Daniel and Heather's "I Do"

Twas a crisp and cool spring morning on March 14th as I left my house for Coffee Bean with Betsy Lackey. We arrived sharply at 8am with our Hazelnut Lattes and gear to a half sleepy Heather clutching her Starbucks, and bridesmaids cluttering the room getting beautified. Her dress was perfect, and her beautiful red hair curled perfectly into her Taylor Swift updo. Heather was a stunning bride...that's all there was to it. Jack Ratana and Christopher came a little later to hang with the boys as they got all handsomed up for the big day.

There's so much I could say about Daniel and Heather, about the significance of their big day in their own lives...their families' lives....their students' lives, even about the significance of this wedding in my life. But for the sake of your eyes and your time, I'll keep it as brief as I possibly can.

I've known Daniel for as long as I can remember. He's been around and in my life through hard times and great ones...and through many peaks and valleys in my faith in God. He's been a pillar and a compass for my faith at times, and he has been one of my biggest supporters. I got to know Heather when Daniel moved from Irvine Presbyterian Church to Presbyterian Church of the Covenant years ago. Together they've led the Junior High and High School groups through the years as coworkers and friends, and now, finally they will be leading as husband and wife.

The thing that stands out in their relationship is their deep desire to put their relationships with the Lord above all else. They found meaning and importance in "loving the Jesus" in the other person because they know that He is the one who inspires their love for each other. Their wedding day was nothing short of a celebration centered on Him. They celebrated who they are, they celebrated their choice and commitment to love each other forever, and they celebrated the God who is the master of all the beauty and love they see in each other. Everyone who came had the opportunity to encounter Him in the laughter, the tears, and the just plain fun that followed Daniel and Heather everywhere they went.

Not only was the wedding SWEET, but I had THE BEST team that day. First, my super beautiful and talented YWAM friend Betsy Lackey came all the way from Lubbock, Texas to shoot with me and spend the week. Second, my super duper OC photographer friend Jack Ratana came out to help me as well! We've been shooting weddings together for a little while and I'm always amazed (and often jealous) at his AMAZING eye. Last, but not least, Christopher came and was the BEST assistant anyone could ask for! Not only was he backup king, but he was thoughtful and helpful and positive all day long...and even picked up a camera to shoot a bit at the reception! These three were my super heroes on Saturday and I definitely couldn't have done everything we did without them!

So...without further adieu... the slideshow (sidenote: I apologize for the fast pace of the show...I went from 250 images I LOVED to 120 because of time constraints in the song...even though I should have just stuck to like 50.....there are a ton of images that were outstanding....I couldn't choose.... :( So don't have any seizures from the images racing....and enjoy just a brief feel for Daniel and Heather's Wedding Day)