The best part about what we do is that we get to celebrate marriage above all else. Typically we're photographing engaged couples and all the fun stuff & details that go into a wedding. But ultimately beyond pretty clothes & elaborate decorations, it is not about a wedding day, but about a marriage. I strongly believe in focusing on that aspect, the commitment of two souls together for eternity, rather than getting caught up in the small details. This session was a huge reminder of that.

Monica & Bret recently celebrated 7 years of marriage, a feat I respect & admire. They bought a home in the heart of the historic Fairmount district of Fort Worth, Texas a few months back & invited us in to photograph the space they've cultivated together. Their home felt warm & safe, full of life (literally, so many plants), and each item they chose to decorate with seemed intentionally kept and placed to add to the meaning of it all.

With Monica & Bret, we were photographing a seasoned love. A love that's seen some years, some good and some not. A love that goes deeper than I can understand at my current state of life (but I long to someday experience). There was a point when I was editing these photos, where the rain, deep tones, & feel of the photos brought me to a point of deep gratitude for my own marriage, that I actually started crying while editing. Maybe its because Nate & I are coming up on our own anniversary, and I've been reflecting on the two years we've been married and all that these two years have brought us through. When planning the shoot I asked Monica & Bret if they would consider writing letters to each other, and some of the words they wrote have really stuck with me. They talked about how they've changed & they aren't the same people they were 7 years ago when they got married, and from my small view of their lives, they seem to have more of the same mindset. More unified, in a deeper way.

From Monica's instagram post: "There is something about being married this long that makes you realize the reality of the rest of your life. Yeah that includes settling in with annoying habits, sinful nature, and the things that drive you crazy. But more importantly, it means buckling in for a lifetime of being 100% comfortable with your person, dreaming together, failing together, being unconditionally loved for the rest of your life. This year I decided that I want a wholehearted marriage--one not void of pain but full of vulnerability. Full of real life love."

I want this too. Here's to seven years for Monica & Bret, & two years for us.