On the most beautiful spring day last month, I had the honor of photographing Tina and Randy as they met by the river and pledged their lives to one another. The day was simple and incredibly tender. There was so much love there pouring out through laughter and tears.

There where moments I didn't even want to exhale because the intimacy was so thick.

How refreshing to strip down all of the "stuff" usually involved in weddings and to be left there with pure, vulnerable, selfless love.

Thank you. Thank you for trusting me to be witness to your story.

www.helenjoy.com

Exactly ten years ago at this very time, I was engaged to be married and had excitedly counted down the days on my dorm room whiteboard since September. I was young and my love was brilliant.

Today I have been married nearly 10 years. My love is weathered and warm. It is deep.

In between then and now was a lot of life, a lot of heartaches and joys.

It was very special to do these pictures for Rachel and Connor, it brought back all of those beautiful memories of our young love. The whole time I was shooting I was just brought to tears with their tenderness towards each other. It really inspired me to bring back a little tenderness into my own marriage.

These two handed me the reins and let me fluidly work with them to create these images, and I was so grateful for their trust. When I was finished, I felt it told the story of marriage beautifully. The fun and casual, carving their names into a tree, the walking over raging waters, the climb to the mountain top.

All beautiful.

I am so excited to watch this marriage bloom and deepen throughout the years.

So happy for you Rachel and Connor and keep that spirit of adventure you have so deeply rooted in you.