Thursday, January 10, 2008

IN MEMORY OF GUY

I was invited over Labor Day weekend to capture the 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration of Guy and Ruth at the family's beach house. At the time, Guy knew he was living with advanced bone cancer. One of the most amazing things about my job is the opportunity I get to see inside families and to learn from each of them. Several times during the day, I noticed Guy peacefully and adoringly gazing at one of his grandchildren, or one of his sons, or his wife. He looked up to see me watching him at one point and he said that over the past few years, God had opened his eyes to the inner beauty in people. With tears in his eyes, he told me just how amazingly beautiful we are.

I am so honored to have met him and witnessed his beautiful love for his family. He passed away on January 1st.

One of the qualities that moved me about this family was how fully in the moment they lived even in the face of saying goodbye. They especially love to play. Ruth planned a game for everyone to enjoy. She showed the kids her wedding photographs and told the story of how Guy proposed to her. Then she divided the group into two and gave them their assignments: one group would make a wedding dress for her and the other group would make a tuxedo for Guy. Their materials: all different colors and sizes of garbage bags and duct tape!I have photographed quite a few brides and grooms preparing for their wedding days, but this one stands out. It was fun to watch all the different ages compete to make the best outfit --the laughter and the creativity exploded all around the room.No detail was left out--Guy even had a new ring out of duct tape to put on his beautiful bride's finger.
They even tossed the garter and the bouquet!

After the wedding fun, we all headed out to the beach for some fun family portraits: