Luke's Birth Story Slideshow Luke - 2nd Kennedy baby & Sam's best friend. Luke was born in 2009 at Woman's Hospital - Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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Lilly's Birth Story Slideshow Lilly - 3rd Kennedy baby & princess of the house. Lilly was born in 2013 at Woman's Hospital - Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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Maylin & Yadin · Naples, FL

Naples Engagement Session

When Maylin approached me to photograph her engagement session the first thing I thought was, man I am getting old. Maylin happens to be friends of Jael and Samuel and lives just a couple of blocks from us. I have witnessed seeing her grow up from a curly haired little girl with poofy pink dresses to the beautiful woman she is today. Taking part in documenting this special beginning of her love story is such a treat. I would of never in a million years imagined way back when I was a little girl playing with her sister that I would one day be photographing Maylin and her finance’s engagement photos. Fast forward twenty years and here we are, these two are about to get married! For their engagement session Maylin wanted to visit the place where Yadin asked that very important question us girls always imagine. He chose the Garden of Hope and Courage as the perfect setting to take Maylin for a stroll at night. Lined with candles he lit the pathway to the pavilion where he would get down on one knee and propose to Maylin. That’s just how it went and she was surprised and excited all together at once. Going back there to commemorate that special night was of course top priority on our list, and that’s where their engagement session started…

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“Getting married is a huge step in life. Something that will be for a lifetime, not just for “a little while”. I knew that I wanted to marry Maylin. In fact as best friends that we were before we were anything at all, we would say that if by the time we’re 30 and we’re still not married we’ll marry each other. Because we had a great friendship. Every day in the morning I would call her or she would call me just to talk about random things. She always had my back, and I always had hers. I would be super jealous with her, like if she was my sister.

I’ll never forget the day at assembly that she looked at me with these sparkling eyes when we’re trying to find out where to eat. THAT’S when I knew that I wanted to be with her and that we had something very special. She is a great person and someone that is always positive and always looking at the good in me. I have never felt for someone what I feel for her. Her love is enduring. Definetly one of a kind. I thank God everyday of my life for putting her in my path. Everyone that knows us would always say that she was meant for me but I would always say “no we’re just super close like siblings” and then they would be like “yeah right”. Everyone would tell us but we would dodge it.

She means the world to me and I am so happy and greatful that I fell in love with my best friend. The person with the biggest heart and who always puts people before herself. I will always take care of my little girl and spoil her. On November 19th of 2016 I will be able to call her my wife. She will become a part of me. We will be husband and wife. There’s no one else I want to share this experience with if it is not her. She deserves the world and more. I love her with all my heart.”

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Sam and I were having a blast with these two. Maylin and Yadin needed such little direction just because they normally always come together. So incredibly sweet to watch.

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Next on our list was a big one, landing a west coast sunset. We had rescheduled the session already once just because we didn’t want to risk the rain ruining our trip. On our way there we drove through a massive storm that would have patches where I was seriously considering that we would have to once again reschedule. During the time we were shooting at the Garden of Hope and Courage it started to thunder… I mean the rain was just not having it… that was until we made it to the beach. After a quick wardrobe change, I had these two running to the rocks because the sky lit up in a rainbow of pastels. This is what we wanted. This is why we drove to Naples. AND Sam and I were in light heaven. The way the pink sun glowed and highlighted their faces was the kind of stuff that I talk about all the time with couples when we want to have a beach session. It couldn’t of worked out better for us and I am so so happy with these… Maylin & Yadin in a sea of cotton candy.

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“I always thought of him as such a hotrod before and from the moment we met there was so much chemistry. An incredibly unique spark, something we girls all look for. I knew he was different. Just the fact that the first day we met we could talk about our crazy poop stories I knew he was like no other guy. I was so comfortable around him, as if I knew him my whole life.”

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“Last summer, after years of being best friends, I began to see him with different eyes. I would see him and my stomach would whirl with butterflies (it still does). When he would look at me, I would suddenly get nervous around him and I couldn’t understand it. Why was I feeling this way for him? This wasn’t right, he’s was my best friend. Until it became obvious to me as well as to everyone else I couldn’t hide it anymore nor could he. Yadin had a thing for me and I for him. I knew in my heart being with him would be never ending and lead to a lifetime together, and that one way or another we were going to be with each other if not now then ten years from now, so why keep waiting? The day he asked me to be his girlfriend was the day I finally kissed him, it was so absolutely amazing so ideal, so dreamy,  I could not believe we had waited so long. Sparks became fireworks, butterflies became all kinds of knots and bumble bees… it felt so extraordinary. For once I felt like Disney wasn’t lying to me all my life after all. I still feel in a dream when I am with him and when I look in his eyes, and every time our lips touch it’s the sweetest touch of endearment. When I am with him nothing else matters to me. Out of such an intense feeling and deep affection grew a love stronger that I could ever hope for. I trusted him enough to fall completely for him. I do believe he was always in the plans for me and he was always for me. I love him more than words could ever explain. I fell in love with my best friend to whom I refer to from now on as my home.”

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I never wanted that pretty sun to go away. Such a perfect afternoon capturing the sweetest of loves. I can’t wait to see Maylin all dressed up in her gown getting ready to marry her best friend. It brings such warmth to my heart.

Tomorrow is a big day, a very big day I would say. Tomorrow I photograph my first wedding after being on leave for say four years or so from the wedding scenario. I thought a long time ago that it just wasn’t for me. I could handle all the pressure in the world in an operating room photographing a birth but didn’t want to be in charge of documenting  a couples’ most important day. That is until the many beautiful couples that I have photographed this year have awaken a hidden passion I never knew I had. I want to tell the love story before the children. Sure once a couple of years pass by and the now brides are soon to be moms the romance and love is still there, but it will be different. They both will be different. Their love will be in a different stage. How awesome would it be if I was there to witness the before – then – after of a family. And that’s how they convinced me. Elizabeth & Victor’s wedding is tomorrow and I am so excited for my dear friend Liz. Be sure to keep up with all of us ( Sam & Jael will be both assisting ) as we snap stories on Instagram. Have a great weekend!

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2 Responses

  1. note from:
    Patty

    How beautiful! I love the sunset pictures, what a glow!

  2. Beautiful photos. I love the way you were able to capture the soft, iridescent colors of the sunset over the water. Absolutely stunning!

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