It’s no secret that I love sharing about ALL of my clients, but today’s couple holds an extra special place in my heart — Mary, the bride-to-be, is my sister-in-law and was one of the bridesmaids in my wedding! She and her fiancé, Kyle, are set to be married next October and I am so honored to be returning the favor as one of HER bridesmaids! Believe it or not, in all the weddings I’ve been to, I’ve never been a bridesmaid so I am extra excited to soak it all in (I joke that I am “always a photographer, never a bridesmaid” =P ). We chatted a bit about whether or not I should try to juggle photographing the wedding as well, but I really wanted to be able to focus on being present, helping her walk down the aisle, and wrangling Landon during his debut as a ring bearer, so I helped set her up with an AMAZING photographer (my past bride, Emily, who I adore!!) and I feel like I can rest easy knowing she is in great hands.

Knowing I wasn’t going to be capturing the wedding day made me only want to photograph her engagement session even more! And so, on the morning of Thanksgiving, we did just that. It was absolutely FREEZING here in Northern VA, but these two (and their sweet pup, Roman) handled it like champs. But after the past few months that these two have experienced, I think they can pretty much get through anything together. See, Kyle’s family is from the Chesapeake Bay region of Virginia and he grew up on the water. During a visit there this summer, they were out on jetskis when a freak accident with a fishing line threw him off the device and crashed him into the water. Several surgeries and a short hospital stay later, he is certainly on the mend, but it was scary to say the least and I think it showed what a strong bond these two had as they managed his recovery. The test of a true marriage isn’t about how you handle the great days — those are easy! It’s about how you navigate the valleys and overcome challenges as a team, coming out stronger as a result. These two have proven they are already ready for that step and I can’t wait to stand beside them as they make it official next fall. 

Mary and Kyle, I love you both so very much! Thank you for always making the best mac and cheese, showing us around Richmond, teaching me that it’s REEDville, loving our little boy, and tolerating Granger :) :) Can’t wait for October!