[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ello there! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this “about me” blog post to get to know some of the story about the photographer behind the camera!
Growing up, I had no idea what I wanted to be. I was always creative but had no idea that I could make a career out of it. I grew up being inspired by my grandparents’ gorgeous nature photography and eventually began playing with a camera!
To give you the story version, when I was 16, my Dad passed away and when I was 21 my Granny passed away… when I lost two of the people that meant the most to me in the world, it reminded me that life is short, and we should do our best to remember and capture all of the moments we can. I often wished away my childhood and teen years and looking back, I wish I hadn’t. I missed so much, so much that I cannot get back. We might not realize how special they are until they’re gone! My passion for photography comes out of the love of the tiny moments and capturing them so they can last so much longer. Those losses made me realize that I have a job to do, I have a story to tell. I have your stories to tell.
Now, as a wedding photographer, I get to capture those special moments and preserve them for a lifetime. I have the privilege of meeting the most incredible people, and I am proud to say that so many of my clients remain close friends even once their wedding is over! I never imagined that this is the life I would be blessed with and I am so thankful for this incredible job! So much of my story has led me to where I am today and I so grateful that I get to do this along with my husband (when he’s not out saving live’s as a paramedic). Oh, and a big thank you to my Mama for seeing my love of photography and gifting me my first cameras; you quite literally made me who I am today!
Our Story
Zack and I met almost nine years ago when I was attending a mission trip to a small church in Chicago. He came to visit some of his friends that he knew from our church (his grandparents and cousins attended the church our family went to in Georgia) at the teen event we were hosting that week, and I very clearly remember meeting Zack and his best friend, Chris. Zack eventually added everyone from the team on Facebook, and I’m so glad he did because otherwise, we might not have kept in touch.
We chatted some but were most definitely just friends. Zack posted that he was going to be attending Liberty University’s College for a Weekend and I happened to be visiting Liberty the same weekend. I messaged him, wishing him a good time and that maybe I would see him around. I did end up running into Zack and Chris in DeMoss Hall, and we chatted for just a few seconds. When Zack got back to the internet (that was way before we had Facebook on our phones. Goodness, we’re old), he replied to my message, and I’m pretty sure that have talked every single day since then.
We officially began dating in June of 2010, and I began attending Liberty in the fall. Zack and I were long distance until he started attending Liberty in the fall of 2011. We dated for three years, and Zack proposed in the summer of 2013 in the North Georgia Mountains. (I will most definitely write a blog post about our engagement because it was both hilarious and so sweet). We had a gorgeous October wedding in 2014 and it could not have been more perfect.
Where We Are Now
Zack and I both went back to school in 2015. I began my 3 and a half year journey to my Master of Fine Art in Graphic Design and Photography. I did not realize my love for teaching until my Graduate Student Assistantship landed me in the classroom during my first semester of grad school. In May, I graduated with my MFA and hope to begin teaching photography and graphic design at the collegiate level in the near future. Zack went back to school for EMT and also his paramedic certifications. He is now a Paramedic/Firefighter with the Lynchburg Fire Department and his quite excellent at his job. Zack photographs about 90% of weddings with me when he can get off work, and we love it! We get to spend the day together and eat wedding cake. I mean, come on! 😉
We are celebrating our four year anniversary this year, and we can’t figure out where the time went! We live in our cute little mint bungalow with our two fur babies! Brodie is our 5-year-old Maltese and the love of my life. I’ve never met another dog like him. Other than his barking escapades, he is quite perfect. Brodie keeps me company when Zack works his 24-hour shifts. I’m not kidding when I say that he is the sweetest pup ever; he loves being the center of attention and is known to be quite the cuddler.
And then there is our outdoor kitty, Bella. Bella is a gorgeous 2-year-old calico that loves roaming the neighborhood. She brings me all kinds of “trophies” and keeps our house clear of all sorts of critters! Fun fact, We got Bella from our incredible wedding venue, Glencliff Manor. Bella’s mom, Mittens, is a barn cat at Glencliff and she makes the sweetest and prettiest kitties around. Even though Bella is primarily an outdoor cat, but she is amazingly friendly. She loves her belly rubs and falls over at any sight of attention!
Zack and I are adjusting to this new time in our lives without our insane school schedule! We can’t wait to see what’s next! Stay tuned for updates and what we’re up two next! 🙂
xoxo,
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