This weekend we went to Lake of the Ozarks and photographed Courtney and Derek's wedding - a couple I met many years ago when I created their senior portraits.
It couldn't have been a more perfect day!
Courtney and Derek have such a neat story. Because they have been together since Middle School, they have nine years of stories…many of which were told during the wedding by their friends and family. I think their pastor said it best. He told a story of how, many years ago, he saw Courtney write her name using Derek's last name. He said it isn’t often that dreams like that come true. Even at such a young age, this couple is a testament of the bond that love can make with diligence, patience, and respect.
They had one of the neatest ceremonies included in their wedding. The pastor spoke of how the couple’s life will intermingle to the point that you would never be able to separate it out again. So, instead of a unity candle, they had sand. There was a large central glass container with a cross inside of it resembling Christ (as he is the center of everything), and two containers with sand - one with white sand (the bride’s) and the other with dark sand (the groom’s). Then the couple took their respective containers of sand and poured them into the cross-bearing container.
The happy couple just said "I DO".
As you can tell...they couldn't be happier!
Derek and Courtney, Thanks so much for including me in your wedding day.
I had such a wonderful time with you both.
