“Despite everything that is happening, what is something that gives you JOY this week?” texted a friend.
I was in a semi-funk, had stayed up until 1AM the night before reading WAY too many conspiracy theories and research studies and everything Covid19, and woke up feeling a little…blah. Not good. Not bad. Just blah. My friend’s question – pffffft; how dare she (wink) – kind of forced me to dig deeper. 4 days prior, for the first time in MONTHS, I dusted off my camera for a dear friend of mine, Sara, + her fiance, Andrew. When my friend asked what had sparked some joy, it then donned on me:
“Having an engagement session was strangely healing, despite the past 6 months. It gave me hope for what love actually looks like between 2 healthy people,” I texted back.
The entire evening was sheer perfection, despite the odds looking to be against us at first. Everything COVID half shut everything down the day before. The parking lot to the garden we were going to use was gated off. The forecast called for rain, and the closer I got to the gardens, the grayer the skies became. Since surrendering my photo biz to a side gig/creative outlet 3+ years ago (side-note: that COULD be changing very soon!;)), the worry crept in, “What if I suddenly suck at this? What if they hate the photographs? What if I can’t execute my vision?” All the overthinking, dumb questions. Well, I prayed over the evening + for the darkened sky to halt a torrential downpour. And you know what?
It was perfect. It was joyful. It was overcast (#THEBEST for some moody portraits, #Amen). It was warm; like the summertime evening haze. We made it into the gardens and even to Carolina Theatre, where Andrew popped THAT BIG, EXCITING, LIFE CHANGING QUESTION just a few months ago. With all of that being said, I now get to gush to you alllll about Andrew + Sara. 😉
I have known Sara since high-school, and it made my heart flipping soar when she asked me to freeze some moments of her season of engagement. I’d been itching to create again, and specifically, 2 people in love. There is a beauty about Sara that radiates even deeper than just her drop-dead appearance, grace in her pointe shoes, or eye makeup that I have actually never seen NOT on fleek. She has this charisma that is life giving, and makes everyone around her feel welcomed and loved. 3 years ago, at a Christmas party Sara and I were at, some friends wanted to predict who would get married first. Several of us were in relationships, so we got the first stream of votes. However, one friend confidently said, “Sara,” (not yet in a relationship) and BADA BING BADA BOOM, she was right on the money!
As “Better” by Rachel Platten streams in the background as I write this, “It’s been a better place since you came along,” is precisely what fits these 2. They met through Andrew’s sister, and I def think she should get some mad sister points and lifelong abundance of chocolate, for her crafty matchmaking skills. You know how some people’s eyes are quite literally the window to their soul? That is Sara. And that is Andrew. There is this warmth, tender affection, and sincerity that pours out from each of them when they look at each other. And oh my moly, I LOVE IT!
Andrew is an athlete + future physical therapist, and Sara is a stage actress + dancer. Some of their fondest date nights are cooking together, going for a drive, baseball game, or enjoying each other’s company in one of their apartments + slow dancing. Slow dancing?! Bare feet, rain kissed grass, petal scattered sidewalk, and this happened.
“Name 3 things that BOOM! Stand out that you love about each other…”
The way she raises her eyebrows when she sings, how she snorts when she laughs, how she uses little kid words instead of slang when she’s mad.
I love how when he’s really excited and is telling me about whatever it is, his eyes get really big, the fact that he can eat 6 plus doughnuts in one sitting, and how he always makes sure my foot is out of the way before he closes the door.
And now, for ALL the Notebook vibes. This is the moment where I suggest a love song on repeat. I have a Spotify playlist titled, Stupid, Cliche Love Songs, if you’d fancy a warm fuzzy buffet. 😉
Compassion. That is a trait that both Andrew + Sara share. I could see it by way of how they interacted, and even how they looked at each other…but when I reread the initial questionnaire I sent a few months back, it confirmed just the word I had been thinking.
Sara looks everyone in the eye and genuinely cares about what they are saying.
I love how much compassion he has for other people
Andrew + Sara: These words that you wrote down for me, in tandem with your zeal for your relationship to be grounded in Truth, will take you far. I’m excited to watch you go and be SALT and LIGHT….but soon…as one. Thank you for inviting me to photograph a glimpse of your love + story.
