Monument: Tally & Matt – Part II

31.10.11 weddings

Gooooood evening!  I know you’re busy handing out candy right now, but if in the event you get a break from trick-or-treaters, this post is for y’all! We pick up Part II of Tally and Matt’s wedding with their ceremony which was absolutely perfect.  I couldn’t help but tear up behind the camera when I heard this selected readings that Tally’s friend wrote (and read).

“Love is patient.  Love is kind.  But life is not always patient, and it is not always kind.  Love is someone standing in the middle of your busy life who causes you to pause.  Love extends a hand and leads you to a quieter, more peaceful place.  Love grows along the well-worn paths of two people going their own ways.  It envelops all the fences and laces the hard ground between them until it has encased their separate worlds in one secret garden.  It is not impenetrable, but it is protective.  It is not the absence of fear, but it is the decision to walk together knowing the risks.  It is the conscience awareness that there are other choices in life, other partners and other paths; but the taking of a hand, the look in the eyes that says this is the only choice my heart and mind agree on.  When life is not patient and life is not kind, love says, “Let’s talk this through”.  Love kneels together by the bedside and prays for understanding, for patience and for kindness.  Love cultivates a lifetime of patience and kindness by facing life’s struggles together as a husband and wife.  As friends.  United by love. United for life.”

Every Moment

31.10.11 personal

It’s usually after big moments, big trips, big experiences that I sit down and pour out my little heart on this little MacBook Air.  Though it’s certainly not my strength, I try to weave together flowery words that at least somewhat capture the essence of our time together.  But this time, after an extended weekend in Northern California, I’m left a little speechless.  A little too overwhelmed for words.

Because you see, every moment of our time together deserves a blog entry of its own. A blog entry of flowery words, and ooohs and awwws.

Moments like walking the steep city streets of San Francisco drinking Americanos.  Moments like cheering on Stanford’s football team like we belonged in the student section.  Moments like eating mountains of frozen yogurt and dangling from cable cars.  Moments like running through a beach full of seagulls and sitting side-by-side on driftwood, holding each other tight while enjoying the ocean air.  Moments like sailing around the Golden Gate Bridge and laughing till our abs ached.

In every moment, I was reminded of why I’ve been with this man for three years…

Because you see, every moment wouldn’t have happened without his attention to detail, his remembrance of my favorite things, his tender forehead kisses, his patience, his absolute hilariousness :-), his leadership, his strength…

Here’s to enjoying every moment… every look, every kiss, every smile.  And not worrying about what tomorrow may bring.

Happy Halloween.  Happy Monday.  I hope you have a beautiful week.

XOXO,
René

Monument: Tally & Matt – Part I

28.10.11 weddings

It’s finally Friday!  What a week!  I started off on the West Coast sailing in San Francisco and am ending it on the East Coast teaching in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  I’m looking forward to being home and sharing the final few weddings of the year with you – and hugging Calvin the Cat, let’s be honest.  Until then, today we kick off our stint of October weddings – pretty much my favorite month.  I love fall. :-)

Tally and Matt are two of a kind.  There are not enough sweet words in the dictionary to describe just how sweet they really are.  Tally’s adopted me as a new friend and Matt gives me advice on all those speeding tickets I incur. ;-) Okay, it was just the one, but Matt is a police officer and was there when I needed him.  TMI?  Eh… who cares.  We’re all family here.

Matt and Tally,  THANK YOU.  Your wedding was such a wonderful experience.  Your hearts are so big.  I think that was proven at the end of the day… :-)  Thank you for loving each other the way you do and for being so gosh, darn excited about photography.  I could photograph you two until the cows come home. ;-)

So much love and joy to you both!  Can’t wait to see you around church!

With love,
René

Church: Woodmen Valley Chapel
Reception: The Inn at Palmer Lake
Disc Jockey: Pure Energy Events – DJ Brian Howe (holla!)

Larkspur Wedding: Alanna & Alex – Pt II

27.10.11 weddings

Hey yo!  Good morning!  Happy Thursday.  I’m comin’ at ya live from Wake Forest University where I’m doing a bit of photography teaching!  More on that later. :-)  For now, enjoy part II of Lana and Alex’s gorgeous wedding at Spruce Mountain Ranch!