bettye and charles

Bettye and Charles’ darling daughter Jessica contacted me about taking some photos of her parents to celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary. It was the absolute sweetest, most precious session I’ve photographed to date.

I won’t write much more because I think Bettye summed it all up perfectly in just a few sentences, “What can I say about loving Charlie? I’m just glad he didn’t run the other way. Sixty-three years and we’ve only just begun. Truth is, he has taken good care of us always.”

After 63 years of marriage Betty still swoons each and every time Charles kisses her.
She’s putty in his arms.
Her laughs are probably similar to the 12-year-old giggle she had when they first met.
“Oh, Charles! Isn’t this so fun?!” she asks over and over again.
And maybe Charles wasn’t openly swooning. I don’t even recall a giggle. But the smile on his face as he looked into his wife’s eyes told me that he was putty too.

I can’t express with words how absolutely beautiful it was to see the love Bettye and Charles share — but I hope these photos show even a glimpse of it.

These photos were taken around Jessica’s lovely Ardmore bed and breakfast, the Shiloh Morning Inn and Jessica and her husband took such great care of us during our wonderful stay the evening of the shoot. And you’re going to be hard-pressed to ever find a nicer couple of people to welcome you in.

Thank you, Jessica, for giving me an opportunity to document such sweet, sweet love. Bettye and Charles, I wish you many more years of married bliss!

Comments
15 Responses to “bettye and charles”
  1. This is so precious. The photos are absolutely beautiful, as always.

  2. Jessica Pittman says:

    Seriously, the most precious and amazing photo session I have ever seen. Who says love can’t last? Thank you Bettye and Charles for proving everyone wrong <3

  3. allison says:

    STUNNING STUNNING STUNNING. Omg.

  4. Sarah says:

    I literally had tears well up in my eyes because of these pics. I don’t even know them, but this couple was darlin and lovely.

  5. my heart just melted over and over again. you didn’t just take pictures – you documented the very thing we all hope to have. still kissing our soul mates and the ones we love after 60 years. well done my friend.

  6. Tim says:

    Great photo shoot of some wonderful people!

  7. Hannah says:

    Oh, these are WONDERFUL. such a beautiful and heartfelt shoot, Jillian! xx

  8. betsy says:

    i also cried and i don’t even know them! lasting love is the best kind. thanks for celebrating it and sharing it. it makes me miss my papa & gaga, who both passed away recently but had been married for over 60 years!

  9. Jeremy M. says:

    I do know them…and you could not have captured them better! Thank you for putting such love and care into recording this wonderful couple and such an exemplary marriage.

  10. Jessica Pfau says:

    Jillian, wow. Please know how honored I was to have you take these photos. They are more then I could have ever dreamed of for my parents and for my family. We will treasure them. Thank you. Thank you.

  11. Sylvie Leblanc says:

    I don’t know them and I fell in love with them from the first shot. Amazing work!

  12. Larissa says:

    This entire series is so beautiful. I don’t know them, but you did such an amazing job of capturing their love story

  13. Suzanne says:

    I thank you! I have a hospice shoot with advanced Alzheimers tomorrow and there is not a lot out there. I needed inspiration

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