Tears, Les Miserables, Heaven & Me

More then likely a million words have been be written about what Les Miserables teaches us about grace and law, forgiveness and revenge. But tonight as the final scenes played on our TV (yes I watched it for the first time tonight) I found myself crying. I could have really let it rip but I didn't want that snotty nose cry going so I fought the tears back.

But, I couldn't help it, I just love the final scene!

I love the thought of grace, of love, of the hope of what's coming.

The hope that one day, we will each be "beyond the Barricades, living in freedom, putting away the sward, breaking the chain..."

Yes, one day it will be so...
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever." 5And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making all things new!" 
Rev. 21:1-4

Kim & Ryan

It's always a honor to capture a wedding. To freeze a moment, a glance, a tear forever to be relived, remembered and cherished. Always an honor, but there's something special when your family asks you to do that for them. When they trust you to help them re-tell and remember the day they sealed their love before family and friends.

You can never say you have a favorite cousin, but if I could, I'd choose Kim (oops, sorry other cousins!!). Reason being, we're only a few months apart in age, and the rest were all "older and too cool" for a hyperactive, annoying kid, but Kim, either because she chose to, or because she had no other options, would stick with me at family events. As we grew older, we discovered we saw the world similarly, had amazing, honest conversations, and accepted each other. When we get time together, I always cherish it.

So when the call came letting me know Ryan had popped the question, I was super excited for her. I didn't really know Ryan, but if he made Kim happy, I was happy. When they asked Pearl and I to capture their day, I was crazy happy. I was honored. 

Kim and Ryan were married on the beach in Clearwater, Florida. 

It was a hilarious journey to fly with camera cases, suitcases, and a toddler in tow. Zion (21 months old at that time) insisted on carrying the camera cases, which weighed more than he did, so we had to figured out a way for him to feel like he was doing it by himself. This is how we flew from PA to FL. 

Kim and Ryan rented a beach home to host the guests, as well as the reception. They marked a beautiful spot on the beach, and, at the decided time, they had family and friends meet on the beach to hear their vows to one another. 

It was simple and honest, much like their love. Simple. Void of the excess drama some couples create, yet honest and true to who they are. 

The day was beautiful (even if it was the coldest day in 6 years). It was their day, with their friends, with their family. 

Thanks Kim for being a friend who's also family, and thanks Ryan for loving our family well. 

Love you guys, 

Matt

Juli & Mike

It's amazing how much your confidence in yourself can ebb and flow. One moment, you feel you're capable of almost anything, and the next you worry you've become so incompetent you can't even tie your shoes.

Sadly, photography has had many of those moments for me. When we were first getting started, there would be moments I felt skilled, creative, and professional, followed by others I felt stupid, clumsy and pathetic.

It happens. It's life. But I've learned--and continue to learn--not to listen to the fears in my head, to instead say a quick prayer and keep capturing. I actually do this with a lot of things in my life.

I've also learned to keep listening to the right voices.

For Pearl and I, Juli and her best friend Kelly have been two of those voices over the years, voices that inspire and instill confidence in us to keep going after this photography thing, writing thing, speaking thing, creative thing...Anyway, you get the point.

Juli is a graphic designer, and a good one at that. She can create amazing typography and layered images that communicate clearly and with conviction. I've worked alongside her on numerous projects and find myself still amazed at what she's able to create. Pearl and I became friends with Juli when she was just out of college and starting her first design job. She volunteered her skills for the LCBC Church gathering we worked with, and was so good at it that they hired her! We've been friends ever since.

Mike was one of those guys we always knew from a distance. His reputation of being creatively adventurous, business savvy, and big-hearted preceded him. He volunteered for years at LCBC with high school students, and when they opened a new campus in York, his energy and heart were huge assets to creating the culture of acceptance and love there.

It's funny how Juli and Mike were near each other for years, routinely crossing paths, but one day, one random crossing, one normal conversation, something clicked and they went from being casual friends to curious friends, to dating, to engaged.

Juli and Mike are great for each other. Their relationship is one that just makes you smile, and capturing their day, made us smile.

Here are a few images from their day, and I hope they make you smile as much as they did for me.