I had the great honor of photographing Nicki & Drew’s Bridal Portraits this past February on the day they were to renew their vows.
Nicki is such an amazing example of a human being. I have had the pleasure of getting to know her since last summer when we did a shoot together. As sweet on the inside as beautiful she is on the outside, she is a pillar of a woman, a devoted wife and an amazing mother to 2 young boys who she has been raising with the help of Family while her brave husband Drew was stationed as an Army soldier doing dangerous missions in Afghanistan.
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After being gone for a year it was wonderful to see & hear her excitement of him coming home this past November. She told me how she was planning a Wedding for February. And while they did get married over 4 years ago it was a no frills, small & simple one with just a few people present. So this was special to Nicki, she would finally be able to enjoy all the delightful details in the planning of their Wedding! And I could tell she did thoroughly delight in it. From picking out her Wedding Dress, to picking out her 2nd Wedding Dress
, the flowers (I love the black & red in her bouquet!), a Ceremony at a beautiful church complete with a Bridal Party of friends and a Reception to celebrate all evening with Family & Friends!
She also wanted beautiful Wedding Photographs and I was incredibly honored to be called on ad the one to do them for her & Drew… We discussed the options and it was obvious that Bridal Portraits held the primary spot on her Photo wish list so we opted for a Bridal Portrait Session at one of our Country’s most beautiful State Capitol buildings, The Harrisburg Capitol Building!
So you will have to bare in mind that the outside photos were taken in February! It was COLD! Nicki is wearing a gorgeous but strapless dress… And yet look how amazing she pulls these off?!?! And finally I got to meet Drew! It felt like meeting a Hero and an old friend at the same time. He looked incredibly dashing in his decorated Dress Blues. The Capitol Building made an incredible complimentary backdrop for their Wedding Portraits.
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So throughout the Session, between setting up my shots, I would ponder the fact that Drew had only been back since November from a year long deployment in Afghanistan. How profoundly different this setting, this situation and his every day life must be from the life he was living just a handful of months ago where missions, helmets, danger and tanks were the everyday norm… I often find myself struggling to understand the complexity of life in the Military, not just for Drew & his Family but for all Families that go through these steps and sacrifices. It always amazes me the level of sacrifice and duty a Soldier and their Family must endure, it requires a special kind of strength that I don’t know if I could bare… We talked about some of the adjustments and I asked how they have been adjusting to adjusting. Nicki mentioned how Drew would want to be early for everything still and Drew explained that when you are in the Military you can NOT be late.
I am just head over heels over the results from Nicki & Drew’s Bridal Session! I hope they and their Family & Friends also are as well… Congrats to you and your Family and the Celebration of your Love, strength & devotion to each other and to your Family & Friends!
Grace
New Cumberland & Harrisburg Modern Wedding Photographer | Grace Lightner Photography
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