Zak and Katrina are two people who inspire me. Not only are they totally in love, but their desires and passions in life fit perfectly… as perfectly as her hand fits in his. But what inspires me most about them is their ability to “do”. They don’t let work, finances, or “real life” get in the way of their dreams. And even though it would have been so much easier to set their dreams aside for more “realistic” options once they got married…. the best times of their life are happening because they chose the “unrealistic” option…. they’re now living as missionaries with YWAM in Mexico.

I originally met Zak years ago when we were both working at Forest Home, and eventually met Katrina when they got engaged. On our initial meeting, we IMMEDIATELY hit it off. And it was funny…. we ended up talking less about wedding photography, and more about international missions. Zak and Katrina’s enthusiasm for each other, as well as for missions is ridiculously contagious…. and I left that meeting feeling completely inspired to pursue my own aspirations with new fervor. In fact, I’m consistently moved by their enthusiasm as I follow their journey as missionaries.

Zak and Katrina’s wedding happened last year in Ventura, CA and their day completely reflected their personalities and love for people. It was such a fun day and it was one of those weddings that everyone left feeling like they’d witnessed true love. It was an honor to be their wedding photographer, and an even greater honor to be able to call them friends. Here’s my absolute favorites from the day….

Special thanks to my entourage for the day, Christopher, Betsy Lackey, Amanda Patrice, and Victoria Baughman. You guys rocked and I had so much fun shooting with you all! And to Zak and Katrina, thanks for being you…. thanks for loving each other the way you do. And thanks for living your life recklessly chasing after God’s heart. You inspire me to do the same.

What’s your biggest fear? What’s your greatest dream? Have they always been the same fears and dreams? Why is your biggest fear… your biggest fear? Donald Miller, in a recent blog post, said, ”The great lives are lived in the places we most fear. If we fear being rejected, the great story has us standing at the door with flowers in our hands, if we fear losing love, the great stories have us letting that person go rather than clinging to them. If we fear taking a chance on a dream, the great stories have us quitting our jobs.”

I’ve realized I have one life, a very short one, when considering all there is to do and see. The choices I make unfold the story of my life, and I’ve made it a priority to press into my dreams regardless of how scary they are. I haven’t aways been this determined, or intentional, and it’s not easy. But I’ve realized that I truly am living a story…. now…. in this moment. In the moments when I have the opportunity to choose between what’s easy and what is right, between what puts me out of my comfort zone and what keeps me feeling safe, I’m making a choice to live a good story or not.

I once feared I’d never find the right person to marry…. I could have easily said it was my greatest fear. I also feared letting someone delve that deeply into my heart, because there was a chance they might break it. Two fears rooted deeply within me that could have easily prevented me from seeing my dreams come true. I dated Christopher despite those voices of fear trying to convince me otherwise… I let myself fall in love even though I knew I could have my heart broken…. and I said “I do” as I promised to love him forever, understanding we’re both susceptible to human error. I made choices to take chances on a dream… and I married someone who’s better than any dreams I could have dreamed.

I once feared. I still do. But what scares me more than those fears is the idea of letting my dreams slip away un-pursued. And as Langston Hughes put it so eloquently, “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams go, life is a barren field, frozen with snow.”

A photographer by the name of Jeremy Cowart, someone I look up to immensely, has recently taken up a project by the name of  Fears vs. Dreams along with To Write Love on Her Arms. If you’d like to check out the video they made, you can view it here. It’s pretty powerful….

Here’s just a few shots from our wedding day…. you can view more on our fantastic photographers Gavin and Erin’s blog…

Photo Credit, Used with Permission: (Gavin Wade Photographers)

Photo Credit, Used with Permission: (Gavin Wade Photographers)

Photo Credit, Used with Permission: (Gavin Wade Photographers)

Last time I blogged, I was still engaged, still planning and preparing for the wedding, and still losing my mind. It’s amusing now, as I look back on it all, but  I’m thankful life is slowly returning back to normal. Settling into married life is exciting…. still odd when I realize I’m a wife… but exciting none the less. It’s the little things like not having to coordinate who is sleeping at what house, someone to help clean and put things away, building our home together piece by piece, and knowing he’s there as I fall asleep at night. It’s such a fun/crazy/amazing/unbelievable/believable/challenging/once in a lifetime/never trade it for anything/joyful  thing to get married to the love of your life and I feel nothing less than utterly blessed.