The couple’s ceremony took place at the Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills, with the cocktail hour and reception following at the Vestavia Country Club. Doria paid close attention to the details for her wedding day, and I feel like it really showed in the images! She was stunning and glamorous the whole day, and after watching her interaction with Jamin, it was so obvious how truly in love they are!

Music for the reception was provided by In the Mix USA out of Atlanta, and the bride’s cake was created by the ever-wonderful Jan O’Donnell from Cakes by Jan.

To Doria and Jamin, thank you so much for asking us to be part of your big day! Your day was truly gorgeous, and a blast to document through pictures. And to Alisa, thank you so much for sharing your amazing talents with us for a day. We were blown away by the images you captured!

Here’s a “few” of our favorites from the big day …

Stacey and I were excited to find out that Jennifer and Justin’s engagement session from earlier this year was featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs Nashville blog today! You can see the full post here, and make sure to check out the EAD main site here for a TON of wedding inspiration and gorgeous photos!

Also, be sure to check out Jennifer and Justin’s wedding day post here, which includes some of our favorites portraits EVER!!!

Courtney was all about some killer details, including an awesome pair of PURPLE Manolo Blahnik’s. Seriously gorgeous! That, paired with some gorgeous floral arrangements by Carol at Lillie’s Flowers! Courtney and Michael’s purple-inspired pallet meant that we had some AWESOME color popping all over the place!

Their reception was help at the Newton-Davis House, and was a perfect combination of a casual backyard get-together, and chic wedding reception. So in love with the table centerpieces, made up of mis-matched white vases and more of Lillies handywork! And many thanks to wedding planner Anita Kanellis, who made the day run SO smooth!

Michael and Courtney, thank you so much for having us as part of your big day, and enjoy a few of our early favorites!

Vendors
Ceremony: Christ Church of Branch Cove
Reception: Netwon-Davis House
Catering: Pat Meads
Florist: Lillies
Videographer: Cam Video
Leave car: Vintage Auto
Cakes: Cakes by Audry
Reception Music: To Da Maxx
Hair and Makeup: Birmingham Glam
Dress: Something Blue Shoppe
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo

We absolutely love ever opportunity we get to shoot weddings for multiple family members, and thankfully, it’s been happening more and more lately! Stacey and I spent Saturday at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church with Brandon and Abbie, and having shot Brandon’s sister Miranda’s wedding early this year … we felt right at home with the family!

Despite some scheduling mixups by the church, Brandon and Abbie seemed to enjoy soaking in every moment of their day, from seeing each other for the first time right outside of Abbie’s classroom at OLS, to singing the Alabama fight song together before jetting of to Disney World, they never stopped smiling.

These two met while tailgating prior to an Alabama game in Tuscaloosa, so it only seemed fitting that they had a tailgate-themed wedding reception, complete with Crimson Tide tents, a banana pudding bar, plenty of crimson and white decor, and a football themed cake-topper! The icing on the cake, however, was when Abbie and Brandon changed into their leave outfits … with Brandon sporting a pinstripe seersucker suit, and Abbie rocking her mother’s wedding dress, which she had tailored into a shorter, sleeveless version. Stacey was smitten, to say the least!

Many thanks to the guys at Feel the Beat for playing some awesome tailgate tunes at the reception, and to Imperial Catering for making it even harder for me to stay on my diet.

Abbie and Brandon, thank you so much for sharing your day with us. We were truly blessed to have the opportunity to document this amazing day in your lives! We’re ridiculously jealous of your week-long stay at Disney World, but that didn’t stop us from picking out a few of our favorite shots from your day …

We got Stacey’s film back from our newborn session with Kal last week, and sadly, I haven’t had time to post any of it until now. I just love the way her B&W film captured some great moments between the little guy and his parents! Here’s a few of the frames …

Stacey had the chance to head up to North Alabama this past weekend for a baby shower and photo session with one of her closest friends from PT school. Emily and David are packing up as we speak, and moving the family to Ohio. So Stacey was more than excited to squeak in a quick maternity session before they got on the road! Best of luck to you guys as you start a whole bunch of new chapters in your lives, and in the meantime … enjoy a quick couple of pictures from the session!

And just like the past two years for the Free Wedding Photography Contest, it’s was a ridiculously tough decision. Every one of our judges expressed how touching each story was, and how admittedly hard it was to choose one couple over the others! This year’s contest was FULL of amazing stories, not just from our three finalists, but from the 40-plus submission we received total!

Stacey and I will admit that remaining impartial is only half the reason we pass the final decision off to other people. To be honest, I just don’t think there would be any way for us to decide between three VERY deserving couples. To each of our three finalists … all you have to do is look at the comments sections from our post last week to see how many people care for and love you guys, as well as those who have had you make an impact on their lives! If this contest has taught me anything, it’s that I’d be set for life with three sets of friends like you!

We’ve been blessed with some amazing stories from our four finalists, and desperately wish we could shoot each and every one of their weddings! Sadly we can’t, but hopefully we can help them out in some smaller ways. So we’re offering our runners up either a free engagement or bridal session, or 25% off any of our packages. I know it’s not much, but hopefully it’ll help make their amazing wedding days that much more special!

Needless to say, we are SO excited to be shooting our big winner’s wedding in 2011. We can’t wait to get to know them personally, spend time hearing about their backgrounds, stories, and how they came to this point in their relationship. And then, ultimately, document one of the biggest days of their lives.

It will be a true honor.

So without further delay, we’d like to announce the Free Wedding Photography 3.0 big winners ….

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JOANNA AND DREW!!!

We were so excited to hear Joanna and Drew’s story. How their relationship didn’t get off to the “storybook” start, and how now they’ve helped each other through some ridiculously difficult times over the past year, despite being an ocean apart from each other. From the death of Joanna’s grandmother in India, to trying to bring together families from the U.S. and India for the wedding, finances have not been kind to this amazing couple.

But step-by-step, they’ve taken it in stride with great resilience, keeping the Lord’s plan at the front of their minds at all time. Even down to this past week, when another unexpected illness once again put the plans for the wedding in limbo, Drew and Joanna remain persistent in their love for each other, their love for the Lord, and their goals as a couple.

To Drew and Joanna, we are SO very anxious to be part of your amazing wedding day. We’ve been blessed to get to know some amazing people since we started this little photo business, and can’t wait to add the two of you to our list of clients that we also call friends.

Here’s a little more of their story ….

Drew was the first person I met on BSC’s campus. Fortuitous? Perhaps. At the time I thought he might be gay. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I was a scared freshman, painfully aware that I was quite different from the average female ascending the Hilltop. I stepped out of the car, overwhelmed by the sights…

Brand new Beamer? Hmmm…rode the ole “cheese wagon” in high school.

Designer blonde hair? Not quite…but I could smell the Indian spices on my skin.

Gucci glasses? Mini skirts? Nope, must have left those things at home.

I was definitely out of place. God had blessed me with a generous scholarship to study at BSC, which made the expensive education a possibility. Feeling hesitant, I gathered the courage and my three siblings in tow. I wasn’t sure where to go, and that’s when I saw him.

I remember it clearly, like it was yesterday. He had olive skin and a bright smile. He met my eyes and saw my questioning look. He smiled reassuringly, beckoning me forwards and pointing to the Registration table. My heart was elated! He smiled at me! I wasn’t invisible! He didn’t laugh at my “Wally-world” clothes. Maybe I wouldn’t be an outcast? Plus… he seemed cute, didn’t he??? I walked past him and snuck a closer look. Sigh. He was wearing a choker made out of pantyhose and he had gelled, spiked hair.

Ehh, never mind.

So while Drew single-handedly made me feel comfortable in my new home with his compassion and charm, it was definitely not love at first sight. We got to know each other from a distance over the next year. He dated a few girls in my class, and I saw him as the nice “Christian guy” who loved the ladies (clearing some doubt I had during our initial meeting). One year passed. During my sophomore year, I became an RA in a freshman dorm, and there was always a gaggle of sweet girls around. Drew would make appearances on the hall and soon became the resident heartbreaker with his charm and good looks. Drew earned the reputation of “flavor-of-the-week-guy” for his well-intentioned but fickle flirting. As I got to know him, I began to see that he was a fun and kind guy who had a great heart. We started talking a lot and quickly grew close as we discussed our thoughts about everything from God, to integrity, purity, ideals, ultimate Frisbee, music, poetry, and even Chick-Fil-A chicken minis. I could talk to him about anything. He was one of my best friends.

And that is definitely all that we were – FRIENDS. Once, while hanging out, a friend of ours made the statement – “Guys are never friends with girls unless they want something more.” Drew and I immediately raised our heads in contention and Drew quipped, “That is NOT true. Look at me and Joanna.” I agreed vehemently. What a gross idea; me interested in DREW?

Eww.

As the year rolled on, I noticed that Drew came around more often. He would come to the biology lab to help measure plants with me. He’d be at the paint studio ready to squeeze paint while I shared stories about my faith and family. He was always there when I was singing or leading worship. One day, while I was studying for an exam, he cleared his throat and changed our relationship forever.

Joanna, Drew, and Charisma
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“Hey Joanna.”


J: “Yes Drew?”


“The other day my friend Charisma asked me if I had feelings for you, and I had to say yes.”


(Awkward, long pause).


“I just wanted to tell you before you heard it from anyone else.”


J: “Really?”


“Yea.”


(Longer and more awkward pause).


J: “Oh.”

And that was it. I went on to my studying and he left. I didn’t really take him seriously because of his aforementioned “flavor of the week” tendencies. I thought that perhaps I was just something new. From my perspective, he was firmly planted in “friend zone,” and I wasn’t anxious to make a change. Soon, it came time for the summer, and I was leaving to study abroad. I asked Drew to leave me alone. I wasn’t ready to enter into a relationship. I didn’t want to lose the friendship. Drew sat me down and said, “Joanna, have fun this summer. I want you to be happy. I want the best for you. But know this: I’ll be here when you come back. I’m not willing to settle anymore. I’m willing to wait.”

I was shocked by his monologue but thought in my heart, “He’ll be with someone else in two weeks.”

Over the summer we kept in touch everyday through email. We continued to build our friendship as I heard about his first summer as a youth pastor and I shared about my studies. When I came back in the fall, I realized that he was still very interested. We spent two weeks together during RA training. We talked a lot and sought council from loved ones. The day before freshman move-in day, we took a walk on the intramural fields. Dew glistened on the grass and the moon was bright. Drew told me that he still felt right about this –he wanted to give it a try. I reminded him that a slew of freshmen girls would be arriving on campus in just a few hours. He laughed. We ran through the late-night sprinklers on the quad. We prayed.

Through many transitions, we grew to know each other more. We spent a year studying together at BSC. Drew graduated a year later and felt the call into Christian ministry. God led him to Duke Divinity School and miraculously provided the finances necessary for the degree. I graduated in 2008 and began a career as an accountant. This was a time of growing for us. God was growing us, molding us (as He still is), oftentimes in spite of ourselves.

In 2009, I was blessed with the opportunity to serve as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Scotland. (Can you see a theme here? We are constantly amazed by His provision!) Adding an extra ocean of distance made us more intentional. We discussed the possibility of marriage. We went through great times and hard times. In November 2009, I felt a peace in my heart – knowing for sure that it was right. Little did I know that about that same time, Drew was talking with my father about the possibility of proposal. In December 2009, with the help of generous friends and family, Drew was able to come visit me in Scotland, as I was unable to come home for Christmas.

I’ll let Drew tell you the rest:

Well, it was a blustery day at the 12th century castle ruins in St. Andrews, Scotland. (Most stories that take place in Scotland start that way!) The breeze came gusting in off the North Sea as I explored the ruins with Joanna and our friend Maria. Pockets of snow nestled between the blades of grass and crunched beneath our feet as we meandered around the castle. We moved toward the exit and paused to take a few more photos. I gestured to go up onto the rocks; Joanna shrugged and nodded, moving in that direction. We climbed up onto the stones and there I asked Joanna if she wanted her gift for the day.

You see, every day since my arrival I had given Joanna a gift that corresponds with the twelve days of Christmas. (While the twelve days of Christmas normally begin on Christmas and continue through Epiphany, January 6, I decided to begin twelve days before Christmas. Heretic? Probably). On each card I drew a cartoon that corresponds with the day, and I wrote a note to go with it. For example, on the first day of Christmas, I drew a partridge (a quail) in the middle of a pear tree. I wrote about some memories she and I had that involved delicious desserts on romantic dates. Then I gave her a bowl of freshly cut fruits with plenty of pears. This theme went on for all 12 days. Each day I presented the card in a bright red envelope and gave her a gift that connected with the day’s theme.

I reached into my coat pocket and retrieved the envelope. Joanna opened it to find nothing on the inside. “It’s empty,” she said with slight disappointment in her voice. More optimistically, she said, “That’s OK. We can get it later.” I faked a baffled look and reached back into my pocket to fish for the card. I grabbed the small box I had stashed away and dropped to one knee.

I looked up at her and told her about how I spoke with her father and received his permission to ask for her hand in marriage. With fumbling words, once well orchestrated, I tried to express the depth of my love for her. I told her about how I wanted to start a family with her. I opened the box and revealed the ring inside.

“Joanna Philip, will you marry me?” I asked.

(Another long pause).

(Really long…)

She smiled and said, “Yes.” Nodding, “Of course. Yes!” I pulled the ring from the box and put it on her finger. I stood and hugged my new fiancée! I called to Maria and she came quickly with camera in hand. Despite the cold wind from the North Sea, I have never felt as warm as the afternoon of December 18 when Sarah Joanna said “Yes!”

Where We Are Now

So where are we right now? Joanna is still in Scotland and Drew is serving as a minister in Birmingham. We are excited to get married- if only to be in the same place. Distance indeed makes the heart grow fonder, but enough is enough already!

Joanna has been busy with finishing her dissertation and job hunting. Joanna’s dissertation focuses on microfinance –giving loans and savings opportunities to the poorest of the poor who do not have access to traditional banks that require collateral. This idea, which has proven effective in the developing world, is a possible weapon in the quest for alleviating poverty in the developed world. This concept has really revolutionized Joanna’s perspective of finance and her future career. While we won’t bore you with the details (but would love to share a bit more over coffee, if you’re interested), Joanna is interested in seeing if such an idea could help address the needs of the people of Birmingham. She is currently in conversation with leaders in the global arena to learn more about how to implement such a program. We don’t expect that this sort of venture will bring in the big bucks, but we are excited about the long-term implications for our city and the rest of the United States.

Drew has just graduated from seminary and is currently ministering in a local Birmingham congregation. He is the minister for young adults and new members. In this role, he spends a lot of time preaching, teaching, reading, writing, and finding ways to share the gospel in an authentic way—especially with young adults. He also has the wonderful opportunity to be engaged in the community through tutoring at an inner-city summer program for at-risk kids, assisting with home repair in the Birmingham area, and helping provide bags of food for low-income families.

Bottom line: We both desire to be sensitive to God’s voice as He guides us on this journey together. Who knows what He is preparing us for? Whatever it may be – we know that we want to be a part of it!

Amachi

On another note, very recently, we were reminded of how fragile life is and how important it is to live each day to the fullest. On July 8, 2010 Joanna’s Amachi (“grandmother” in Malayalam), passed away unexpectedly. It was a devastating blow to Joanna and her family as there was no warning whatsoever. Much of Joanna’s immediate family lives in India, and this is where Amachi died. We are told that the day before her passing, Amachi spoke to Joanna’s aunt and said that she wanted to try to book tickets to come to the wedding. Joanna’s grandfather was hesitant to travel due to his age (84), but Amachi wanted to come to the wedding by herself. Hours before her passing, we are told that she was gazing at a picture of the two of us, as she did most days, and asking questions about us, the wedding, and Alabama. She always chuckled at the thought of Joanna being a “minister’s wife.”

We are very sad to have lost her. We so wanted to share our wedding day with her, as it would be the first time Drew would meet her and the first time Joanna would have seen her in almost three years. Along with the emotional grief, this tragedy has put an extra financial strain on our family. A last minute trip to India for Joanna’s mother cost thousands of dollars—an expense that strains an already-tight financial situation. We are currently trying to decide the best option for Joanna’s grandfather, as living alone is not possible. This will create an ongoing expense that was completely unexpected. Still in all of this, we know that God is faithful. We’ve seen it before!

Preparations for the Big Day

When it comes to our wedding planning, we’ve got a lot to catch up on, as distance, finances, and other factors slowed our progress. While we do not know what food we’ll serve or which songs people will dance to, we do know that we want high quality, creative, and epic photographs to capture the magic of our day. This is especially important to us due to our international background. Much of Joanna’s close family (living in India, Qatar, Dubai, and New Zealand) will be unable to afford the airfare to attend the wedding. Her remaining grandparents desperately want to be a part of the day, but they are cautioned against travel due to health and/or finances. For these very important people in our life, our photographs will be the only link they have to this day. For this reason, the photography is so very important to us. We want them to be a part of the magic as well!

When considering how to plan and provide for a wedding, we are grateful that God has revealed his faithfulness over and over again. We love looking back at our story and seeing God’s hand at work. Through it all, He has always been our provision. Where we have not had the means, He has provided. Whether it was for school or emergencies, He has been there. We also see how beautifully He has orchestrated our story. Through our friendship, He used each of us to sharpen and polish each other. If you had told freshman Joanna that she was going to marry Drew Clayton, she might have punched you. Given the prospect of marrying Joanna, Drew probably would’ve thought, “Hmm. I’ve never considered an Indian flavor before…” But now, we can’t imagine a better story.

Finally, our experience has shown us how much God cares about the little details. As a young girl, Joanna had a running list of things she wanted in a husband. Drew had a similar tally for things he wanted in a wife. We are amazed at how God has given us all that we hoped for and more than we could have even imagined.

Before we fell in love, we once talked about what we wanted in our respective future spouses. After much discussion about what made the ideal spouse, we came to this conclusion: We both wanted to be able to look at our spouse and think, “Wow. I’m the luckiest person in the world. My spouse is WAY out of my league.” If our story is any indication, God definitely cares about the details. 

As I was thinking about what to post for Jennifer and Justin’s big day, I was seriously tempted to just let the pictures do the talking. Jennifer has one of the best expressive faces we’ve ever photographed, and Stacey was admittedly a little smitten by Justin in his classic three piece custom suit!

I knew from the moment we shot their engagement session up in Nashville earlier this year, that their wedding day images were going to be something special!

Jennifer and Justin’s big day took place here in Birmingham, but there family’s came from far and wide, including down from Nashville and Chicago. The ceremony was held at Third Presbyterian Church in downtown B’ham, and the reception was held at the trendy Matt Jones Gallery in the Lakeview District. We’re always excited to shoot at the Gallery! Since the art on the walls is constantly changing, every time we shoot there we get a totally different and unique backdrop! Also, many thanks to Celine Russell for her GORGEOUS hair and makeup styling!

This goregous couple did things their own way for their wedding day. No formal wedding parties, seeing each other for the first time in a private little nook on Morris Avenue, and giving us TWO portrait sessions on one of the hottest days of the year … for which we took FULL advantage!

To be totally honest, this is one of my favorite sets up wedding day portraits that we’ve ever put together. Jennifer and Justin, thank you so much for helping us create these awesome pictures! We’re so grateful for your trusting attitudes and willingness to brave some serious heat in the name of good pictures! Here’s what a little sweat on the wedding day got you …

We’re so grateful for each and every person who took the time to open up to us a little, and share some happy, sad, wonderful, difficult, awkward, and inspiring moments with us. From being forced to meet your fiance for the first time while singing “My Humps” at the karaoke bar, to waiting just a little too long for the “Yes” after getting down on one knee, this year’s stories also allowed us to laugh about some of the wonderful moments that people encountered on their way to finding love.

When all the deliberations were complete, Stacey and I felt like we had found three amazing couples, with three inspiring stories. Not all the relationships we chose started off great, or were without some bumps along the way. But one common factor in each story, is that all three of our finalists inspired us by overcoming great odds, long distances, and difficult moments in life. These couples have, or are, going through some serious trials, but it’s obvious that one thing that isn’t faltering is the love they have for each other.

So for a third year, we want to finish by sending a HUGE thank you to ALL of the couples, family, and friends who submitted stories to our contest. We’re always inspired to hear some of the wonderful ways that love and relationships can persevere and prosper, even through the toughest situations.

Without further delay, we’d like to announce our three finalist, in no particular order, for the Free Wedding Photography Contest 3.0! ….

(Side note for family and friends: Our judges want to hear from you! Use the comments section of this post to let us know WHO you think should win our Free Wedding Photography Contest 3.0, and why. Ready, set, go!)

DREW and JOANNA

CARMEN and CHARLES

ADAM and MARILANE

We’ll be sharing a little bit about our contest winners when we announce them next weekend!

The next step in the contest involves a number of our family and friends, who will now take their pick on who they feel the contest winner should be. We’ll be sending the stories off to my and Stacey’s parents, my brother and his wife, our best friends John and Kara, and our 2010 winners, Jessica and Mark. We’ll be contacting our contest winners next Sunday to share the good news with them, and get to work planning pictures for their big day!!!

For now, we’d like to say one more big “thank you” to all who entered this year’s contest, and good luck with all of your wedding plans!

(And remember, our judges want to hear from you! Use the comments section of this post to let us know WHO you think should win our Free Wedding Photography Contest 3.0, and why. Ready, set, go!)

-Brandon and Stacey

Stacey and I had the pleasure of shooting Mike and Rhanya’s wedding back in 2008, so we were beyond excited when they asked us to take some portraits of their newest little addition … Kal. We opted to shoot at their gorgeous house in Vestavia, and even had a chance to meet and play with Kal’s older sister Gwyn. Much like our two dogs, Gwyn is a pretty darn cute puppy for a rescue don’t you think?