Ryan and Rachel’s Salt Lake City Temple Wedding

 

At the very end of April, it was my extreme pleasure to photograph Ryan and Rachel’s wedding. Ryan was my friend from back in the good ol’ EFY days of my life, and I was more than thrilled when he told me he was engaged! And especially to awesome Rachel whom I was so very excited to meet! The wedding day was so beautiful, yet very simple and focused on the two of them and their love for one another. It was very tender and sweet. I was very grateful to photograph these two lovebirds. I’ll let the photographs speak for themselves now :)

Different life experiences tend to lead us to people we never expected to meet. This is what happened for Rachel and Ryan. They were each going to school and earning some extra money working custodial on campus. That’s where they later realized it would change their lives.

  

Rachel said, “I remember the first I saw him when he walked through the door in our little meeting room - I immediately felt a warm, comforting feeling by his presence as he sat next to me on the couch. When I first started working with him, I fell in love with his kindness, his interest in getting to know who I was, and the way I felt so comfortable with him, just being with him and talking to him was so natural and relaxing. I came to love everything about him as we developed, I'd notice little things that would make me fall in love with him even more every day, like when he wore his glasses (they made him look very distinguished), the color of his hair and eyes, his smile that would melt my heart, his goofiness and sense of humor - everything about him was so attractive in every way.”Ryan said about those first few weeks, “Yes, you could say there was a lot of chemistry going on the first few weeks on the job. I would do whatever possible to get placed on joint assignments with Rachel. I even mentioned to our supervisor that we particularly liked being paired up.”

What was the first thing that caught your eye about each other in those first few weeks of dating?

Ryan Said: “Rachel first caught my eye with her ability to be graceful and beautiful in any situation. Yes - she even looks like a cherub when taking out the trash, and she makes mopping floors look like a work of art.”

Rachel said, “The more I got to know him, the more in love I became. Never had I met a man as sensitive, patient, intelligent, and kind as Ryan. I was absolutely, positively, intensely, in love. I can't say it enough.”

  What were some of your feelings leading up to your wedding day? Ryan said, “Excitement. What more can I say? People would ask me if I felt nervous, but this always confused me. What is there to be nervous about when you're marrying an angel.”

Rachel said, “We were engaged for 8 months - I was anxious, anxious, anxious! (My word, is it here yet?!) Time flew by so fast once it hit April 1st, however. Even though I was busy and a little overwhelmed preparing for the wedding, I made sure to stop and think about the great opportunity I had to be sealed to my love in the temple for time and eternity - and I was so very happy.”

 

What is your favorite thing about Ryan? Rachel said, “There are so many superb qualities Ryan possesses, but I think what I love the most about Ryan is he is so comfortable and confident with who he is - he is genuine, real - he is my example, my reminder of who I want to become.”

What is your favorite thing about Rachel? Ryan said, “My favorite thing about Rachel is her ability to forgive and to love. If someone tells you that they've never disagreed with their spouse, then they are probably married to a pebble. Rachel also has a great capacity to love, which she exercises on a daily basis in serving others.”

 

How did you feel once you were married? Ryan said, “Like a burden had been lifted, really. Anyone that has been engaged for over half a year wishes he had chosen a three month engagement instead.”

Rachel said, “I love it! It's incredible being able to be with your best friend all the time and share everything together. Everyday I just live to make Ryan happy - it's what makes me most happy.”

Ryan and Rachel – I wish you all the happiness in your marriage! Thank you for letting me be a part of your day and capture your love for one another!

Love is An Orange - Teaser

 

Stay tuned for this AWESOME Engagement session that I did last night. So creative, fun, and so THEM! Find out why when I post the full preview with their story. . .

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

A High School Sweetheart’s Love Story – Mercedes + TJ

 

It was the beginning of 10th grade, and Mercedes was looking forward to it. Being academically inclined, Mercedes enjoyed the learning environment. She was a very well-rounded student, finding time for studies, sports, as well as her friends. But she never knew her life would change when she walked into her Algebra class that year and sat in front of the “popular” kid.  She knew that he was well liked by others, especially the other popular, self-assured girls, but she never knew that as the weeks and months went by that she would as well fall for that wavy brown hair and big brown eyes.

  Being a quiet girl herself, she was surprised that after “helping” TJ with some of the math homework, he brought out a new side to her, and she started to flirt in her own way, having no idea what this handsome popular kid would think of her. But she had no idea that even though TJ was liked by many other girls, he noticed something different about Mercedes. “I couldn’t wait to get to school, just to see him, just to talk to him in third period.” And what started off as casual flirting, turned into deeper conversations, phone calls, bowling, dinners, and just a lot of fun in those years in high school.

Even their story was filled with a time where they needed to break up. To become who they were supposed to become, and maybe to help one another realize how much they needed each other. But luckily during the summer of their senior year, they both realized that the feelings they had for one another were still strong. They knew that they needed that time away and because of how they grew a part, they discovered that their newfound beginning to their second chance had became that much stronger and more real.

Exactly 4 years from their first date, TJ had a surprise for Mercedes. A planned specific question that would impact the rest of Mercedes life as well as his own. And because they decided to get married and seal their love, they are just at the beginning of living out their happily ever after.

  And now enjoy some of my very favorite pictures of such an adorably fun couple whom I was so fortunate enough to have photographed. I mean seriously just look at the fun we had, their very stylish outfits, and the almost tangible electricity of love between these two high school sweethearts, destined to be with one another forever. I literally can not WAIT till their July wedding!

Mercedes told me that she is obsessed with cotton candy. I absolutely LOVE what we got with it!

 

We were going for the school girl look with her lunch, but I’m not sure what happened. But I ADORE it!

 

Oh my goodness, Mercedes and TJ! It was seriously my pleasure to photograph you both and have you both become my new friends! Thanks for making the long drive, bringing the ridiculously good-looking outfits/props, and waiting oh so patiently for this post! You are the BEST!!!