Every wedding I've ever had the chance to photograph has been a blessing in one way or another. But some stand out above the rest - and Clint + Kim did just that. Kim has been a long time family friend and I'd always hoped I'd be able to photograph her wedding some day. Kim and her kids are such wonderful, kind-hearted, genuine people ... and Clint is the perfect addition to their family.
Clint + Kim's friends and family pulled together this amazing celebration at almost no cost to the couple. Food, desserts, decorations, location, photography, music and so much more was simply given to them out of sheer joy and support for this next step in their lives. It was amazing. In addition, it rained the entire day. It did not stop or slow down for a single second, yet it barely phased Clint + Kim because they were getting married, starting a few family that day and nothing else mattered. I will say, however, Praise God for that little four foot wide porch that allowed us to do family and bridal party photos outdoors. I wish there was a photo of the 10 of us crammed onto that porch as I directed the organization of umbrellas, plants, rain boots and portraits, all in 20 minutes time.
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I've had many conversations about remarriage with by best friend Kate. And since she is a way better writer than I am, I asked her to write down her thoughts on the subject of remarriage to better explain why Clint + Kim's wedding was so heavy, in the best way possible, on my heart.
Kate writes, "Remarriage can be a brave choice, having seen firsthand the hurt and loss and sadness and extraordinary difficulty that comes when you connect yourself so intimately to another person. Remarriages are based on hope, the belief in love, the belief that life isn't a 1-chance kind of operation, but that if you keep moving forward, it can keep getting better.
Marriage is a metaphor. Marriage is supposed to be a reflection of how God loves us - how he loves the church. Sacrificially, eternally, and without condition, in spite of our ugliness. People sometimes say things like "marriage won't fix all your problems" and "your husband (or wife) won't complete you," and while that's true, we sometimes miss how much marriage DOES affect us, how much it does change and complete us, how much we truly, actually, emotionally need another person - in the name of individualism and independence, and standing on our own two feet to protect ourselves from possible future hurt. Marriage is full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness - because the love of Jesus is full of all of those things.
The truth is, marriage IS a shelter, because the love of Jesus is a shelter. It IS full of hope because the love of Jesus is full of hope."
Enjoy my favorite images below - and leave comments if you'd like. -Brooke
