Haley & Colin’s Albany Chapel Wedding

This story is about love, it is about family, it is about strength and it is about grace.

Life happens – we can plan, prepare and brace ourselves for the unknown but somehow no matter how “ready” we think we are –life throws us a curve ball. When that happens you have three options: 1. Run away 2. Stand there and get hit, or 3. Smack that ball out of the park.Number 3 was the only option for Haley and Colin.

They were planning a beautiful destination wedding for 2017 in Florida at a spot that was very special to Colin’s family. Everything was coming together perfectly until life threw them a big curve ball. In February they learned that Colin’s father was diagnosed with a very aggressive and late stage cancer. This was a shock to everyone as he was always so healthy and active.  Unfortunately, this type of cancer is not operable and there is no treatment. With so much unknown, Haley and Colin decided to move up the wedding to 2016 and have it local. They were working out all of the plans and everything was going according to schedule until Chris’ health started rapidly declining and he was unexpectedly hospitalized.

It was so important to Haley and Colin that Chris was at their wedding. They decided they were not going to take any chances of him missing their big day and right after he was admitted they decided to get married right then and there. I got a text on a Wednesday letting me know that they were planning to get married on Friday at the Hospital Chapel.

Weddings are not just a celebration – they are the joining of two hearts and the merging of two families. No one should ever have to go through what this family is experiencing. But you have to stop and see the absolute beauty here. To see the how much love they have for each other– to see how grateful they all are for every moment together. It reminds us that marriage is not about the dress or the flowers, it’s not about the amazing venue. It is about becoming family and being there for each other for better or worse.

I am so humbled and honored to have been able to capture these images for this amazing family. It was such a bittersweet and beautiful ceremony and an experience I will hold in my heart forever.