Did you suspect that my quirky habit of consuming travel guide books cover-to-cover for months before a trip would turn into a blog post just days before we set out on one of our big world adventures? Me neither. But here I am, thinking about a conversation Joel and I had on our way home […]

It’s all about the cocktail hour on the J&A Blog today! What it is, how to use it, and a fun little gift at the end! Cocktail Hour, as defined by Amber: “A time after the wedding ceremony where guests enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks before entering the formal reception area for a seated meal” […]

It’s going to happen. At some point in your marriage, you’re going to not feel the warm fuzzy feelings. The feelings will border (or deeply plunge) on the I-love-you-but-I-don’t-like-you-right-now kind of sentiment. There’s even a 99.9% chance that at some point in your relationship, you’re going to ask yourself, “Have I made a mistake?” It’s […]

It’s here! Part 2 of our Behind the Scenes series! Part 1 was such a huge hit that we’re sharing just a few more! Flipping through our files of these images has brought back so many amazing memories from the past few years. We love what we do and all the adventures it brings! *When […]

A few weeks ago, I shared some of my favorite images from Jillian + Austin’s Forever Session in Des Moines, Iowa. I said Des Moines, but it was really Des Moines/Pella/fields-in-the-middle-of-nowhere, Iowa. :) And if you haven’t seen it yet, you should definitely go check out adorable baby James smiling in front of a classic […]

This is the fifth and final love language in our series on Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages, and it’s perhaps often misunderstood. Women see the words “physical touch” and automatically roll their eyes. “Oh yes. Guys always want us to speak that love language.” But it’s legit – and it means more than […]

We’ve been talking about some powerful marriage building this past month! We’re up to the third love language this week, and it’s all about gift. Gifts are pretty self-explanatory, but they’re super powerful for those who speak that language. :) People who love getting gifts aren’t necessarily greedy for things. The actual gift has so […]

You’ve found Prince Charming and your ring finger is sparkling. You’ve been checking stuff off your wedding to-do list like a boss: date ✓, venue ✓, photographer ✓, the dress ✓…. Now you’re more than ready to update your Instagram profile with a new engagement picture! Today we’re answering a common question we get: when should […]

I’m really excited about this week’s Mocha because Acts of Service is one of my primary love languages! (Thankfully Joel has a servant’s heart because he gets to use it often!) Acts of service is just like it sounds. It means going above and beyond to do things that serve each other, particularly when it […]

One of the biggest blessings of being a wedding photographer is to walk alongside some of the most amazing couples as they embrace their wedding, marriage, life, and all the little stories in between. Love stories don’t end once the wedding gallery is delivered – there is so much more adventure to be had! Forever […]

Once upon a time, in a mountaintop kingdom whose towers stood gracefully among the clouds of Lookout Mountain, Georgia, there was a very tall and dashingly handsome young lad named Joel. Joel had come to this mountaintop kingdom, known to many as Covenant College, to study under the masters of engineering. Covenant College was a […]

Welcome back to our series on the Five Love Languages! This week we’re highlighting Quality Time. I feel like this love language is getting more and more difficult in our ever-busy culture. Quality time focuses on spending intentional time together that is focused on each other, not focused on an activity that involves participation by […]