helen + roy: their 60th wedding anniversary.

our lives so often call for moments of celebration, of reflection and gratitude with those we love and cherish the most. it is within that space that we are reminded of what was and of course what is. we remember the years bygone and recount the moments that meant the most. and we find ourselves blessed by the present, by the unity, by the together-ness.

helen and roy mcardle's 60th wedding anniversary and 90th birthdays were reason enough indeed to assemble together the McArdle clan from near and far and to celebrate their marriage, to reflect on the legacy they are leaving, and to thank them for the profound impact they have had on the lives of those around them. it was cause for a big ol' party. and that it was... in Kailua, Hawaii mind you.

from live, authentic hawaiian tunes to homemade spreads of local favorites, from toasts of gratitude and tales of wonderful McArdle memories to special details that spoke of Helen and Roy's ninety years of life and sixty years together, it was an event i was honored to take part and was a pleasure to photograph.

Helen & Roy may you be blessed with continued health and happiness and may you be blessed for all you have done, are doing and will do for those around you. you are an example to many. and to the whole McArdle family, thank you for honoring your parents in such a beautiful way and for planning a wonderful celebration for them. what a great family to have gotten the chance to know. thank you.

for a full slideshow of the festivities, click here. plus, below are a few more nugs...

jenelle + marc: their wedding | san juan capistrano, california

from the moment i hung up the phone after my first conversation with jenelle, i knew that she and marc were the perfect fit. they deeply valued photography and wanted their day documented with style, ease, and authenticity. and they wanted their story told, preserved and shared. not only that but they are fun, totally in love, and a ridiculously good-looking & photogenic couple. plus they had a unique story. their wedding sounded like my idea of a good time and i was thrilled they asked me to take part in their special day.

after months of anticipation (both from them and me), august 2nd finally came...the day was warm but gorgeous. the colors: silver and blue. the groomsmen: danish and delightfully entertaining. the bride was simply and stunningly beautiful. the groom: such a stud. and the danish traditions were aplenty. and one of my dearest frinds, hannah, was a bridesmaid which was a special treat (in fact, it was she who referred jenelle & marc to me. so i have her to thank for all this goodness).

one of my favorite parts of the day was the reception. marc is from denmark and with that comes a whole list of fantastic wedding traditions. there were choreographed dances, hand-written stories and songs, lots of kisses and dancing, and of course, my personal favorite, the cutting of the socks. this calls for a story: so, during the couple's first dance to traditional danish music, the guests slowly circled around them until they were literally squeezing them. then all of the sudden, the groomsmen picked up marc, removed his shoes and cut the tips of his socks off. it's tradition people. and i loved it.

marc and jenelle, thank you! thank you for being such great clients, and friends. for being ready and willing to take crazy-fun photos. for planning a wedding that was absolutely beautiful to photograph. and for all the laughs. i wish you all the best in your life together. may your marriage be blessed immeasurably.

check out more photos from their wedding here.

sneak peek: beth + matt.

it happened again. one of my friends got married and i got to be her wedding photographer. i love that. it is such an honor i tell you. i usually get all sorts of teary-eyed at some point during the wedding. actually quite often. haha. this time it was when we all sang "In Christ Alone". it was such a poignant moment of the ceremony. the moment i realized beth was married to matt. and i not only got be there to witness but i was procured to document it and tell the story of their day. so, so cool. i love my job.

so, i have to get some rest tonight since i have jenelle and marc's wedding tomorrow up in san juan capistrano, but i just HAD to post a few pics at a slideshow to tide you over until i can get a real post up :) check back in a few days...