A Memory Captured: Our Favorite Stories of 2016, Part 1

One of my favorite things about January is seeing everybody’s “Best Of” posts start to pop up. I get so excited about pretty pictures – especially when they have a story to go with it!

I follow so many other creative entrepreneurs on social media to cheer them on, and seeing some of my favorites show up in their Best Of is like re-living the story again myself. I get sentimental looking through those pictures because I know they represent a special story. It’s more than just a pretty picture. It’s the story of someone and how love has changed their lives in remarkable ways.

It always takes me an exceptionally long time to put together my own “Best Of” posts because I see a favorite story in every single picture! To me, every picture is so beautiful because of the people and memories in it.

And yet, a blog post can only be but so long. :) So in honor of a beautiful year and even more beautiful couples, enjoy few snippets of our favorite memories of 2016, Part 1!

(Venue: Twickenham Church of Christ // Dress: The Something Blue Shoppe // Hair Artist: Mirror Image Salon // Makeup Artist: Jill Ware // Videographer: Rusty Cockrell)

Our Favorite First Look Moments

Oh, let me just start with the First Looks! I could (and have) written a novel-sized essay on all the reasons First Looks are so incredible and so special. It is most definitely one of my favorite moments of the entire wedding day, hands down.

I love how the anticipation and realization of what is happening builds up all morning long, and the last final moments are like taking a huge breath and holding it inside.

And then he turns around.

That huge breath you’re holding comes out with a whoosh. All the tension and nervousness you felt up to that moment disappears as quickly as mini KitKat bars on the “Love Is Sweet” wedding favor table.

In that moment, you absolutely know that you’re making the best decision of your lives. The moment is happening, and it is real.

For that moment, the rest of the world disappears.

And it is beautiful.

(Venue: Burritt on the Mountain // Dress: Alfred Angelo Bridals // Hair Artist: Debbie Lambert and Belinda Peters // Makeup Artist: Brittianna J // Florals: Nip and Tuck // Coordinator: Weddings by Jeannie)

(Venue: The Ledges // Dress: Madison Town and Country Bridal Shop // Hair Artist: Amanda Thomas // Makeup Artist: Laney Harris // Florals: Albert’s Flowers // Videographer: Oak Hill Films)

(Venue: Private Residence // Dress: Modern Brides // Hair and Makeup Artist: New Beginnings Salon // Florals: McBride Florist // Wedding Coordinator: Kasey Simmons)

Our Favorite Silhouettes

The silhouette is one of our signature shots and they make our hearts go pitter-patter!

These are my fairytale.

Everything else disappears except this tiny little moment. And yet that little moment is absolutely timeless. When I see this moment, I can feel the intensity of love. The promise of the future. The memories of the past. All else disappears except the feeling of that very special moment.

Am I the only one who gets goosebumps? :)

Our Favorite Getaway Cars

The last few minutes of the wedding day are super charged with excitement. We’re all full of scrumptious cake and even more scrumptious memories.

Your friends and family grab their sachets of rose petals and line the sidewalk. Knowing that your caterer tucked away a mouth-watering basket of leftovers into the backseat of your car and that tomorrow you’ll be in the Bahamas, you can’t keep a smile off your face.

You dash through the rose-scented air and hop into your seat as your dashing new husband helps you tuck your dress inside before he closes the door and heads over to the driver’s seat. (Ooh, to get out of those shoes is another wonderful feeling!)

You drive away to the first moment of your real lives together with the sound of cheers still echoing in your ears.

And it was all just perfect.

(Venue: Vecoma at the Yellow River // Kilt Ensemble: Atlanta Kilts)

(Dress: The Something Blue Shoppe // Hair and Makeup Artist: Madison Klimas)

Favorite Grand Reception Entrance

So I didn’t originally have this category in mind, but I saw these pictures as I was flipping through Karen and Glenn’s wedding gallery and decided that there was no way I could withhold these from the list of favorites. :)

This is one of those times I was talking about earlier in this post where I am so in love with these images because of the memories they bring back.

We had just finished a portrait session on the golf course overlooking the river at Turtle Point Yacht and Country Club. It was the first time we worked at that venue, and we were head over heels in love with that portrait location! When we show up at a new venue, we don’t always know exactly what we’re going to have to work with. Our job is to make anything look magical. But when magic is handed to us on a silver platter, we absolutely swoon.

This was a swoon location. But that’s a story for another day.

We had just finished swooning over the portrait location and came inside to get ready for Karen and Glenn’s grand entrance (and that food was smelling so goooooood……) These two have completely captured our hearts and we couldn’t wait to watch them enjoy their reception.

So these two come through the door cheering like the adorable people they are. And THEN, Karen goes into this graceful little spin that makes her dress twirl better than I could have ever coached her to do. And the dip-kiss that Glenn gave her after that melted my heart. I was a combination of laughter at the unexpected twirl perfection and tears at how much I adored this moment for them.

(Venue: Turtle Point Yacht and Country Club // Dress: Couture Closet // Hair and Makeup Artist: Laren Lindholm // Coordinator: Chelsea Kennedy Events)

Favorite Bouquets

Now this was one category that was really hard to narrow down! I love how absolutely everything about wedding day bouquets!

The bouquet is something that brings your wedding day vision together. It brings a pop of color to your bridal portraits and is something that is special and unique to your wedding day. It brings a taste of personality to your portraits, too! When I see a bride’s bouquet, I usually have a “Yep! This is so her!” moment. They’re as unique as the wedding itself.

Besides, who doesn’t just love the burying their nose in a handful of fresh flowers? :)

(Florals by Always Always Florist)

(Florals by Bella Petali)

(Florals by Jana Warner)

(Florals by Simpson’s Florist)

(Florals by Lola’s Florist)

I can’t wait to share more of our Favorite Stories of 2016 in Part 2! If you loved this blog post, check out our social media pages at Facebook: @joelandamber and Instagram: @joelandamber. We love to tell stories and share tips with our brides all throughout the year on both Facebook and Instagram. It’s just one more way we can love and serve our couples with our whole hearts!

Happy 2016!

*hugs*

Amber

(Venue: Meadow Creek Farm)