A Beautiful Bride...

Elizabeth & Wiley   July 2, 2011   St. Simon's Island Lighthouse

Recently, my best buddy, Kerry, celebrated her 19th wedding anniversary.  There was a lot of "chatter" on Facebook as many shared their memories of Kerry and Scott's wedding day.  It seems that there was a sudden storm, but it did not dampen the spirits of the bride or the groom.  Kerry's face lights up in a smile as she tells me all about her eventful day.

Kerry's niece, Elizabeth, was married this past weekend.  A couple of weeks before the wedding Elizabeth and her mom decided they would really like a video of the day in addition to pictures.  After not having any luck securing a professional, Kerry asked me if I would consider helping out.  I talked to Jamie to get his opinion, as I know there is nothing professional about my ability to take a picture or video.  Jamie said that they probably just wanted a memory of the day that they could pull out and watch years down the road.  With that in mind, I told Kerry that I would be more than happy to help.

Brooke and I left headed toward the beach on Saturday morning to capture some "gettin' ready" on tape.  We took turns snapping a few pictures with my digital camera as well. I found myself smiling all day long.  I have known Elizabeth for over 8 years.  She was in my 6th grade language arts class the school year I had Zach. As a 6th grader, she seemed quiet and shy but also creative with a ready smile. On Saturday, I was pleased to see that she has become a gracious and beautiful young lady, and her shyness has been replaced with confidence.  Any observer could easily see that Elizabeth is highly thought of by many...especially her family who all worked diligently to make Elizabeth's day extra special.  Elizabeth still has her ready smile, and her blue shoes were a sign that the creativity is still there as well.  I am happy that I was able to share her day with her.

As weddings will do, I thought back to my own wedding day, July 17, 1993.  Wow...it is hard for me to believe that nearly 18 years has passed since Jamie and I vowed to love each other for better or worse.  I remember our wedding day as the beginning of something wonderful, and there has been a whole lot more "better" than "worse." On Saturday, I think I witnessed the beginning of another something wonderful.  I wish Elizabeth and Wiley a lifetime of happiness and a whole lot of "better."

Now to try and edit that video...I just hope it does their day justice!