Oooo, this is a *good* post, dear friends.  The blog has been a little silent as I’ve been gallivanting around Europe for several weeks.  After a couple weeks home of rest, recovery, and editing I’m so excited to finally share the first of two anniversary sessions I was lucky enough to do in Italy.

Nicole & Josh, though only married a few months, are actually celebrating many years together – the day we shot these was the day of their first date – seven years ago!  These two had been traveling Europe for the previous three months.  Something that doesn’t come without its challenges.  Being with the same person, hours, days, and weeks on end has its struggles, they told me over prosecco and apertivi. But this shoot occurred near the end of their travels and I think there’s a certain sort of triumph in their spirits.  A bit of the latin phrase veni vidi amavi about them: we came, we saw, we loved. 

These two are some of my favorites.  We started the night off talking about all their travels, thus far.  Favorite cities, least favorite cities, culture, food, travel snafus, and love.  Connecting with RTP couples on heart levels is seriously one of my favorite parts of the job, and our conversation left me so full of joy, happiness, and contentment with life.  (Side note: How blessed am I to just talk about life & love and get to know the hearts of people?  I’d feel like a fraud if I didn’t know a least a sliver of their hearts before attempting to document their love.)  After a bottle of bubbly, we ventured out to capture sunset expressions of love between these two in one of the world’s most romantic cities: Florence.

Enjoy the screaming views of the the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio, sprouts of springtime, and the indelible love these two have for one another.

Nicole & Josh, we’re lifers. Thanks for letting me be the one to do this!

With love & joy,
René