This wedding and this couple holds a really special place in my heart. I’ve shared about Ryan and Emmy many times before and in my last post where I shared Emmy’s bridals, I talked briefly about how I have had the pleasure of photographing these two since we were all in high school. Emmy and Ryan were the very first couple I ever photographed. I wasn’t a professional photographer at that point and I had no idea what I was doing but I loved being behind the camera capturing their love.

Since that day, I’ve photographed their proposal, their engagements, Emmy’s bridals, and their wedding. Emmy and Ryan have been together for over ten years and I feel like I’ve watched them through every part of their journey. It’s been really beautiful to be a part of! When their wedding week finally came around, I wanted to jump up and down for them because the day they had been waiting for was so close and everything was going to be perfect!

But a few days before their wedding, I received an email from Emmy letting me know that her dad wasn’t doing well and needed a heart transplant. He had been declining for a while and was on the transplant list but they were just waiting. Emmy mentioned they had been praying her dad would be able make it to her wedding and if he did, she wanted me to be sure to capture as many photos of him as I could.

I showed up to the bridal suite that morning before the girls arrived and as I photographed details alone in the quiet of the room, I cried. And I prayed. I prayed that God would give her dad supernatural strength, that He would either heal him or provide a heart for him, and that Emmy and her family would just feel God’s presence in the midst of such stress. Emmy showed up that morning in good spirits and said her dad was feeling decent and I was so grateful.

Their beautiful day progressed and Emmy’s dad was able to walk her down the aisle and he felt pretty good the whole day. That was a miracle in and of itself but I learned a couple weeks later, after Emmy and Ryan returned from their honeymoon that her dad had received a heart and was on his way to recovery! I couldn’t believe it and I truly think it’s so inspiring how Emmy and her family trusted in the Lord through it all. I think it probably put Emmy’s wedding day into perspective and made her realize what a gift it was to be doing it all with Ryan.

Wedding days are full of joy but life can be hard and Ryan has been Emmy’s hand to hold and shoulder to cry on through it all. As Emmy read Ryan’s note to her the morning of her wedding, she, and every one around her, cried. Ryan and Emmy’s love for each other in such a challenging time just goes to show how well they treat each other and how they will continue to persevere when things are hard. It reminded me of what a wedding is really about. The details are great, it’s nice when the weather is pretty, and a party with friends is a blast but what matters most is the love a couple has for one another, not only when things are good, but when things are hard. And that’s what these two have. As you scroll through these images, I hope they put a smile on your face and that you’ll thank your spouse or hug your family for loving you when things are hard!

Bluestone Vineyard Wedding | Virginia Wedding Photographer