I absolutely LOVE getting to document love stories. I became a wedding photographer a little over 7 years ago and in those 7 years I have be so blessed & honored to photograph so many amazing couples. With our move to the Greenville & Spartanburg area almost 2 years ago I wasn’t sure how “re-starting” my business was going to go. Well I can say it may have started slow because that’s just the nature of it, but in the slowness I have met even more amazing couples and I’m getting the chance to continue documenting love stories and for that I can’t thank God enough. One of the amazing couples I’ve had the opportunity to meet and photograph are Sarah & Joe!! You may recognize them from their engagement session that I photographed last July (and if you haven’t seen their engagement photos I’d say stop what you’re doing and go take a look because well I love their engagement photos!! They can be seen here & here 😉 … yep I did a two part series on these two!!!).
Even before their wedding happened I had started their blog post from things we talked about at their engagement session. But then when April 30th came about I knew I had to delete it and start all over because well April 30th was a sweet sweet day and I knew I didn’t need to go and retell their love story. This was my first wedding back since having my little girl in March so I was crazy excited about it. What I wasn’t excited about was the chance of rain that the forecast was showing. But y’all when I arrived at The Grove at Pennington Sarah didn’t even waver, wasn’t even letting that chance of rain worry her in the least!!! She was so at ease, and just spending time with her family & friends and loving life… and sooo soo excited that in a few short hours she’d get to walk down the aisle to the love of her life!! I may have been freaking out on the inside… 🙂 but I had clear umbrellas in the car as well as rain boots so I was prepared for whatever the day threw at us!! I started my time at the venue with hugs and then got to work photographing details and a few candids here and there!! The weather was looking good even though the forecast was calling at that moment for rain!! I can say I was pretty optimistic at that point :)!!! Photos were taken of Sarah & her bridesmaids and then a few of Joe & his groomsmen before it started sprinkling. No big deal ;)… until the heavens opened up with rain, and thunder & lightning!! I know Sarah was still hopeful that her outdoor wedding was still going to happen, we were all hopeful for her!!! As the ceremony time got closer and closer we knew we had to figure out what we were going to do because you can’t put guests or wedding party and most importantly the bride & groom in pouring rain & lightning. Sarah has some pretty awesome friends so we came up with a backup plan & had the ceremony where the reception was already going to be taking place…. and it worked great… and Sarah & Joe were married at the end of it and that was the only thing that mattered!! These two love each other sooo soo much!! Anyone can see it in the way they look at one another, speak to one another, and are just them with one another!!! They took this rain and just went with it. At one point Sarah said “it was the perfect day”!! 🙂 I can’t tell you how much I loved hearing that. Because despite all the planning and setting up she and her friends & family had done for this day… it didn’t matter that it rained at all!! She was married!!!
I could go on and on about these two… but I’m not!! 🙂 I’m going to intermix parts of their wedding vows into their photos, because I think those vows tell their story & their love for each other & God perfectly!!!
Sarah, you look so beautiful… And I vow to let you know how beautiful you truly are each and every day.
Your beauty radiates in everything you say and do
Your loving spirit and compassionate heart are rare gifts that bless everyone around you
I am so grateful that God has blessed me with your love
I vow to let you know how much I love the fact that you’re my best friend in the whole world
You’re the love of my life and my perfect soul mate
Whether it’s playing one on one basketball , taking bike rides, or spontaneously making trips to Brusters to get baby ice cream cones,
You bring so much joy to my life and make me laugh until my belly hurts
I vow to always listen to you and be the rock that you can rely on in any situation
I vow to embrace my role as the Christian leader of our family from this day forward
And I vow to put Christ at the center of our relationship so that we can fulfill God’s purpose for our lives together
As we’ve grown up together over the last five years, I realize that life’s about cherishing the rare moments that God has blessed us with
Like the moment I met you, the moment I fell in love with you, and the moment that we’re sharing right now
I vow to treasure these moments and all of the amazing moments yet to come. 
I love you forever Sarah.
Joe, I vow to always be your biggest fan.
And I vow to strive to be as big of a fan as you are of Lebron James.
I will TRY to let you go first every time we race to the bathroom after dinner.
But I will truly think of you first in each life decision that we face, big or small.
I vow to eat off your plate at least once every meal.
And I vow to make sure your plate is always full and I will try to make sure your toast has the perfect ‘hint-o-crisp’, just the way you like it. I’m sorry for the occasional burn.
I vow to never tire of your personality, jokes, or the spark that you bring to everyday life.
I vow to listen to and love each and every thing that you say, even when I powerfully disagree.
I vow this because there is nothing I love more than to see your soul shine through the thoughts you think, the words you say, and the things you do.
I also promise to print these vows out so I don’t forget that I promised to love everything you say.
Tyler Knott Gregson took the words right off of my heart when he wrote, “I love you, in ways you’ve never been loved, for reasons you’ve never been told, for longer than you think you deserve, and with more than you will ever know exists inside of me.”
I admire the unwavering faith and determination you have for our family.
I have no doubt that you will succeed in being the spiritual leader for our family.
I promise to pray with you when times get tough and I promise to strive each day to be the best friend, wife, and woman of God that I can be for you and our loved ones.
Joe, like Forrest said about Bubba – “You are my best, good friend”.
I am so excited to experience the rest of life with you.
You bring my sunshine. And you will always be my sunshine.
These two and their love story is beautiful. Their love for one another, their friends, their family… and most importantly their love for God!! I couldn’t have asked for a better love story to photograph right after welcoming my newest little baby into the world!! Sarah & Joe, thank y’all for wanting me to document y’alls love story!! For wanting me to be part of your day!! You two are amazing & I am soo excited to see what God does in and through y’alls marriage!!! <3
Dress Store | Poinsett Bride
Bridesmaids Dresses | Altar’d State
Groomsmen Attire | Men’s Wearhouse
Ceremony & Reception Location | The Grove at Pennington
Florist | The Flower Patch and The Blaith in Blair Shop
Cake | Carla Helton
Catering | Adam’s Bistro
Invitations | VistaPrint
Kendra Martin Photography is a Greenville, SC Wedding Photographer & Spartanburg Wedding Photographer.
