Could it really be 2014? It feels like just yesterday I was cooking coconut chicken for the first time, spending NYE with John and my best friend Emily, and got the news that one of my dear friends was engaged. I was hopeful that she’d ask ME to shoot her wedding, and lucky enough for both John and I, she did.
When I think back on this entire year, I nearly cry. (What else is new, right?)
So many amazing, incredible things happened that molded US into the people that we are becoming. John and I had the most incredible opportunities this year, and I know that none of them would have been possible without sweet friends and family of ours supporting us, pushing us, praying for us, encouraging us, loving us, and never giving up on us. Last year, in 2012, we shot 3 weddings. This year we shot 35 weddings. We say our prayers and count our blessings every single day. We both love what we do, and can’t imagine life without all of you beautiful people. We don’t like to call the people we work with clients, (although sometimes it slips out, accidentally) because that word sounds so stale and uninvolved. We fall in love with our couples, they become part of us, as we so carefully paint their story in images that they can have for the rest of their days to come. Maybe we’re ‘too’ involved, so be it. If we’re not invested with our whole hearts, then we’re not doing our job correctly. John and I talk about our couples daily . You are all now so beautifully woven into our story, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We believe that everyone is a storyteller, everyone, we just feel so thankful that storytelling is our job.
We were able to travel to several new places this year, outside of Memphis. Some of those include: Arkansas, Nashville, Natchez-Mississippi, Brandon-Mississippi, and the Tropical Dominican Republic. We learned SO much with every couple we spent time with, and we grow in life and love with every wedding we document. We were also given one of the most honorable task in 2013. I was able to document a dear friend of mine’s live birth. It was such an honor it had to be included in this recap of 2013, after all it was a once in a life time moment, it was beautiful and I’ll never be able to properly explain how it left a mark on my heart.
We made friends with new photographers and learned that people throw rocks at things that shine (thanks Taylor.)
I know I should stop with the elaborating, and move forward with the golden goods, but before I do I want to say a couple of things.
1. To all 35 of our amazing couples, God bless you, and thank you for allowing US to spend those incredible moments with you. We cherished each and EVERY one of you, and love seeing your newlywed adventures!
2. I want to write a novel about ALL of you, so I can so accurately describe how amazing you all are to anyone who may look at this post, but to avoid ALL of that typing, I will leave you with a song lyric, or quote that reminds both John and I of you! (You all know I had TOO much fun with this.)
2013 treated us SO well, we can’t wait to share 2014 with you!
Enjoy!
Jessica and Andrew– March 2nd, 2013
“I’ll tell you one thing it’s always better when we’re together.” -Jack Johnson
Janet and Brad– April 6th, 2013
“Oh it’s such a perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you.” -Lou Reed
Krissa and Nick– April 13th, 2013
“I keep you on my mind both day and night, and this happiness I’ve known proves that it’s right.” -Johnny Cash
Lauren and Maverick– April 20th, 2013
“He watched her spin around in her highest heels you are the best one, of the best ones.” -Dashboard Confessional
Juliann and John– April 27th, 2013
“With your heart my soul is bound, and as we dance I know that Heaven can be found.” -The Avett Brothers
Emily and Kyle – May 10th, 2013
“Souls do not have calendars or clocks, nor do they understand the notion of time or distance. They only know it feels right to be with one another.” -Unknown
Lauryn and Scott – May 17th, 2013
“What is done in love, is done well.” Vincent van Gogh
Jade and Boo – May 18th, 2013
“Home is whenever I’m with you.” Edward Sharpe
Tori and Phillip – May 24th, 2013
“The day we met, frozen I held my breath, right from the start I knew that I’d found a place for my heart.” – Christina Perri
Caitlyn and Zach – May 25th, 2013
“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.” Ruth 1:16
Amy and Greg – June 1st, 2013
“Love, it will not betray you, dismay, or enslave you, it will set you free.” Mumford and Sons
Sydney and Chris – June 7th, 2013
“What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” -Jackie DeShannon
Katey and Justin – June 8th, 2013
” I think of you in colors that do not exist.” -Unknown
Lauren and Joseph – June 15th, 2013
” I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.” – Mr. Darcy
Diane and Lance – July 20th, 2013
“You are the song of every bird, you are the poets every word, every artist’s picture, and every writer’s play.” -Dolly Parton
Julia and Michael – August 3rd, 2013
“Your kiss, your kiss is on my list.” – Hall and Oates
Joslyn and Joseph – August 9th, 2013
“Say you, say me, say it for always, that’s the way it should be.” -Lionel Richie
Alannah and John – August 17th, 2013
“I belong with you, you belong with me, you’re my sweetheart.” – The Lumineers
Rachel and Whit – August 24th, 2013
“Life is ever changing, but I will find a constant and a comfort in your love.” – The Avett Brothers
Christina and Stephen – September 7th, 2013
” All this time, always.” – Severus Snape
Katie and Alan – September 14th, 2013
“She is the days I can’t get over, she is the nights that I call home, endlessly.” – Green River Ordinance
Jamie and Gary – September 20th, 2013
“It’s like rain on your wedding day.” -Alanis Morissette
Brittany and Brandon – September 21st, 2013
“You make it so easy to fall so hard.” -Phillip Phillips
Kelly and Dusty – September 28th, 2013
“I’m doing things that I don’t normally do and though I try I can’t deny I gotta crush on you.” -Dizzy D (Dusty Warren)
This experience forever changed me.
Crew William Kassner, born October 3rd, 2013
“Your first breath took ours away.” -Unknown
Jessica and Daniel – October 5th, 2013
“I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map and knew that somehow I could find my way back.” -Florence and the Machine
Megan and Cody – October 19th, 2013
“Sun is shining, weather is sweet, makes you wanna move your dancing feet.” -Bob Marley
Kristine and Ken – October 25th, 2013
” I like the way you’re everything I ever wanted.” -Taylor Swift
Lauren and Anthony – October 26th, 2013
“Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you.” -The Beetles
Bri and Chris – November 2nd, 2013
“I love you more than college football Saturday” -Unknown
Amanda and Michael – November 9th, 2013
“It’s got to be that can’t eat, can’t sleep, reach for the stars, over the fence kinds of stuff, right?” -Mary Kate Olsen
Casey and Dustin – November 16th, 2013
“There is no fear in love.” -1 John 4:18
Megan and Kolby – December 7th, 2013
“Love is the bridge between you and everything.” –Rumi
Kelsey and Nick – December 14th, 2013
“For in dreams we enter a world that is entirely our own. Let them swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud.” -Dumbledore
Jenna and Nathan – December 21st, 2013
“Just always be waiting for me.” -Peter Pan
Ivey and Cam – December 28th, 2013
“They’ll name a city after us.” -Regina Spektor
You all mean so much to us. You’ve filled every ounce of our hearts with overflowing joy.
Happy New Year!
Meg Baytos Young - We love y’all so much!!! This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing our special day. You both are incredibly talented. Cheers to the start of a wonderful New Year!
Xoxo
Meg and Kolby
Bri - What a year! Y’all are awesome. Love this post.