I can honestly say this man has all of my heartstrings and I love him more than the air I breathe.
As I sat at my desk a couple months back and read through my e-mails, Shawna’s words stopped me dead in my tracks.
I had been corresponding back and forth with her fiancé, Jason, for quite some time, answering his questions and completing their contract. I hadn’t met either one of the pair, which left me a bit curious. When I returned home from my honeymoon, Jason congratulated me on my marriage and said he and Shawna had been busy with the kids. “Just making sure we’re all set for December 4,” he explained.
The logistics were in place. The only thing I still needed was something I call a, Why Do You Love Him moment. If I meet with couples before their big day, I can see it. If I talk with the bride over the phone, I can hear it. I just needed to read something from her … anything, really. Should I Facebook her? Nah, too ambiguous. Should I ask Jason for her number? Nope, too weird. So, I waited. And then, it came. The best e-mail ever …
Hi Katie! I am Jason’s fiancée, Shawna …
He’s a pharmacist, she’s in sales, Shawna explained. She’s not very girly girly, and she proooooomises she’s no Bridezilla. Jason is reserved (and oh so handsome, she added), while she’s the quirky and edgy one. Best of all, she continued, Jason is a father. The kids’ names are Jillian and Harrison — both children are blessed with amazing, glowing personalities.
And the wedding? Well, it will be their wedding. The ceremony will celebrate their love for each other and honor the new family they’re about to form. Shawna didn’t want the photos to be “all about her.” “It’s about our new family,” she said.
As a wedding photographer, you have to believe it. You have to know in your heart that true love exists. You have to feel it, you have to breathe it, you have to see it, you have to capture it. Would I be a wedding photographer if Tommy hadn’t come into my life? Absolutely not. I know how Shawna feels. She loves her sweetheart more than life. I know what it’s like to feel like the luckiest woman in the world. In her handwritten vows, Shawna promised to never argue with Jason over paint samples. That’s really what it all comes down to, you know? Love deeply, forgive easily.
I try not to play favorites, but Shawna and Jason’s wedding meant so much to me, for so many reasons. It was the first wedding I photographed after my own. As soon as I walked into Shawna’s Getting Ready room and saw her absolutely glowing, I recognized myself in her. This girl is real, I thought. She knows exactly what she wants in life, and she’s finally found it … she’s finally found her man.
I’ll start by showing a quiet moment between Shawna and Jillian. Shawna decided to have Jillian assist in putting on her dress. She wanted Jillian to have the memory, she said. There were no bridesmaids running around, no moms, no makeup artists or hair stylists … just the two of them. I thought it was absolutely beautiful.
As you’ll see for yourself throughout this post, Shawna’s creative eye is positively, holy-bananas-how-did-she-do-this remarkable. Let me preface by saying she and Jason did everything on their own. And I mean eeeeverything. There was no florist, no decorator, no wedding planner, no DJ, no lighting specialist … just Shawna, Jason, Jillian, Harrison, the owners of Cedar Hill Barn, and some very special friends and family members. The wedding was entirely flowerless. That’s right, no flowers. Gasp if you must, turn your heads if you’re all about expensive, long stem flowers as centerpieces … but I kid you not, it was the coolest thing since microwave popcorn. And I’m a huuuge fan of microwave popcorn. Not even her bouquet had a single flower in it …
(And yes, if you get married at Cedar Hill Barn, the sleeping kitty next to your Getting Ready room is totally free.) 🙂
Shawna actually wore two pairs of shoes for her pictures … the teal heels were in the name of style, and the purple cowboy boots were an ode to her father. She’s had the boots since eighth grade — she grew up riding horses in them.
Shortly before Shawna got dressed, Jillian happened to pull out “her speech.” I about died … Death by Cuteness Overload. It wasn’t until later that evening when I got home and pulled up the photos on my computer, that I read her words. Phonetically, that is. 😉 So, so precious.
I said to Jillian, “This is a very exciting day for you, isn’t it?” Without skipping a beat, she replied, “Yes it is, but it’s even more exciting for Daddy.”
OK, it’s time to bring Jason into the picture! While Shawna was getting ready, Jason was busy finishing up some last minute details in the barn. The two decided to do a First Look, since the majority of their photos were planned for before the ceremony.
I’m 1,000% percent certain he likes what he sees. 😉
Now for some reception details. I’m not exactly sure what the white balls on the sticks are, but I’d like three for dinner, please. P.S. Shawna made all of these sweet treats. Every last one of them. And she STILL looked like a supermodel on her wedding day.
The white birch tree branches in the centerpieces? Well, Shawna gathered them herself and painted them white. Truth. (The jury is still out on whether she personally started growing the trees the day she met Jason … however, I would not be surprised if that were the case.) 🙂
If you have tree cookies as your name tags, I pretty much need to be your friend. The pair also had quizzes on every table for their guests — although I wasn’t there to hear the final results, I’m DYING to know some of the answers now that I’ve read the questions! Shawna, if you’re out there, tell us all how you and Jason met in the comment section below … oh, and I’d also like to know how many days Jason took to call you. 🙂
The ceremony took place in a nearby pole barn … of course, the couple decorated it to the nines.
Are you ready to meet Harrison? I couldn’t take my eyes off this little boy. So, so, so sweet. (Jillian was getting a bit cold … I don’t blame her.) 😉
Just before the start of the ceremony, Shawna gave her dad (whom she describes as a “true cowboy”) a special surprise gift. It was a knife with an engraving on it … “Dad, I’ll always be your little girl.”
Jillian and Harrison patiently wait as the guests arrive …
Shawna and Jason, thank you for being sources of pure inspiration. Your love for each other and attention to personal details give me the energy and passion to view every wedding as if it were my own.
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