at other times.

As for Andy's dad? Thankfully, I am happy to say that he's now home safe and recovering. This thing that I do as a wedding photographer isn't just a job, my friends. It is my calling, and it truly has my whole dang heart. I find myself intertwined in the most intimate of moments, and will never take it for granted. If you'd like to see, I invite you to try and keep a dry eye through this entire blog post- because I sure couldn't. To experience this through my eyes, you'll need to take your time scrolling though. Because they're so much more than just pretty things and pretty pictures. Stop at each photo. Zoom in. Notice the tears. Observe the facial expressions of the bride and groom... but also those of their family + friends in the background. They're jam packed with the most beautiful of human emotions. Excitement. Nervousness. Joy. Anticipation. Heartache. Love. Feel the love.