Jamie and Kevin | Operation Love Reunited Homecoming | Louisville, KY

nyone who knows me knows that I am a staunch liberal and anti-war.  Knowing this, many people ask why I would volenteer with Operation Love Reunited, an organization that photographs soldiers and their families leaving and returning from being deployed overseas.  Well, the answer is simple really.  I am a wife and a mother, and the thought of having to leave my family for so long, with the possibility of returning with a serious injury or worse, is just heart wrenching.  Whatever their reason for joining is, these men and women make a huge personal sacrifice.  When it comes down to it, there are no politics in family.

Friday I met Jamie.  She emailed me only days earlier, excited that her husband would be returning any day.  She wouldn’t know the exact day or time until the day of, but through emails and phone calls, I was able to meet her at Louisville International Airport to photograph their reunion.

It was such a heartwarming experience to be part of Kevin’s homecoming.  I can’t imagine the emotions both of them must have been feeling after being apart for 10 months.

Jamie and Kevin, I know you two have a lot of catching up to do.  I hope that you both enjoy and cherish every moment that you have together.

Allie and Adam | Berea, KY Wedding Photographer

I was so thrilled when Allie asked me to be her wedding photographer.  I have known Allie since we were kids.  We went to the same school, endured years of drama class together, after which sometimes I would give her a ride home.  After high school she found her way to Chicago, and I hadn’t seen her in eight years.  In my mind she was still a young girl goofing around in class, but when I saw her last Sunday, dressed in her wedding dress, surrounded by friends and family, she was certainly no longer a young girl.  Allie has become an amazing woman who has found the love of her life.

Allie and Adam had such a fun wedding.  It was their goal to just have a great party and have a terrific night with the people closest to them, and I’m pretty sure they accomplished that.  From the beginning of the ceremony the fun started as everyone danced down the aisle, including Allie and Adam.

Make sure to click on the pictures below to get a larger view!

Ourdoor wedding

Outdoor wedding ceremony

Outdoor wedding ceremony

Allie and Adam wrote their own wedding vows and I was worried that their photos were going to turn out blurry because I was tearing up so much.

Wedding Ceremony

After the ceremony we shot a couple of quick formals so everyone could get to the party.

Outdoor wedding

Allie was so incredibly beautiful, getting great images of her was a breeze

high fashion formal

The next shot is my favorite of the day.  These two are looking fierce!

high fashion formal

The new couple shared a very sweet first dance.  You can see how in love they are by the way they look at each other.

Outdoor tented reception

I always tear up during father daughter dances

Outdoor tented reception

Though they cut a traditional cake, they opted to smash zebra cakes!

Outdoor reception

The best man, Adams twin brother Brian, gave a hilarious toast comparing marriage to cooking up a hardy batch of bacon.  Truthfully, he made a lot of sense!

Bride and groom reception

Followed by the bride’s side of the matter

Laughing couple

Once the dancing began there was no stopping this party.  The evening was filled with so much fun and laughter, it was an amazing thing to be a part of

Dancing

I will leave off with one of the highlights of the night, which was the twins breaking into a rendition of Beat It.  I’m not sure if this was planned, as they just kind of busted it out mid reception, but it was absolutely hilarious!

Quirky dancing at reception

Allie and Adam, thank you so much for having me at your wedding.  You two are both incredible people and anyone who spends 10 minutes with you can see how you perfectly compliment each other.  I wish you both and amazing lifetime together, and of course, next time I’m in Chicago I’m calling you guys to show us a good time :)