They were on a rooftop in a garden in Guatemala, holding this moment and each other in a sweet embrace. All the details of the day and of life had led them to this. From the flowers, the dress and tuxedo, the family and friends gathering, and both ceremonies, to the relationships of the past, to the friendship kindling for years, for the love to grow and for Jesus to shine through it all, He ordained that these two would be joined as one. The bride was breathtaking, the garden was beautiful, and the ceremony was so meaningful. I could not hold back tears so many different moments of the day. The mother of the bride buttoning up her dress and saying words of blessing over the beautiful daughter that she cared for and raised all the 23 years passed, the father of the bride seeing his baby girl all dressed up to be given away later that day, the groom turning and beholding his beautiful bride-to-be, the ceremony where they vowed to each other before God and before friends and family to be committed and to love each other until the end of their days, but this was my favorite moment of the day. To see the love and pure joy beaming from their eyes that they were finally each other’s forever was just so powerful to capture. What a love of Jesus and a love for each other to get to see on display.
For those of you who do not already know, this beautiful bride, Taryn Elizabeth, is my little sister. I remember the days when she was potty training and had a crush on a teenager who took care of her in the church nursery. I remember when she was following in her older sisters’ shadows and doing every single thing we did. I saw her grow and blossom into the amazingly beautiful woman she is now, though the last several years had to be watched from afar. She has walked out God’s plan for her life so gracefully and so faithfully. Watching her develop her own passions and create her own ministry is inspiring and now to have gotten to watch her fall in love is just so special.
The way she looks at him and laughs, the way she needs to be by his side any chance she can get is just so sweet. She found the one whom her soul loves and after years in the making, they are finally one. He takes care of her and her heart, and he holds her and loves her and makes her laugh just as she needs him to. They are like magnets attracted to each other when they’re together, and they are just so perfect.
In Guatemalan culture, the man and woman have a civil ceremony before a lawyer and to get all the details in order legally for them to be married. The religious ceremony is done after the civil ceremony with all your family and friends and, most importantly, before God. They had their civil ceremony a month before their religious ceremony and they chose to keep things the same and live separately until they vowed forever before God, not just on paper. How honorable of them! That shows where they have built the foundation of their relationship and their marriage – on Christ!
I am so deeply honored that I was gifted the chance to go see my sister marry her best friend, and how much more of a blessing and honor it was to get to capture their day for them. It is a treasure that I will keep in my heart, always. Thank you, thank you, thank you for allowing me to be there for your day and get to see every single detail so close. I cannot wait to see where this new journey takes you. I’ll always be here, praying over your lives, your love, and your marriage.
