David + Jennifer {I'm Kristen - Florida Wedding}

"The roadside flowers, too wet for the bee,

Expend their bloom in vain.

Come over the hills and far with me,

And be my love in the rain."

{robert frost}

Florida became emotional about Jennifer's wedding.  I was emotional, the bridesmaids were emotional, Jennifer's bosses were emotional, so it was only fitting that the sky was too.  Warm, cozy air coated us - but oh my, the rain poured.  This wasn't a quite drizzle or delicate sprinkle.  This was an extreme, tropical shower.

Extreme was perfectly fine, though.  Jennifer is extreme.  She isn't subtle or plain.  She, like her mom and sister, just does things BIG.  On February 5, 2010 she was happy big.  Her facial expressions were extremely happy and you couldn't help but just watch her relish every single second.I love this shot.  A family relative came in to say hi - look how "happy big" they are :DJennifer has an engaging way of making everyone feel comfortable.  She greeted and hugged many relatives who popped in to say hi.  She giggled with her bridesmaids and couldn't stop telling them how beautiful they looked.  She locked eyes with her dad when he came to see her.  She cracked jokes and hugged giddy children who were so excited to be in a wedding.  Even as the bride, Jennifer poured her heart into other people around her.  She is a selfless woman.I got to know Jennifer thanks to many a friendly comment on my blog.  For a few years now she has been following along my life's fun through her computer screen.  We became facebook friends, and I got to see her happy little reports about finally being a girlfriend and eventually a fiancee'!  I also got a gushy, delighted, extreme e-mail from her asking me to shoot her wedding.

I was always excited to come to Florida to meet Jennifer and shoot her wedding, but as soon the cold and snow bit harder and harder, I... well, I was just on Cloud 10 walking around the beautiful, colorful, warm streets of Orlando.
Yes, it rained. Which was kind of a downer... but when you have extremely brave brides, you can really make the rain work.
Jennifer had that smashing, smooth-and-creamy, firefly, bride-flush.  The bridesmaids helped like crazy and watched Jennifer beam with their own twinkling eyes of joy.  I hope everyone has friends like these.

AND. The flower girls.  Ohhhh, goodness.  I just.  There aren't.  Oh man were they cute.I WANT TO KEEP HER. Forever.  I'd live with her in a little flower field and we'd color in coloring books. (You can see the rain at the top of this picture.  Proof. Evidence. I'd make a great detective.)

Okay doke-ay.  We need to get to marriage time.  The ceremony was at Jennifer + David's church... a wonderful church, and a huge building.  But maybe not the most intimate of places.  Jennifer out-did herself in making the space flawlessly gorgeous.  It had the feel of a mid-night stroll on a winter night.  The big space was turned into a charming, romantic and intimate host for the wedding.  I was major impressed.

Jennifer paid much attention to detail, and all the little moments before the ceremony went off without a single issue.  Everything was beautiful.  Everything was emotional.  I had chills.

The glorious classical music rose and rose!  The guests gasped!  A spotlight dropped onto the aisle! And she went.  She went to him.  David.  Her David.

And *boom* they were coming back down together.  His Jennifer, her David.  Officially - after worship, prayer, tears, charges, encouragement, vows, rings and kisses - they are now one, brought together by God and united for Him.  Marriage is just powerful.

(This is just a tasty little side-note before we get to the husband and wife shots. Isn't this cake so glamorous and lovely? I really liked it.)

In keeping with the whole "dreamy romantic elegant mid-night stroll" thing their wedding had going on, we took some pictures with that theme ;)
Now, up until this point I haven't said much about David.  That was intentional, because I wanted to end with him.In his vows, he said one of the dearest, most heart-felt things I have ever heard.  Even though I don't personally know him that well, I had heard a lot about him from Jennifer (I mean, she is an extreme gusher, right?) but I always like when I see in person what I hear from the bride. During the vows, David said "I've waited a long time for you.  I prayed and wondered.  A lot of people told me I was being too picky, but I knew what I wanted and what I was waiting for."He paused, Jennifer's mother wiped a runaway tear.  "Jennifer, you are God's best.  You were worth the wait.  You are His daughter, His princess.  I am so honored to be marrying you."

The audience fluttered with tissues that looked like graceful butterflies along the guests cheeks.  He had waited.  And so had she.  But here they are together!
They laughed and twirled and kissed their way through the dark park, remembering the past and looking forward to the future.Enjoy these first few days and weeks of being married, so in 50 years you can look back and laugh at how little you loved each other then :D

Congratulations!