Buddy + Jill | Part I
Rejoicing.
That’s the perfect word to describe this wedding celebration. I’m sitting here and I don’t know what to say. It’s not that I have nothing to share… the problem is I have SO much to share and I don’t know where to begin. I really don’t. I have so much to tell you about the wedding day and the details but I also need to explain how amazing this couple is and how much they mean to Michael and I. I just don’t know how I’m going to fit it all in! I guess I’ll just have to do a Part I and Part II. I really don’t LOVE doing a two part wedding post because it breaks up the flow of the wedding and I like to display my weddings as one cohesive piece. But you gotta do what you gotta do! Right?! Right.
So during this Part I, I’m going to attempt to paint a picture of Buddy and Jill’s relationship so that you understand why this wedding means SO much to me. I’ll start with college. Michael is two years older than me and so when he left for college and I had a mini-breakdown and begged my parents to let me visit him every weekend…… I would go to CNU and stay with Bev, Jill, Chrissy and Meghan. They were college girls… and I was a junior in high school and so that automatically made them 3x cooler than me. So I looked up to them. I loved them and as I entered CNU, we became more than just “weekend-visit-sleepover-buddies”……these girls became some of my closest friends…So that’s how I came to love Jill but if you want to get an even more detailed story… I could tell you about how Michael and Jill were born in the same hospital, two days a part! Yea, crazy!
.
And now we’re moving on to Buddy: So after my freshman year I moved into a house with some of my BEST friends (Middle House I miss you!) and we had neighbors on either side. To the left was the YoungLife guys house (even though very few of them led YL at the time) and Buddy was one of them. It wasn’t uncommon to walk in our house and find buddy hanging out in the kitchen…eating something…..something of ours! It’s ok Bud, we still love you. So we started to get to know buddy that year and we learned that he was a pretty awesome guy. It didn’t take long until Jill found that out too. They started talking and hanging out and I specifically remember having “House Time” with my roommates and saying “Gosh, are they dating yet?!!”. We knew it was going to happen. It was so obvious. Jill and Buddy became best friends and we watched them grow as a couple all throughout college.
.
This is why this wedding was so amazing for me. I’ve watched two people that I love find each other, fall in love with each other and then MARRY each other. It’s such an AMAZING thing. I really don’t feel like I’m doing it justice with my words…..It’s so hard to communicate how POWERFUL a wedding can be when you’re celebrating with friends that you love and when those friends love the Lord…. whew! Bring out the tissues!!! There is SO much more to a marriage than just rings, a dress and a party….. gosh, it’s what we were created to do…. we are designed to LOVE each other and we only understand what LOVE actually is through Christ! And so when a couple that I care about SO much comes together to become husband and wife…. it’s not just another wedding for me. It’s a celebration that nothing else compares to……nothing. On Saturday Michael and I were surrounded by our closest friends as we witnessed Buddy and Jill start their new life together and we rejoiced with them. As I watched Jill cry as she wrote her last journal entry to her future husband that she had been praying for for 6 years…. I rejoiced with her. As I photographed Bev, Meghan, and Chrissy help Jill into her wedding dress…. she cried and I rejoiced with her…. and as I watched Jill see her husband for the first time on their wedding day… I cried and I rejoiced with her. (But I was taking pictures too! Don’t you worry!)
.
I had the privilege of being with Jill a few days before her wedding to help get ready and decorate… and then Michael and I got to photograph their wedding day. What an insane honor!!!! I can’t believe I get paid to do this. Buddy and Jill…. gosh, I could go on and on about you guys ( I already have!). When you were dating and I saw you together, it made me happy….and now that you’re husband and wife…. I am BEYOND EXCITED for you!!! Michael and I LOVE you two and we were so honored that we got to be a part of your wedding day!!! Enjoy your last few days in Jamaica and then hurry home so we can have our first double date as old married couples!!! (ps. Jill I have your Credit card still…. I should probably give that back sometime soon:)
.
Anyway! Enjoy Part I and I’m warning all of you out there…. this may be a new favorite for you!!! I’m just saying.
.
Oh and THIS is Grey Gables. Beautiful right?! Well this 18th century plantation home is not only their wedding venue, it’s also their first HOME! Buddy runs a farm and works for Polyface, a pasture based, organic farm that is known nationwide. When buddy and Jill found out that they would be living here…. they also decided to have their wedding here as well! How perfect! We literally celebrated and took portraits in their BACKYARD. It’s really unbelievably gorgeous! I’ll tell you more about their awesome reception in Part II!
Gorgeous.
LOVE the light in this room. Having two opposite windows is amazing!
Love this.
This may have been the moment when Buddy told Jill that she had never looked more beautiful …. or maybe it was the moment when he said he seriously couldn’t be any happier….whatever moment it was… it was awesome. Buddy you have one stunning bride!
Ah!
Jill made those awesome bouts!
Ahhhh!!!
At this time, I was squealing!
Jill if you don’t put this on a canvas, I will!
There are no words. New all time favorite right here!
Comments (43)
Comments
Add a comment
GIRL!!!! This wedding is STUNNING!! Their house is GORGEOUS! Everything is sooooo beautiful! :)
This wedding is absolutely beautiful! I love the colors, the flowers, the venue and the couple is just so in love that it tops the cake!
Gasp! These are stunning Katelyn! Love the barn pictures!
She is sooo beautiful!!!
Katelyn, your work gets more and more amazing every time I see it. I think the mark of a true photographer is someone who can evoke REAL emotion by their audience through their images, and you’ve perfected that technique. The photos of her praying with her maids and the first look brought tears to my eyes and gave me chills. You’re amazing!
oh my goodness oh my goodness !!!!
i have no words! sooo beautiful! elegant, laid back and simple!!! i looooooove this! & cant wait for part 2
photos of the girls praying together, my favorite! ah! & the first look!!! absolutely! I love it
gahhh! stop it, I can’t handle any more wedding gorgeousness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW! This wedding should be published everywhere! You did an amazing job!
Absolutely gorgeous! Love this post:) I’m lovin’ how you document the details….those pink dresses on the blue mantel? Too fun!
Probably one of my favorite weddings you’ve shot! Absolutely gorgeous!
oh. my. gosh. bring on part II. katelyn–you have captured yet another couple’s love in such a powerful way. jilly- love you so much and so thankful to have been apart of this day with you. you are a farmer’s wife. praise the lord!!!!
HOLY MOLY!!! Im sitting here crying at work….AMAZING …So glad to spend the day with you and buddy and jill. Can’t wait for some fun reception ones on top of the hill!!!
Tell Michael that we don’t mind if you post all the pictures on the blog. I never get tired of seeing your work and these are AMAZING, AWESOME, STUNNING. I could go on.
So, we woke up this morning in Jamaica and the first thing we said was, “Today is THURSDAY….our wedding is on the blog today!!!! YESSSSS!”….. And although it was tough, we took time out of our busy schedule of laying on the beach and snorkeling to stop by the blog. We can NOT thank you and Michael enough for your friendship and for capturing our wedding day! The pictures are AMAZING and I really can’t wait for part II.
OH, and we’re coming to Richmond next week so I’ll call you when we get back! xoxoxoxoxo
Love you guys SOOOOO MUCH!
Love, The Powers :)
AHHH.. my wedding cannot get here quick enough.. these are FABULOUS katelyn!
holy manna!!!!! these are awesome and jill, you have always been beautiful but you were absolutely breath taking!! katelyn, im not surprised, you capture the essence of what love is everytime!!! CANT WAIT FOR PART II
Katelyn – these are AMAZING! Beautiful work as always. Their love is just pouring out of the photos!
KK! This is definitely a new favorite! LOVE IT! Cannot wait for part II :) Maybe you could not post it during working hours so I’m not tearing up at the office! That would be great!
KATELYN! these are so INCREDIBLE. i am truly amazed at how you captured the emotion and joy of Jill and Bud’s wedding. I am so excited to see part II. yayayaya! YOU ARE AWESOME.
These are GORGEOUS!!! I didn’t want the post to end!! You are so talented, Katelyn!! Just absolutely gorgeous. I can’t wait for part 2!
i LOVE these! some of my favorites are of calvins face when he is excited..hahha love it!
This is stunning, Katelyn, one of the most evokative I’ve ever seen of your work!
Also…love her Paloma gown. *swoon*
OMG! I cannot believe this is where they are going to live! Even just getting married there seems like a DREAM! these are so so so beautiful and you’re right – it just might be a new favorite! CAN’T WAIT for part II :)
Katelyn- you did it! I challenged you (or better yet, threatened you) to help me not miss a thing, mission accomplished! Jilly girl- ahhh you are beautiful! Cant wait for more tomorrow! Congrats again Powers!
aipogtarohgap This is my favorite post EVER. I cannot believe how breath-taking these pictures are! Buddy and Jill, you are beautiful people…if you ever get tired of farming, modeling definitely seems like a possibility :) And KK, you have major talent (to say the least) Your pic’s never cease to surpass my expectations! I love you and this post and can’t wait for PART 2!!!
you are awesome katelyn! the light in these images are so pretty, and well…the images are so pretty! great job girl!
Oh WOW Katelyn!!! These are soooo beautiful! And I’m SO jealous of their AWESOME home! I have always wanted an old beautiful home like this one!! I’m sure they are very grateful for such an amazing first home =) Kudos to you on such a beautiful job (and your cutie second shooter!) capturing their big day. Hugs to you!!
this first look (and the rest of the post) MADE ME CRY! so beautiful! so much happiness!!!!
incredible! the colors are just perfect! i am in love with the dip picture in the field – loooooove it.
We’ve been waiting anxiously all day for these pics, soooooooooooooooooo good! Loved them all! Can’t wait for Part II. You and Michael did such an awesome job!
love how you define marriage!! and gorgeous gorgeous people and wedding! just perfect.
ooh myyy gooodness Katelyn, this is gorgeous. GORGEOUS. you out did yourself on this one. amazing.
Love the straw backdrop! Goes great with the colors. Can’t wait to see you in action at the Newman wedding this August!!
Woooo! Katelyn you rock. These are gorgeous! Love the ones in the barn!!! :)
LOVE!! congrats Jill and Buddy! I’m so jealous of your house!!! oh and Katelyn, oh you just did wonderfully. Too much good stuff.
LOVE! Beautiful couple, beautiful photos – definitely one of your most beautiful weddings! And I love to hear your excitement while reading your post, it feels like it’s coming from the heart. Can’t wait for part 2!
love everything! the house is amazing, I love the bridesmaid dresses, their portraits are AWESOME! LOVE the ones in the barn! Can’t wait for part 2!!
My sis and brother in law )Meg and Troy Tonagel) attended this wedding and she sent me your link. These are just gorgeous pictures! You are right up there with J* in my book! :) Beautiful pictures!
Ok I know I’ve already commented on this one, but I had to let you know that I had this page permanently on my iPhone browser today for inspiration for portraits. This is still my favorite wedding of yours, even though your work blows me away more and more every week :)
[...] classroom, look for LIGHT! I’m going to show you some examples of GREAT window light from Buddy and Jill’s wedding this year so that you can get a feel for what I’m talking about! and I’ll try to add a [...]
[...] sweet Katelyn James. After doing all that thinking…this wedding in particular really sold me: Buddy & Jill . There was SO much that was just so relatable about it. Buddy’s looks and handiness reminds [...]
[...] truck . bridge . pub . boxer shorts . water ski #PDRTJS_2226915_post36613_msg_1 {line-height: [...]
[...] “I am so glad Jill and I did a first look. Your wedding is a really busy day–You’ve got all of your favorite people in one place, for one day, and you want to make the most of every moment. So, it is awesome to have a time where it is just you and your bride (and Katelyn). It allows the two of you to have time to soak it all in and really be present with each other. Apart from a first look, our wedding day was a whirlwind, but the first look created a time for us to stop and enjoy it all. Even though it’s not deemed “traditional”, I highly recommend doing a first look and we jokingly refer to it as the “new tradition”. – Buddy Powers [...]