Worth 1,000 Words: Caroline Logan Photography

Mr. Cameron and Mrs. Alexandra Roberts on their wedding day
Photo credit: Caroline Logan Photography 

Welcome to the final feature for my "Worth 1,000 Words" series! It's been an adventure, wouldn't you agree? And now you can always visit my Summer 2015 archives to find wedding photographers who you can recommend to friends and family who are ready to get married! If you're not married yet then when you get engaged, you now have a lovely resource within this "Worth 1,000 Words" blog series!

Today, we're featuring beautiful photography from Caroline Logan, a destination wedding photographer who photographed her first wedding at the young age of 14! She's quite a brilliant, determined and wonderful person to know.

Enjoy getting to know Caroline today! Read on for details.

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What loves means to Caroline Logan as a wedding photographer: 

While I’m not yet married myself, I’m so grateful for the strong examples of God-centered marriages I’ve been able to look to. I’m especially thankful for my parents who have always taught me that marriage is not a point to be reached, but a process to be nourished. I believe marriage is a lifetime commitment and I am just as excited for my couples to celebrate day ten thousand and one of their marriage as I am about day one!

With that in mind, I believe wholeheartedly a photographer’s job spans beyond perfect composition, nailed exposure, or a technically flawless image (although that’s certainly important too). I feel that the foundation of what I do is to capture a joy-filled and genuine connection between a bride and groom that tells an authentic story of who they are together in that moment…so they can look at the images years down the road and feel it too. This is my heart and something I feel so incredibly passionate about.

~*~

Photographer bio (in Caroline Logan's words):

Caroline Logan, photo credit: Anna K. Photography

I’m Caroline Logan, a wedding photographer, adventurer, story-teller, and believer in love. I like to think I’m a Southern girl at heart, although I was born and raised in the land I’ll always love and find most dear: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 

I started this journey at the ripe old age of fourteen when I took a crazy leap and photographed my first solo wedding. (Yikes, I was just a baby…I know!) I’ve come a long way since those early days in business, and today, have the joy and privilege of waking up each day to pursue my dream, pouring my heart into work that is truly my passion!

I’ve gotten to travel across the country photographing weddings, attending conferences, and meeting incredible people and it has truly been the greatest of adventures. However, for me, it has been the relationships I’ve built with each one of my sweet and amazing clients that has been the biggest reward that has come from running my own photography business. I truly feel so blessed and grateful to be welcomed into my clients’ lives, to learn their love story, to share in their joy, and to celebrate with them as they make this amazing marriage commitment!

~*~

Connect with Caroline:

Website - http://carolineloganphotography.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/carolineloganphotography
Instagram - https://instagram.com/carolineloganphoto/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/carolineraush/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/carolineraush

Worth 1,000 Words: Alisandra Photography

"First Look" photo captured by Alisandra, featuring Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Laura Barker

Today we've got a different picture worth a thousand words, it's what wedding photographers call the "first look." Featured in today's picture are Jacob and Laura getting a "first look" at each other before their wedding ceremony. The first look is really for the guy to see how beautiful his bride looks in her wedding dress in a private moment shared between the bride, groom and their professional wedding photographer(s). But after seeing this picture, I believe Laura was just as excited to see her groom in his tuxedo as he was to see her in her wedding dress! 

Alisandra Williamson of Alisandra Photography captured the picture of The Barkers. Ali dreamed of a career in the music industry before wedding photography caught her eye. She's pursued her passion for capturing lovely wedding day memories with her camera and I'm delighted to introduce Ali to you today! 

Read on to learn more about Ali as a wedding photographer and feel free to connect! :)

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How Ali views love through her lens as a wedding photographer: When I started as a wedding photographer, I really just loved being around the raw emotion and energy of a wedding. But the more weddings I photographed, and teared up at, I realized the depth of what I do. LOVE propels the wedding day, and of course, it propels the marriage. I view my work as a tool in this process. As my couples look back at their wedding photos year after year, I believe they hold the ability to remind the couples of their vows, emotions, and their LOVE as it was from the beginning.

~*~
Photographer bio (in Alisandra's words): 

Featuring Alisandra Williamson, photo credit:
Andrea Pesce Photography

I never had dreamed of being a photographer, in fact, I wanted to work in the music industry! 

I still love music, but I love my job even more. I began my career as a wedding photographer after a few years of second shooting under my belt. 

After attending photography school in the heart of Washington, D.C., I started my business in 2010, and now shoot an average of 20 weddings per year. I’ve had the privilege of meeting amazing couples and documenting their love. 

I view my job as an honor and a gift, just as I view marriage itself! I'm based in Richmond, Va. where I live with my husband, Chad. We'll be married 5 years in October!

~*~

Connect with Alisandra:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlisandraPhotography
Instagram - https://instagram.com/alisandraphoto/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/alisandraphoto/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AlisandraPhoto

Website - http://alisandraphoto.com/home.html

Worth 1,000 Words: Annamarie Akins Photography

Mr. Robert and Mrs. Erin Preston

Today, I'm introducing the work of another wonderful wedding photographer. Let's welcome Annamarie Akins to the blog! 

I love the photo of Annamarie's clients, newlyweds Robert and Erin Preston! Don't you love the old town car in the picture and the way the bride and groom are perfectly positioned?

Annamarie is talented, right? I think you will like her view on love, photography and the people and things in her life that bring her joy! Enjoy her visit with us and interact with Annamarie by leaving a comment at the end of this blog post.

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Annamarie's view of love through her lens as a wedding photographer:
Love is the foundation of what I do as a wedding photographer! My vision is to remind couples of why they fell in love in the first place and to give them an heirloom to treasure for a lifetime. The wedding day is just the beginning of the story…it’s the love that is built in the months and years afterwards that I truly believe is worth celebrating everyday. It’s a love that grows from knowing a person so deeply and from sharing your highs and lows as well as the little every day moments of life together…It grows when you experience things that you love together no matter how big or small…This is the reason I also specialize in Anniversary Sessions! I think that true love takes a lot of sacrifice and it’s such an honor to get to capture photos that couples will hopefully look back on to remind them of where it all began…

~*~

Photo credit: Katelyn James Photography

Photographer bio:
I’m Annamarie, owner of Annamarie Akins Photography and am an International Wedding Photographer based in Virginia. I enjoy traveling to capture love stories and photograph around 25 weddings a year. I’ve been so honored to have my work published in magazines including Destination I Do, The Knot, and Washingtonian Bride and Groom.

In my experience I’ve learned that the best images result from spending time getting to know my couples and their story so that I can capture their love and laughter in a sincere way.

I live in an old house (with virtually no closet space!) just outside of the city in Richmond, Virginia, with my husband + high school sweetheart, Ryan, and our sweet pup, Lexie. Some of the things I love most include relaxing with them and friends in our backyard, a good coffee date, and trying new local restaurants. I’m a self-professed travel loving homebody — as deep as my love is for exploring new places, sometimes there’s no place I’d rather be than cuddled up on the couch with my french press and a good book.

But I love that my job is constantly allowing me to visit new places and build new relationships with the most incredible people!

Connect with Annamarie:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AnnamarieAkinsPhotography
Instagram - https://instagram.com/annamarie_akins/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/annamariea/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/annamarieakins

Worth 1,000 Words: Katelyn James Photography

Mr. Anthony and Mrs. Bryana Pooler on their wedding day (Sept. 12, 2014)

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The beautiful images above are from the wedding of Tony and Bryana. The creative talent behind the camera who was responsible for capturing these captivating images is Katelyn James! She's a sweet person and smart business woman. I am delighted to feature Katelyn and her photography on my blog today!

Katelyn started her photography business in 2008 and never stopped shooting! She's come a long way since her college days when her dorm room was the base for her photography business. After graduation, Katelyn continued her creative work and chased her dreams. Now, Katelyn and her husband Michael (they are a team) photograph an average of more than 30 weddings annually. When not shooting weddings, Katelyn keeps busy with more of her favorite creative endeavors: blogging, speaking and owning a shop.

What loves means to Katelyn as a wedding photographer:
"My view of love has changed so much over the years. I recently watched a video that really encompassed all that I think love is. It was a video of a young engaged couple who got to see what they would look like 60 years from now and it was so amazing. I realized watching that video that my job is so important. I'm preserving memories in their purest form and that is such an honor!"

*See more photos of Bryana and Tony's wedding by visiting Katelyn's blog, 
http://katelynjamesblog.com/morais-vineyard-bealeton-virginia-wedding-venue/
~*~
Photographer bio:

Photo credit: Michael Alsop (Katelyn's husband)

Katelyn James started her professional photography career as a Junior in college and was shooting 25+ weddings annually within her second year. After growing her business and gaining recognition in national publications such as Professional Photographers Magazine, The Knot, Southern Living Weddings, Southern Weddings and Eco Weddings, she began teaching and coaching photographers from all over the country and internationally.

Katelyn hosts workshops throughout the year and monthly coaching sessions at her home in Richmond, VA. Recently, Katelyn has been joined by her husband Michael and they are officially a husband/wife team. 

Katelyn and Michael, Photo credit: Annamarie Akins Photography

Since joining forces, Katelyn and Michael average 36 weddings annually. Their work has also been featured numerous times on national wedding blogs such as Real Simple, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled, Inspired by This, Grey Likes Weddings and Green Wedding Shoes.
~*~
Connect with Katelyn: 
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/katelynjamesphotography
Instagram - https://instagram.com/katelynjames
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/katelyn_james
Twitter - https://twitter.com/katelynjames

Website - http://katelynjames.com

Worth 1,000 Words: Terri Baskin Photography

The newly married Jerrod and Tinita dancing during their wedding day reception

The kiss that ended the wedding celebration and started life together as Mr. & Mrs. Kearney:

 

Photo credit for the featured wedding day pictures: 
Photographer: Terri Baskin (Terri Baskin Photography)- www.terribaskin.com

Couple: Jerrod and Tinita Kearney
Married: May 8, 2015
Location: The Bolger Center- Potomac Maryland

Terri is the principal photographer/owner of Terri Baskin Photography and as you can see from these two beautiful photos, Terri is a talented wedding photographer!

Welcome Terri to the blog today and feel free to connect with her through the links she provides at end of this post. Please leave a comment for Terri to share your thoughts on her guest post today. She'll be happy to hear from you!

Enjoy today's feature! :)

~*~
What love means to Terri as a wedding photographer: 

The moment they first lock eyes on the wedding day and the reaction that each one has towards one a other, whether it be a smile, a tear or a subtle laugh because the day they've been planning and praying for is actually happening or some inside joke that only they will ever know...those are the moments that remind me of why I love being a wedding photographer.

Growing up with a father who spent his Saturdays photographing weddings, I remember being excited about two things when he returned home- the piece of wedding cake that he brought me and the pictures that developed in his in-home dark room! However, being around a successful marriage by having two loving parents at home helped me to understand that it's not always easy to blend two lives into one and make it work but the beauty of wedding photography is that even during the toughest moments, a couple’s wedding photographs can remind them to fight through the tough times and return to the happiest ones. The ultimate love story, in my opinion, is to remember why you started and never give up!

My goal as a wedding photographer is to document those fleeting moments during a wedding day that the couple themselves may have not even realized had taken place. When a couple looks at their wedding images, I want them to remember their day all over again. I want them to reminisce on the happy moments, reflect on the moments that brought them to tears, and share with one another what they were thinking as the day began to unfold. While I’m never present during this conversation, I ensure that when I curate and deliver a couple’s wedding images that the photos themselves can initiate this type of conversation.

~*~

Words from the newlyweds, Mr. Jerrod and Mrs. Tinita Kearney...

Tinita: Love is a word that was once quite easy for me to describe. Prior to getting married, it simply meant family, smiles, laughter, comfort, and deep affection. It meant having someone that I could depend on and trusting that someone would always be in my corner. Yet, now, after marrying my husband, the word that once was so easily categorized has become something much more difficult to define. Today, the word love embodies many things; namely, God and Jerrod. The love that I associate with God is wholly indescribable, and similarly, the love that I hold for Jerrod is difficult to capture into words. Yet, when I think of the deep love that binds my marriage, I realize that it goes beyond laughter and smiles, comfort and affection. Our love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, does not dishonor others, is not selfish, is slow to anger, keeps (almost!) no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres (I Cor. 13:4-7). Our love is biblical and heaven sent, as is my husband, in whom I have all confidence. Because we both acknowledge that our collective mission is to fulfill our God-given purpose through the ministry of our marriage, we are powerful, and our love is our strongest weapon. 

Jerrod: I have always believed spousal love was purely the final stage of an emotion two individuals felt for one another. The emotion grew into love based on the amount of commonalities, attraction, intimate communication, shared experiences and duration of time spent together. Having never experienced spousal love, my belief was formed from watching movies, reading books, hearing others describe why they loved someone, and the like. After being married for just over two months, I have learned love is much more than an emotion. Love is complicated, love is sacrifice, a new experience and most importantly, love is an action. Love is sacrificing your wants to make your spouse happy, putting your spouse’s needs before yours, studying your spouse to know her wants before she knows her wants, being consistent in all that you do, and love is communicated on a daily basis. Although there are many facets to love and definitions of love, the best way to sum up love is to say, outside of Christ, spousal love is the best thing a man has the privilege of experiencing.

~*~
Photographer bio (in Terri Baskin's words): 

Photography is how I creatively express my clients' love story...It gives me the chance to document your "Day One" as husband and wife and create images that may be cherished by a couple for years to come!

My love affair with the camera unknowingly happened when I was about 8 years old when my dad gave me a 110mm camera to document life through my young eyes. It was also my dad that came to my first year of weddings to make sure I documented authentic moments as they unfolded.

Fast forward to today, photography is my stamp that tells the world that on this particular day and at this particular time this is where we were, who we were and what we were doing. We grow, we age, and we change- it's inevitable, but when you look at a photo that I've taken I want it to be your visual reminder of how you looked and felt at that specific moment in time.

I create timeless, romantic and modern photos for the fun couples in love! I am based in Virginia, but I love to travel! Contact me today to discuss your BIG day!

~*~

Connect with Terri, principal photographer and owner of Terri Baskin Photography: 

Photography business website: www.terribaskin.com
E-mail: tbaskin@terribaskin.com
Phone: 703.791.9111
View: The Wedding Experience!


Let’s Get Social! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Terri's photography is featured in the following publications: Style Me Pretty, Munaluchi Bridal, The Knot, BuzzFeed, The Washingtonian Bridal Blog, and Every Last Detail!

Worth 1,000 Words: Emily Ross of Dreamy Elk Photography & Design

Photo credit: Emily Ross of Dreamy Elk Photography and Design, capturing the "first look" between the now Mr. Daniel and Mrs Jennifer Sakaida who were married on April 25, 2015

"The photo I chose was Daniel's immediate reaction to seeing his bride Jennifer for the first time that day. Reactions are always different for every couple, but I remember tearing up at this one. Some guys laugh, a few cry. But Daniel promptly kissed Jennifer's hand with all the grace of a gentleman completely in love with his beautiful bride."~Emily Ross, wedding photographer

What love means to Emily Ross, the wedding photographer: 

Every wedding day is different. Yes, they all have a ceremony, they all have flowers, they all have some kind of cake.

But love is present in different ways at each wedding. Sometimes it's in the dedicated hard work friends and family put into the weeks leading up to the wedding day. Sometimes it's in the whispered moments in the dressing room or on the dance floor. Sometimes it’s in the quick hug goodbye before the newlyweds drive off into the sunset.

Love is always present in the smiles and tears of everyone involved. It's always in the hand holding between parents as they watch their baby wed the love of their life. It's always in the way the bride and groom's faces light up when they finally get to see each other. It’s always in the sweet words spoken by maid of honor and the best man.

I don't always get the chance to get to know the bride and groom very well before their wedding day, but it's always very easy to see how well loved they are by their friends and family. When I see that, I get overwhelmed with happiness for them. That makes my job so incredibly easy. That makes me love my job even more than I already do.

What love meant to Jennifer (the bride) on her wedding day and what it means to her now (as a wife):

Love on my wedding day abounded in so many sights and sounds. I saw the love on my husband-to-be's face during our first look—the sweet unfurling of his smile, the way his eyes lit up as they took me in. I saw the love of my family and friends when I walked down the aisle—all eyes on me, the realization that everyone came here for us wanting to share in our joy with laughter and tears. I saw the love in our pastor's beaming grin—the knowing look of someone who'd watched us “grow up" before his eyes. Above all, the love of Jesus Christ surrounded us: hearing the various Scripture readings, the special music, and our pastor's loving, tailored-to-us sermon stirred up so many emotions in my heart, many of which welled up in my eyes.

Now, on the other side of my wedding day, love reveals itself in so many new, small yet profound gestures. Love is when my husband cooks me breakfast even when I am being an emotionally dysfunctional basket case (which is more often than I would like). Love is when I open up my lunch box and find my meals already packed into individual servings (because my husband knows I need the help). Love is this commitment my husband lives out every day to have and to hold me, for better and for worse.

Without Jesus, the love between Daniel and me wouldn't be possible, and with every passing day, I learn more about what it means to love and to be loved. Married life has been filled with many firsts and ups and downs, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

What love meant to Daniel as the groom on his wedding day and what it means to him now as a husband:

When I look back to our wedding day, love for me was about the future: the excitement of anticipating. Of course, I have known from day one that I loved her, but weddings are forward-looking by their very nature. Friends and family came from all over the country to see us begin our journey together; we made promises to each other and before God; and we stored away as many memories and photos as possible. Months of planning came together to celebrate the future we were yet to have.

Now, love is here in the everyday, woven into the variations the daily grind produces. Sure, we still look forward to spending the rest of our life together…but I get more satisfaction from realizing that we are spending our lives together now. There’s something beautiful about being able to love each other day in and day out as we imperfectly imitate Christ. The commitment of marriage gives us the freedom to accept each other, mistakes and all, and to bless each other daily in little ways from meal planning to going on simple dates. Maybe it’s not as “romantic” as our wedding, but I treasure this everyday companionship.

~*~

Photographer bio:

Photo credit: Emily Ross of Dreamy Elk Photography and Design

Emily is a wedding photographer based out of Austin, Texas. She’s been in the wedding industry for seven years. She is forever grateful to clients for trusting her with their special day, to her friends and family for their love and support and to God for bringing her the sweetest couples to work with. Emily loves design, the color wheel, Dr. Pepper, musicals, fancy dresses, DIY projects, her husband and Jesus, although not necessarily in that order.

Visit Emily's website to see her beautiful wedding photography and connect with this creative and brilliant photographer, www.dreamyelk.com

Worth 1,000 Words: Ilse Eisele Photography

Featured couple: Tim and Julie Vandeman
Photographer: Ilse Eisele

Today, our special guest is Ilse Eisele, wedding photographer. Ilse and I share a treasured experience--meeting my favorite wedding photographer Jasmine Star at her event "The Fix: D.C." which was held in the Gala Theatre in Northwest, Washington D.C. a few years ago. The event was memorable and Ilse captured a great photo of me with my role model (J* is awesome)! 

The photo above features Mr. Tim and Mrs. Julie Vandeman, friends of Ilse, on their wedding day. Today we're focusing on the photo above that's worth a thousand words and the photographer's bio. The lovely couple is beyond busy, as is the photographer so they did not have time to write a short essay on the meaning of love. 

Reach out to Ilse in the comment section, letting her know what you think of her photography. She'll visit to reply to any questions you may have for her about her work.

Enjoy! 

~*~
Photographer bio:

Ilse Eisele is a professional wedding photographer whose love for horses and people gives her a zest for capturing memorable life moments with her camera. Ilse's photography of horses has been featured in magazines and her wedding photography is a cherished treasure by her brides and their husbands.

Ilse is a pastor's daughter and Auntie to her brother's and his wife's children. She loves helping people so much that she's in graduate school to become a counselor. 

Visit Ilse's professional website, www.ilseeisele.com to see her award-winning photography.

Worth 1,000 Words: Mrs. Loren Jackson

Featured photo:

Photo credit: Kaitlin Noel Photography, featured bride: Mrs. Loren Jackson

Welcome Loren to the blog today! :) Loren is a professional wedding photographer and today she's here with her husband to talk about what love meant to them on their wedding day and what love means to them now as a happily married couple. 

Loren, who is a dear friend of Kaitlin Noel, will also speak about what love means to her through the lens of her work as a wedding photographer. 

So without further ado, I introduce you to Mrs. Loren Jackson! Take it away, Loren! 

~*~
Loren writes about what Love meant to her as a Bride:

Love is dreaming of your wedding day since you were a little girl.

Love is butterflies, excitement, and anticipation.

Love is hearing your soon-to-be husband whisper in your ear “You look beautiful!”

Love is walking down the aisle holding onto your momma, staring at the man you will spend the rest of your life with.

Love is hour long bridal portraits, and your soon-to-be Husband not complaining one time about all the pictures.

Love is your Husband promising not to smash cake in your face, but he does it anyways.

Love is I don’t dance and God gave me You.

Love is celebrating your wedding day with your closest friends, family, and being blessed to have four sets of Grandparents who have been married for 50 plus years. 

~*~
Mrs. Loren Jackson writes about what love means to her now as a Wife:

Love means always thinking of your spouse before yourself.

Love is stopping at the gas station for one thing, but bringing home a bag of M&Ms.

Love is getting up in the middle of the night to leave the dogs out, even if it’s not your turn.

Love is going one (or five) steps above just to make their day a little brighter.

Love is random texts throughout the day.

Love is watching a basketball game with your husband, and all you want to do is watch a chick flick.

Love is watching a chick flick, and giving your crying wife a box of tissues.

Love is the soft forehead kisses hello, the hugs good-bye, and the “I miss you” texts while away.

Love is hearing him say “I love you, baby.”

Love is feeling goosebumps race across your body after hearing him say “I love you, baby."

Love is backrubs, encouragement, cuddles, and support.

Love is promising your life to one man. Promising unconditional love through all the good times, and all the dark times. Promising to put your marriage first, and always finding new ways to fall in love.

Love is dreaming big together. It’s looking at house plans, and envisioning that dream home decorated for Christmas, with the pitter patter of little feet running around and giggles filling the air.

Love is forgiveness.

Love is his smile, and his hand to hold.

Love is tears falling as I sit here and type this, and explain just the few things that makes me love my husband more and more everyday.

Love is marrying a man so good to you, you question yourself daily what you did to deserve a man so loving.

Love is my Husband.

~*~
Loren writes about Love As A Wedding Photographer:

Love is seeing a nervous but excited Bride putting on her dress.

Love is the white dress, the veil, grandma’s jewelry, and love notes.

Love is the first look and the tears in the Groom’s eyes.

Love is my Brides crying when they see their wedding photos.

Love is capturing memories for not just my Bride and Groom, but for the generations that are to come who can share in those memories, as well!

~*~
Joshua (Loren's husband) writes about what love meant to him as the groom:

Love was seeing her for the first time

Love was saying “I do”

Love was making her my wife for the rest of our lives

Mr. Joshua Jackson writes about what love means to him now as Loren's husband:

Love is unconditional

Love is annoying your wife until she is ready to kill you (not really…)

Love is comprise

Love is counting the seconds until you can get home after work to your wife

Love is dreaming together - big and small plans

Love is road trips in the truck

Love is spending time together

Love is going on vacation to new places

Love is movie nights with a bowl of popcorn

Love is tickle fights just to hear her laugh

~*~
Photographer bio:

 Photo credit: Courtney Cannon from Cannon Candids Photography

Loren is a Wedding Photographer in Northeast Ohio. She’s a wife and a fur-mommy to two huskies and a Rottweiler. She loves spending her Saturdays with her Brides and their handsome Husbands. Loren strives in giving all her couples wedding photos that will be cherished by future generations.

Learn more about Loren's photography business through her official website, 

http://lorenjacksonphotographyblog.com/

Worth 1,000 Words: Sara Roney of Roneyfield Photography

The featured photo captured by Sara Roney of Roneyfield Photography

Mr. Joe and Mrs. Ashley Rogan share their first kiss as a married couple

Sara's definition of love through the lens of a wedding photographer:

What is love to me through the lens? 

Love is sharing in those irreplaceable moments of our brides and grooms on their magical day, crying with them when they're so happy they don't know what else to do, and being able to be a part of their family and friends who are there to witness these special moments. 

Love to me is being able to CAPTURE those emotional, personal, and physical memories, to be viewed forever.

The bride's definition of love:

Love to me means that my wants, desires, and needs are no longer my own. My husband deserves my everything. Love means giving my all to ensure his happiness is met before my own. Love means that I am complete.

The groom's definition of love:

Love means remembering my vows every day. It means enjoying the easy times and pushing through the hard times. It means never forgetting how that first kiss felt.

~*~

Photographer bio: 

My name is Sara Roney. I am an experienced photographer of 14 years now. Continually, I am growing more, learning more, and striving to do and serve better! I love photography! I love serving and being a part of those “irreplaceable moments” that are so special in everyone’s life! It’s a real blessing to bring people happiness by using my talents that God has given me, as well as giving me more opportunities to learn and grow too!

I have always loved photography. Growing up, I was always into art, drawing, and taking pictures. I guess you could say it was a built-in passion that God put on me. I am the eldest of 5 kids, (3 brothers, one sister) and my family was always very supportive of my skills and passions too…and for that, I am extremely thankful! I think it’s very important to be supportive of what your child wants to do with his/her life. They even enrolled me into a painting program with one of the top 5 artists in Maryland, Steve Burdette. That led me to a competition, which one of my paintings won 1st AND 2nd place in the statewide Md. competition! I even got to take one of my paintings to a National Art Competition, too!

I am also a graphic designer by trade…so it's kind of neat to be able to see the photography and the graphic design walk hand in hand too. I'm just grateful for God's blessing on our business/es! We wouldn't be where we are without His favor and guidance! 

Connect with Sara:

Website - http://roneyfieldphotography.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RoneyfieldPhotography

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/sararoney/

Google+ - https://plus.google.com/+Roneyfieldphotography/about

Worth 1,000 Words: Emilie Anne Hendryx of E.A. Creative Photography

The featured photo: 

Bride: Angela Blount, Groom: Paul Blount
Wedding Photographer: Emilie Anne Hendryx

What true loves meant to Angela on her wedding day and what it means now:

"The day I got married I was focused on how much I loved my soon to be husband and how much that love had changed me and him into better people. I was devoting myself to building a life with this person, and was looking forward to how much our love would continue to change us for the better."

"I've only been married for eight months now but it's amazing how much my view of that love has changed. I still love my husband very much and even more so than the day we were married but I've also learned a lot about the kind of love that's required if it's going to last a lifetime. Grace is a chief requirement for a marriage to have a chance. Not that I wasn't aware of this before, but now am uniquely attuned to just how imperfect my husband and I both are."

"I'm still devoted to building a life with my husband but more importantly I'm devoted to my husband. To loving him and supporting him as he strives to improve himself and become the man I know God created him to be, as he has graciously done the same for me."

*The groom was not available for comment. 

~*~
What Love Means as a Wedding Photographer
By Emilie Hendryx | Owner/Photographer at E.A. Creative Photography

The music changes. Everyone stands. All eyes are on her.

She steps into his line of sight and I immediately turn my camera on to his face. The look of joy, astonishment at her beauty, and pure love that’s reflected there often makes me tear up. Then I turn back to her, capturing her journey down the isle to exchange one name for another, commit her life to his, and seal it all with a kiss. 

I love weddings and, working as a wedding photographer, I’ve gotten to see all sides of them. The good, the bad, and the beautiful. The one thing that has been consistent through all of the weddings that I’ve captured is the reality of love between the groom and his bride. Yes, it looks different outwardly, but I’d hazard a guess to say it is very similar inwardly. A type of love that bypasses conventional wisdom in some cases, that over-looks flaws, and that preservers to the uniting of two hearts.

I get the behind-the-scenes look. It’s actually one of the tenants that I build my business on—the reality that I’m not just the couples photographer, I’m their friend capturing images that will act as tangible memories for the rest of their lives. With that, I get to see everything. I hate to break it to you ladies who may not be married yet, but your wedding likely won’t go off “without a hitch”. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing though! I once did a wedding where a caterer didn’t show up…they ordered pizza and it was a chance for everyone to do dessert first!

The fact is, the wedding day—though a joyous occasion and celebration—is just that, one day. A marriage is forever. And for that forever to work, the foundation has to be love. Not the kind of love you feel one day and it’s gone the next. Not the kind of love that burns passionate and fizzles out. Not even the kind of love that is based on who the person is right then and there. No, it’s a different kind of love.

This kind of love is durable. It can be stretched. It will be tested. It sees with clear eyes to the heart of who the person really is and delves deeper than what can be seen on the surface or acknowledged in a few conversations. This love says that it will take everything—good days and bad, sickness and health, poverty and wealth—because it’s a commitment.

This type of love is a choice.

I’m idealistic and a true romantic at heart, but I have come to realize that I can’t believe love rests on a feeling. If it did, I think I’d be anxious all the time because with one wrong move, that love would be gone because feelings change so often. But realizing that love is a choice means that there is hope. Hope of a sustaining, lasting love.

When a bride says, “I do” to her groom, she knows that those words cover the ups and the downs. They cover her in the morning without makeup on or him forgetting to take out the trash. They cover experiencing the death of loved ones, loss of finances, or natural disasters. They also cover the beautiful times like candlelit dinners, faraway vacations, and the birth of a child.

That is what I see love as. Sustaining, enduring, and ultimately based on Christ’s love for us. We have the perfect example in Him and, through his perfect grace, we can exhibit the type of love that lasts forever.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."~1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

~*~
Photographer bio:

Emilie lives in Washington, D.C. and fills her time with creative pursuits. She writes, runs a wedding & portrait photography business, reads, plays guitar, and drinks too much coffee. 

She’s a member of ACFW and is currently working on a romantic suspense series while dreaming up a YA dystopian world on the side. 

You can also check out her writing blog, Thinking Thoughts.

Worth 1,000 Words: An introduction

Dear blog friends,

I'm super excited to introduce my new series "Worth 1,000 Words"!

Every Wednesday, you can visit my blog to find a picture that's worth a thousand words and you can discover wonderful wedding photographers who captured that lovely moment. 

This series is meant to promote the work of wedding photographers who love God as much as they love capturing the true love stories of their clients with their professional camera.

Photo courtesy of Jasmine Star, http://www.jasminestarblog.com/

My ultimate favorite wedding photographer is Jasmine Star, pictured in action above this text. She is a sweet, sincere and business-savvy role model for creatives in the wedding photography industry! She's kind, professional and a great teacher. Jasmine hosts workshops and speaks for Creative Live. She has a heart for giving back to the community by mentoring aspiring photographers and helping them to build their business and reach new heights of success.

God made a way for me to meet Jasmine Star a few years ago but that's another story for another day! :)

I hope you will enjoy this new series! Here's what to expect every Wednesday on my blog until the end of Summer 2015:

1) A picture that's worth a thousand words

2) A write-up of what love means through the lens of a wedding photographer

3) A few words from the bride featured in the photo on what true love means to her as the bride on her special day and now as a wife

4) A few words from the groom featured in the photo on what true love means to him as the groom on his wedding day and now as a husband

5) Promotional details for the featured photographer and their professional business

*Please note: Sometimes there may be cases when then bride and groom could not be reached for comment. But you can still expect items #1, #2 and #5 every Wednesday, for certain!

So I'm excited for this new series! Are you?

I hope so!

Take care and God bless you! 

Love,

Alexis