So during this Part I, I’m going to attempt to paint a picture of Buddy and Jill’s relationship so that you understand why this wedding means SO much to me.  I’ll start with college.  Michael is two years older than me and so when he left for college and I had a mini-breakdown and begged my parents to let me visit him every weekend…… I would go to CNU and stay with Bev, Jill, Chrissy and Meghan. They were college girls… and I was a junior in high school and so that automatically made them 3x cooler than me. So I looked up to them. I loved them and as I entered CNU, we became more than just “weekend-visit-sleepover-buddies”……these girls became some of my closest friends…So that’s how I came to love Jill but if you want to get an even more detailed story… I could tell you about how Michael and Jill were born in the same hospital, two days a part!  Yea, crazy!

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And now we’re moving on to Buddy:  So after my freshman year I moved into a house with some of my BEST friends (Middle House I miss you!) and we had neighbors on either side. To the left was the YoungLife guys house (even though very few of them led YL at the time) and Buddy was one of them. It wasn’t uncommon to walk in our house and find buddy hanging out in the kitchen…eating something…..something of ours! It’s ok Bud, we still love you. So we started to get to know buddy that year and we learned that he was a pretty awesome guy.  It didn’t take long until Jill found that out too. They started talking and hanging out and I specifically remember having “House Time” with my roommates and saying “Gosh, are they dating yet?!!”.  We knew it was going to happen.  It was so obvious.  Jill and Buddy became best friends and we watched them grow as a couple all throughout college.

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This is why this wedding was so amazing for me.  I’ve watched two people that I love find each other, fall in love with each other and then MARRY each other.  It’s such an AMAZING thing.  I really don’t feel like I’m doing it justice with my words…..It’s so hard to communicate how POWERFUL a wedding can be when you’re celebrating with friends that you love and when those friends love the Lord…. whew! Bring out the tissues!!! There is SO much more to a marriage than just rings, a dress and a party….. gosh, it’s what we were created to do…. we are designed to LOVE each other and we only understand what LOVE actually is through Christ! And so when a couple that I care about SO much comes together to become husband and wife…. it’s not just another wedding for me. It’s a celebration that nothing else compares to……nothing.  On Saturday Michael and I were surrounded by our closest friends as we witnessed Buddy and Jill start their new life together and we rejoiced with them.  As I watched Jill cry as she wrote her last journal entry to her future husband that she had been praying for for 6 years…. I rejoiced with her.  As I photographed Bev, Meghan, and Chrissy help Jill into her wedding dress…. she cried and I rejoiced with her…. and as I watched Jill see her husband for the first time on their wedding day… I cried and I rejoiced with her. (But I was taking pictures too! Don’t you worry!)

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I had the privilege of being with Jill a few days before her wedding to help get ready and decorate… and then Michael and I got to photograph their wedding day. What an insane honor!!!! I can’t believe I get paid to do this.  Buddy and Jill…. gosh, I could go on and on about you guys ( I already have!). When you were dating and I saw you together, it made me happy….and now that you’re husband and wife…. I am BEYOND EXCITED for you!!! Michael and I LOVE you two and we were so honored that we got to be a part of your wedding day!!! Enjoy your last few days in Jamaica and then hurry home so we can have our first double date as old married couples!!! (ps. Jill I have your Credit card still…. I should probably give that back sometime soon:)

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Anyway! Enjoy Part I and I’m warning all of you out there…. this may be a new favorite for you!!! I’m just saying.

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Oh and THIS  is Grey Gables.  Beautiful right?! Well this 18th century plantation home is not only their wedding venue, it’s also their first HOME! Buddy runs a farm and works for Polyface, a pasture based, organic farm that is known nationwide.  When buddy and Jill found out that they would be living here…. they also decided to have their wedding here as well! How perfect! We literally celebrated and took portraits in their BACKYARD. It’s really unbelievably gorgeous! I’ll tell you more about their awesome reception in Part II!

Gorgeous.

Gosh Jill!! You look SO good!!!!

LOVE the light in this room. Having two opposite windows is amazing!

Love this.Seriously, every time I photograph a first look, I love it more and more. Brides, you can’t experience moments like these when you meet at the front of the ceremony, it’s such an amazing time for the bride and groom!!

This may have been the moment when Buddy told Jill that she had never looked more beautiful …. or maybe it was the moment when he said he seriously couldn’t be any happier….whatever moment it was… it was awesome.  Buddy you have one stunning bride!

Showing off that beautiful dress!

Love them!

Ah!

Jill made those awesome bouts!

Ahhhh!!!

At this time, I was squealing!

Work it girl! You’ve got “the look” DOWN.

Ok I know I’m posting WAY too much… Michael just came home and said “Are ALL of those going on the blog?!” …. Yes, yes they are. I can’t help it.

Here we go!!! Gotta love the barn!

Jill if you don’t put this on a canvas, I will!

There are no words. New all time favorite right here!

When you know almost EVERYONE in the bridal party it makes my job easy…

So Michael was second shooting during this and I LOVE these three shots of his…..I’m so proud:)

Yikes!!!

Going to get married!!!!!

And just in case you needed a little incentive to come back for part two… here’s a sneak peek!