Do you remember how many people were at your wedding?  How many people traveled to be there with you?  Gave time and energy to share in your day?

I remember being overwhelmed by the generosity offered to us, not only for our wedding…but throughout our relationship.  I remember wanting to hold on so tightly to these moments in which we were all together and keep everyone so close.  I remember looking around at all of our guests and thinking that we wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t been there.

Because marriage – like life – isn’t an island.  You are never really in it alone.  The very essence of the relationship you’re living is made up of all the people who helped to get you there; the friends who may have introduced you…the siblings you called after that first date…the phone call you had after that first big fight.  Marriage is like a million little moving parts…that include all of the people we love and care about.

And it doesn’t matter how far away you are or may feel…our marriages ripple through the lives of everyone around us.

Meeting Kassandra and Francis for their engagement session wasn’t like meeting for the first time.  Because we weren’t meeting for the first time.  I first met them when they themselves were part of the ripple…part of the support system…part of the many moving parts.

And now it’s their turn; their turn to bring all of these parts together in the name of their own beautiful union.  All these people…all these relationships…all this love.  And let me you…I know for a fact just how very loved they are.

Over time…and over distance…they are loved.

Through friends…and from family…they are loved.

From their church…and from their God…they are loved.

And on this particular day…by the beautiful evening light…and by the clicking of my camera…they were loved!!!