Let It Rain

For after all, the best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

No quote rang more true than this on September 12, 2009, when Molly Jones and Josh Reid were joined as one at Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. The morning started off hot and muggy, with a scent of rain in the air. We scheduled outdoor photos of the bride and groom first in hopes of catching a few before the sky opened and ruined the clothes. Such was not the case. The moment we stepped outside to begin, the rain came. We attempted it several more times throughout the morning until we decided outdoor photos weren't possible. The wedding began at 2:00pm with the chiming of the hour. The bride, more lovely than ever, lifted her dress, showing her baby blue converse tennis shoes, and made the walk down the stairs to prepare herself for the greatest moment of her life to date. Everything was in perfect order. As the music began, the doors opened, and scattered gasps were heard throughout the sanctuary. She was stunning. The bride and groom surrounded by family and friends made their commitments to love, honor, and obey...forever and always. Following the ceremony, guests made their way to the reception. The reception hall was decorated beautifully, and the food was terrific. The bride's cake was a beautiful 6 layer white, with huge brown bows around every layer. In true "Steel Magnolias" fashion, the groom's cake was a red velvet in the shape of an armadillo. The couple chose "At Last" as the music for their first dance, before saying goodbye to their guests. Congratulations Molly and Josh. I wish you the very best in life!

The First of Six Brides

Whitney Duren was the first of six daughters born to Billy and Tracey Duren. The love that these wonderful parents have for their girls is truly immeasurable, and I know that Whitney was able to feel it every step of the way in planning this most special day, her marriage to one Ryan Jordan. I attended the rehearsal to get a better feel of what was going to happen during the ceremony, and the family requested that I attend the dinner to follow. After eating, family and friends began to tell memories they had of Ryan and Whitney, and how they knew they would last forever. The love that everyone in that room had for this couple was amazing. The wedding day dawned hot and muggy, as is expected in Alabama at the beginning of August. But this wedding party of 24 did not let that get to them. They were troopers all the way through. Although we weren't able to shoot any of the outside photography we had planned thanks to the rain that happened for most of the day, the shots we captured were beautiful, and the wedding went off without a hitch. The wedding party was escorted to the reception 30 minutes away in a black and white hummer limo (as everything that day was black and white), and were welcomed by several hundred guests, catfish, fried shrimp, and gumbo. The dancing began shortly thereafter, and continued for several hours, until the bride and groom said goodbye to their guests and were whisked away to begin their new life together. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Jordan. I am honored to have had such a small part in your big day.

Whitney Duren's Bridals

Whitney Duren married Ryan Jordan in the most perfect of ceremonies Saturday, August 1, 2009 in Wilmer, AL. We met just over a month ago to do her bridals, and I've been holding off on showing them to the world, so her groom would not see them. She was an absolutely beautiful bride, as you will see in the photos below. We met in Downtown Mobile and shot most of these in the Battle House Hotel, and then ended the shoot by getting a few outdoor photos. Ryan and Whitney are an amazing couple, and I wish them all of the best in this world.

Todd & Amanda Dowdy

Amanda Mabry Dowdy has been one of my closest friends since high school. We have had more ups and downs in the past 10 years than most people experience in a lifetime, and I love her dearly. When she moved to Nashville, TN, I was less than thrilled, but when she met Todd, I knew the move to Nashville had been a good decision. Their relationship bloomed almost overnight, and everyone that saw the couple together could tell they were a perfect match. They were married in a private ceremony in Nashville in June, then took a beach getaway for their honeymoon. I met them on the last day of their honeymoon to capture some shots of them "all dressed up", and I couldn't be more pleased with the results. Thanks so much for the opportunity. I wish you guys the best.

Chance Livingston

Chance Livingston has been a friend for years, so when called and asked me to do some photos of him for his parents I was happy to oblige. Early July in Mississippi meant crazy heat, but we had a great time, and captured some great shots. We found several places in downtown Hattiesburg that I had never been before, and several more that I will be going to for a bridal shoot that I have coming up. I'm pretty excited. Thanks for you help bro.

Watermelon and Stick Figures

Whitney Duren and Ryan Jordan have been dating for four years, and are (finally!) going to be hearing wedding bells August 1, 2009. Whitney, Ryan, the Maid of Honor, the Mother of the Bride, and I met up in Downtown Mobile on one of the hottest days of the summer for this beautiful couple to show the people of Mobile how it’s really done. They absolutely lit up in front of the camera, and their love was evident as passers-by stopped to watch nearly every photograph take place. The Mother of the Bride was a trooper having made special glasses for everyone, labeled “Bride”, “Groom”, “Mother of the Bride”, “Photo Guy”, etc. with stick figures to boot (I’ve included a photo), along with pitchers of ice water, and a Tupperware container full of watermelon that brought laughter the entire day. The highlight of the shoot happened sort of by accident. We entered the Battle House Hotel to see if we could capture a few shots in their lobby, and they were happy to oblige. We actually ended up coming back later for Whitney’s bridals (They’re gorgeous! You’ll see them after the wedding!) Let me know what you think of the engagements!

(Below is the photo showing the glasses.)