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!
In case you missed the last blog post of this gorgeous couple’s rainy day wedding, be sure to check it out here. Because the clouds opened up and let out a complete downpour on Ashlei and Jesse’s wedding day I had no idea what we were going to do about bride-groom portraits. It was a fully outdoor venue and my flash equipment wasn’t going to hack it exposed to a rainstorm, plus the bride and groom were soaked to the bone. I thought about this mini-predicament throughout the entire reception because there was NO WAY a couple was going to go to the trouble of flying JZP all the way from Texas to Georgia and NOT end up with any bride-groom portraits. Then it hit me — perhaps it would be sunny again TOMORROW and perhaps Ashlei and Jesse would be game for waking up early for a day after photo session, and perhaps our ride back into Atlanta wouldn’t mind pushing back our scheduled departure time to accommodate such a plan.
Seeing as how God is good, Ashlei and Jesse are awesome, and our ride back to Atlanta just happened to be the bride’s super-sweet parents, everything came together and we were able to do bride-groom portraits in THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE the next morning at the wedding venue.
Are they not two of the most beautiful people you’ve EVER SEEN?
Happy/contented sigh. Love. Just love everything about the above image.
It’s just crazy how perfectly everything fell into place after what seemed like everything first falling out of place.
Ashlei and Jesse — I couldn’t have asked for better clients to work with. I’m convinced that you two and all of your family have GOT to be some of the nicest people in all of Georgia. On one of the most important weekends of your lives, you took the time to make me and James feel like family. And we’re so thankful to have been a part.
All weddings are a big deal. To me, to the couple getting married, I’m sure we’re all in consensus that a wedding  is an all-around big deal.
This particular wedding was a particularly big deal to me and James as it was our very first destination wedding to shoot. Leading up to the trip, it felt like this opportunity was too good to be true. Looking back on it, it still feels that way.
Ashlei and Jesse, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fully express how much it meant to us for y’all to want so badly for JZP to document your day that you flew us out to Georgia to make it happen. But know it meant a lot. A lot, a lot.
Needless to say, I had the song “Georgia on my mind,” stuck in my head for weeks and weeks as I looked forward to Ashlei and Jesse’s wedding so you should probably click on the link and listen to it as you’re looking through this post.
Perry’s Landing was the stunning backdrop for the day, and I could not have asked for a better one.
After finishing up all wedding party photos something happened. The sky went dark with dense clouds over the entire venue. This was especially nerve-wracking as the ceremony was set to be in the garden.
And it wasn’t moving.
Honestly, I don’t think anyone thought the clouds would have enough gumption to rain down on Ashlei and Jesse’s ceremony.
It turns out, the clouds had plenty of gumption.
It started with a sprinkle.
Which soon turned into a steady stream of raindrops.
I could feel everyone wondering what the reaction from the bride and groom would be. I too was watching closely to see what it would be. Dismayed tears? A pause in the ceremony until the rain stopped? Â Angry huffs and puffs?
Nope. Not Ashlei and Jesse. They embraced the rain. This ceremony had started and it wasn’t going to end before they were man and wife.
That’s what I loved about these two — rain wasn’t about to ruin their day, it was going to make it all the more memorable.
And before we knew it, we were all sitting/standing in a full-on DOWNPOUR. And everyone take a moment to acknowledge the sweet family friend who gave his umbrella to the bride and groom — this man’s DEAR wife also came and held an umbrella over this photographer’s head so that my gear wouldn’t be completely soaked. I cannot thank her enough.
Immediately after the kiss everyone ran for cover under the porch and huddled together in a huge mass of energy and emotion.
 I mean it when I say this wedding day could not have been more beautiful. Everyone embraced the unexpected and reveled in the rain.
A photographer could not ask for me.
To see photos from Ashlei and Jesse’s sunny day after session click HERE!
This is Harper and these are some of his two-year-old photos from when I was in New Braunfels this September. As you can see, he has an angel-face.
Next up is Sara and Brent’s engagement session and as of October they’re a pair of sweet newlyweds! Everyone clap!
(Good job.)
Celica and Aaron are also now newlyweds and here are a few of their engagement photos from September. Everyone do the newlywed clap again!
Oh, the Dotson family! This post is full of good news — this family just welcomed a new baby into their midst! Just keep clapping!
Also in September, I took the gorgeous Ashley’s bridals before her October wedding. Clap, clap, clap!
I also took my friend Keri’s bridals in September, and she got married that same month! Congratulations, Keri! More clapping!
Terri and Tim’s September wedding was so, so fun — especially the ninja turtle boutonnieres and the choreographed bride-groom dance to Justin Beiber’s “Boyfriend.”
Celica and Aaron’s rainy day wedding was my last to shoot in September but despite the raindrops that were literally falling on my head as I took their wedding party and bride-groom portraits it was still a lovely day documenting the newly-minted joining of Mr. and Mrs. Barnes.
So basically everyone in these photos either ended up with a spouse or new child or has a beautiful angel-face so0000 claps all around!
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