Jenn & Chris | St. Louis Wedding

It's always great to attend a wedding as a guest - you see your friends come down the aisle, say vows and enter into covenants, you seem them do first dances and accept toasts, and exit at the end of the night off into their future. There's something special about being there behind the scenes on that day though. As their photographer I get to see so many of the little moments that truly make a wedding day memorable.  I see tender moments between parents and their soon to wed children, I see sentimental gifts being opened, tears shed, & hugs shared. I hear whispers, cheers and high fives, the quiet pre-ceremony prayers.

It really is a treasure for me to see this side of the day and I'll never take that privilege for granted. 

I enjoyed photographing Jenn & Chris' wedding day in St. Louis this spring.  Chris, my husband and I have been friends for over ten years now. It's been a joy seeing Jenn and Chris together, following their adventures and now watching them grow as husband and wife. 

Congratulations again you two, it was truly a lovely day & an honor to be a part of it!

-to friends & love-

jbw

Amy & Luke | Elopement

I've had the pleasure of shooting many weddings now. Big weddings, small weddings and everything in between. Until Amy and Luke contacted me though, I had yet to photograph an elopement. 

It was incredible.

Take a wedding and strip it of everything unnecessary. No decorations, no flowers, no food, no fanfare. Simply a bride and a groom. And a ceremony in which they soulfully, whole-heartedly commit to love and serve one another for the rest of their lives; apart from any distraction. 

This was Amy and Luke's day, and they invited me to capture it. I felt honored to be so close to their wedding as it was incredibly intimate - just them and the officiant. Following the ceremony to walk the grounds of the Inn at Meander Plantation to photograph their first moments as husband and wife. 

Luke and Amy and laughers. Throw your head back, close your eyes and laugh from the heart kind of people.  I don't know where life will take them (I pray it's always an easy journey) but I have no doubt regardless of the twists and turns, they'll be able to look back on their story & smile and laugh together. 

That's what joy is about. That's what love and marriage are about. 

That's what Amy and Luke are about. 

{to looking back on your story}

-jbw-