Weddings are events of endurance. A year of planning, months of discussion, days of celebrations, pictures, ceremony, and, of course, the party. And for Amie and Dave, this was no ordinary party. A packed floor with groomsmen crashing together and people dancing through the night into an after party with hardly a break, this was a non-stop day that never let down, and that told me everything I needed to know. Because this was endurance of the very best kind. A day punctuated by an abundance of joy and full of love, it was a reminder about what it really means to celebrate.

The demands of modernity range far and wide, and in few places is that more evident than the gauntlet of decisions every couple has to face planning a wedding. A big wedding, a small wedding, a modern wedding, a classic wedding. What does the wedding say about who you are, what you do, and how you live?

Sometimes, in the sea of decisions, it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed by the entirety of it, so walking into a room and laying your eyes upon a dress that’s spanned four generations is something both wholly special and fully lovely to see. A fulcrum in time around which lives revolve.

And that’s the type of day it was for Cameron and Rob – a reminder about the joys of people, place, and time. About a dress with heritage, a traditioned dance with a grandfather, and a day full of smiles and kindness – all what a wedding should be.

You know there’s a different sort of vibe in the air when, instead of coming down the aisle, the groom jogs up side, pretends to throw himself into the water, and hops over some chains to make his way to the front of ceremony. And so it was with Olivia and Shikhiu. Olivia, possessed of a warmth, grace, and playfulness that brings a smile to the mind, and Shikhiu, vibrant, expressive, and full of heart. When you put those two things together, it’s hard to expect anything less than a brilliant day, and without a doubt, it lived up to its billing.

I was so happy to be able to spend a day with Lindsay and Dan at the Stroudsmoor in Pennsylvania. Lindsay was the the youngest of three sisters, and there’s just something special about coming to a wedding where you know the family. It’s such an honor to be able to be there for the third time. I loved seeing everyone again, and the clear sky on this brilliant day up in the mountains was the perfect backdrop for it all.