When we were planning our own wedding, family and tradition began to move to the forefront. On a trip up to see my grandparents in the midst of our wedding planning, my grandmother pulled out her wedding album. She reached into her closet to retrieve a worn white leather album with the words “Our Wedding” printed in gold on the front.

She flipped through the carefully preserved pages - about 30 images in black and white each representing a beautiful memory from the wedding day of my Grandma Jean (Geeya) and Grandpa Dick (Grandpa). We flipped through images that until this time I had never seen.

MY "WHY"

And as my grandmother turned over the final page I sat totally overcome with emotion.

I had been shooting weddings and couples for almost 2 years when Patrick and I got engaged. Before that time I knew that I Ioved my job because it brought me together with beautiful couples in love whose joy and energy were so incredibly invigorating. At that time, that was my reason for wanting to photograph weddings.  

The final image was a sendoff image of my grandparents leaving their reception. My grandmother is laughing with her eyes closed and my grandfather has this huge grin on his face.

It filled me with such emotion to see these two hopeful newlyweds and then to see how their relationship has blossomed over the years. As the granddaughter of these two people who have lived such a beautiful life together and continue to treat each other with such love and mutual respect, it is incredible to have this living memory of the first day of their life together.

This became my reason for being a wedding photographer. I want to help create the heirloom images that will be passed down through generations. The nervous energy leading up to the ceremony, the family members that surround you, the moment you say I do, the first dance you share as husband and wife… I want to capture these memories not just for you but for future generations of your family because they are important.

MY "WHY" ...

This became my why.