261/365... Matt and Amanda's Wedding Day joy

I woke up this morning with a huge smile on my face. I was going to photograph my first wedding in just a few hours!

The first thing I did when I got out of bed was look outside. The weather forecast had called for a beautiful Saturday all week long. So, where did these rain clouds come from?

I know that God is in control and I trusted that He would provide a beautiful wedding day for Matt and Amanda... regardless of the weather.

And it was a beautiful day, indeed! When you witness a love like that of Amanda and Matt, little things (like the weather) go unnoticed.

I always cry at weddings (and Hallmark commercials and Extreme Makeover shows). I was actually a little worried that being behind the lens would keep me separated from the romance and emotion of the day. I wasn't sure what to expect since this was my first wedding.

Their wedding ceremony and reception were at a private residence so they had signs on the side of the road for their guests to show the way. It was the second that I saw the first sign that said "Matt + Amanda" that it REALLY hit me... I was going to do so much more than take pictures of a wedding. The images that I was about to capture were going to tell their Wedding Story... a story that will be shared and retold countless times to their grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren...

So, I laughed. I cried. I smiled. I marveled at their love.

I put my heart and soul into capturing Matt and Amanda's Wedding Story.

Matt and Amanda's Wedding Story joy.

In other news... when the culling and editing is complete, Matt and Amanda's wedding story will be the first post to be featured on my new Shannon Joy Photography blog!