From the moment I met Annette, I knew I would love her forever.
I’ve known Daniel practically my whole life: his love of Frank Sinatra, swing dancing, and laughter. I took senior pictures for him, and I’ve been looking forward to this day for years. But his bride is superwoman. As a mother of 6, she makes her own bread and crackers, and is a homeschooling machine. She handles the chaos with smiles and laughter and patience. She seemed to connect with my heart from the first time I met her.
On the morning of her wedding, she wore a beautiful navy lace dress to the breakfast: her grandmother’s dress. Surrounded by family and friends, Daniel and Annette rejoiced in this amazing day, hearing words from best man, and daughter. I marveled at the way Annette looked at her Eva as she spoke, full of admiration and love. Eva talked meeting her mom’s “friend” for the first time and she just knew that he was more than a friend. He was kind and generous; she loved seeing her mom so joyously happy.
While Daniel and Annette had a closed ceremony inside an LDS temple, they chose to exchange rings before the reception so their children could see. “Chrissus” was the nickname her children gave her engagement ring, because they got engaged at Christmas time. It was fun to photograph them watching the exchange of rings.
How many brides have a first dance with each of their sons, even with them hanging on their legs? She just laughed and loved them, and all was right in the world.
Daniel has seamlessly stepped into pace with the children, many of them already calling him Dad. He cuddles and tickles and listens and serves them.
Annette joys in her children’s energy and smiles. She laughs with them, and embraces them with a love deep as her bones. Handling tasks and challenges with grace and smiles, she makes everyone feel loved and valued.
I love these two, and excited for their life together.
A big thank you to everyone who made their beautiful wedding day possible. It was a labor of love.
I wish I had adequate words to express my gratitude to you, Amber. For these incredible pictures, for your words that brought tears to my eyes, and most of all for your love!! I can’t even imagine how you managed to capture all of this as beautiful, poignant, and joyful as it was through my own eyes experiencing it all that wonderful day. I can’t stop scrolling through them for the joy they bring all over again! And I can’t wait to have these on my walls and in my memory books. I love you like a long lost sister and am so glad I found Daniel and get to have you and all of his incredible family as my own! I really am the luckiest girl in the world <3 <3 <3
I am so happy too. I love working hard for you two, and grateful to have you both together and in my life. Can’t wait for the years to come. <3