Once a year, around our anniversary, we put down our cameras and let someone else take our photos.  And we actually do this for two reasons…

Personally – getting professional photos taken of us once a year allows someone else to capture who we are as husband and wife.  They can see through their lens how we laugh, how we love, how we poke fun, and where we are in that season of life.  It also gives us a chance to be in photos TOGETHER… ones that aren’t just selfies from our phones!  And since our anniversary is on November 5, it also gives us a current photo for our Christmas cards!

We might be doing this a little more often as our family grows, but I also hope that we always get some photos of JUST the two of us.  Ben and I are in this thing for life and as soon as the kids are grown and off to college and to lead their own lives, it will still be just the two of us.  And we are already trying to be so intentional about focusing on us and our marriage, but even more so once kids come.  And as small as it might seem, having a photo session of just us helps pour into our relationship.

Professionally – it allows us to be reminded what it’s like for our clients when they step in front of our cameras.  Yes, sometimes it’s a little awkward, but those moments provide some of the best laughter!  It also helps me see how other photographers work and relate to their clients.  Sometimes I learn more from these sessions than I do by paying to go to a workshop (sometimes, not always!).

So, this year we went to Charleston for an early anniversary/birthday weekend and while we were there, our friend Caroline of CarolineRo wandered around the streets of downtown Charleston with us.  It’s one of our favorite cities and while I’ve done several sessions there before and we’ve visited a lot, the only pictures we have together are selfies!  So, this was the perfect chance to let someone else take the reins of the camera. See that photo on the right?  It’s one of my favorites!!  This man makes me laugh like no one else can… Oh my goodness, the colors and quirkiness and everything about Charleston makes it my favorite. He makes me feel so loved. I can’t believe that this time next year, that little bump won’t be there, but our daughter will be! I just love this one… the tree, the light, walking hand in hand with my favorite person… I remember him telling me when we were dating that the more we got to know each other, the more his goofy side would come out.  And the more his goofy side came out, the more I fell in love with him.  Needless to say, he keeps pulling me in with this goofy side of himself and I know once this baby girl arrives that there better be a mattress behind me at all times because I know I’m just going to keep falling for him more and more! Caroline is actually the one who gave me the idea to take a selfie with our couples at the end of a wedding day!  She takes one after each session with her clients and I was so happy to get this one from her!  We love you, Caroline and are so thankful for you and your talent!!