“The book of love has music in it, in fact that’s where music comes from… I love it when you sing to me and you can sing me anything. “ ~The Book of Love by Peter Gabriel
“Tell the whole world that we finally got it all right, I choose you. I will become yours and you will become mine.” ~ I Choose You by Sara Bareilles
If you’ve been reading my blog for even a little while, it’s no secret that I’m really fond of my clients. Part of the secret to making amazing photos is finding amazing people to make photos of, then magic happens. So an essential part of my job is becoming attached to each of my couples. Being able to see things in them that other people who love them see. And with Kitty and Lex, that was really easy to do. From our first meeting at the Java Monkey in Decatur, we were cracking jokes and making geeky literary references… well, ok, that was them and Jessie. Don’t tell anyone, but I haven’t actually read Harry Potter (sshhhhhhh). It was no surprise when they brought along a collection of their favorite books for their engagement session in a park in Lawrenceville last fall. The knitting was a little surprising (super awesome though), but not the books. And at that engagement session, I noticed how incredibly adorable these two were together. They never tire of each other, and they can talk endlessly to each other, laughing and smiling and completely in the moment. You have no doubt after spending a little time with them that they are meant to be together forever. And so on March 5, when I opened an email from Lex, I yelled so loud that I scared Jessie. Kitty was in the hospital in ICU. Something had gone seriously wrong inside her brain, and she was going to have to have surgery and no one knew what was going to happen after that. When I read it to Jessie, we sat at our desk and cried for them. Over the course of the next weeks and months, Kitty had surgery, then physical therapy to learn to walk again, and moved home to live with her mom. The whole time, she was surrounded by so many family and friends that they had to make a visitation calendar. But with an amazing amount of strength and perseverance, and a little bit of empathetic head shaving, Kitty and Lex found themselves in Massachusetts on a beautiful fall day standing before a church full of people who adored them exchanging vows to become wife and wife. The journey to this point wasn’t what they planned, but in the end, it was a more beautiful journey than they planned, with surprises along the way that changed their lives for the better. Funny how life is.
Also, a couple of special notes about this wedding. First, a lot of tissues were mangled in the pursuit of this wedding day. They made their way to the waste bin with honor. Kitty’s mom wore purple Nikes to match Kitty’s shoes, and that just made me strangely happy in the most goofy way. The only thing funnier than a bunch of groomsmen trying to figure out how to put on a boutonniere is a bunch of bridesmaids trying to figure out how to put on a boutonniere. Instead of jumping the broom, Lex’s brother waved the broom for Kitty and Lex, which was a cool tradition that I hadn’t witnessed at a wedding before. Finally, there’s a familiar face in here for anyone who’s been lurking for a while. That laughing lady at the table full of glasses at the end, that’s Keri. Keri and Jon were married earlier this year on a wicked cold morning in North Carolina. Kitty was a bridesmaid for Keri, and Keri returned the favor for Kitty. Keri and Jon were also very helpful and made sure to round up any lonely glasses of champagne, which is not only awesome for photos, but earth friendly.
Kitty and Lex’s Creative Team
Ceremony Venue-The Olde White Church, Swansea, Massachusetts
Reception-Venus De Milo
Officiant-Rev. Susannah Davis
Videographer- Mark Cade
Cake-Scumptions