Somehow, in a house full of people I found myself standing alone on the third story, staring across the Appalachicola Bay just as the rain started pounding across the waves towards us. At that very moment, I heard Justin come upstairs in search of Shelbi. In his hand was his phone with radar pulled up so they could make a decision on what to do. Less than 10 minutes later (30 minutes earlier than scheduled!) Shelbi began her walk down the wet board walk to marry Justin on the beach...in the rain.
Once Shelbi stepped outside, I could tell she was nervous and worried about her guests who were all gathered under community umbrellas. From my experience, I knew that the thoughts she had would disappear in a moments notice so I waited...and then it happened. The moment she locked eyes with Justin, I could tell the rain evaporated before their eyes, they didn’t see umbrellas, they didn’t hear the wind, they couldn’t see the sky. They could have been standing in the middle of a hurricane and they wouldn’t have noticed anything but one another.
This is all a wonderful reminder of why I do what I do: I’m not there to go through the motions of a timeline. I’m not documenting perfection or details. I’m there to tell a story. A true story about sacrifice and companionship. A story about trust and loyalty. A story about faith and love. When I look at the pictures from Shelbi and Justin’s wedding day I am so moved because I know that every moment captured from their day is genuine, real, and simply beautiful.
Shelbi and Justin, I am truly honored to have been witness to such a wonderful ceremony and have no doubt in my mind that you will remember your wedding ceremony, in it’s every last moment, for the rest of your life. Congratulations!
