Anniversary portrait sessions are the “new thing.” I think they are a fantastic anniversary gift to give one another. Whether you’re celebrating one year together or 50 years, this is such a great way to document your relationship. I’m so honored a recent anniversary session that I shot for dear friends Brittany and Patrick featured on the Beloved Darling blog.
My husband and I recently celebrated our 13th anniversary – which seems crazy because I can’t possibly be old enough to have been MARRIED that long! I still feel like I’m 22! I love Beloved Darling because it celebrates love – all stages and ages of people who are in love. It celebrates that staying together, really sticking together, means growing together and taking time for one another.
My mom hung some artwork years ago with the caption “Love isn’t gazing into one another’s eyes, it’s gazing out together in the same direction.” Having someone there who has the same goals and supports your dreams is the gift. It’s less about the glow of early romance and the allure that perfume commercials love to feature. It’s more about building a life with someone who genuinely accepts you and wants to build that life with you. It’s the history you come to share. The inside jokes. The traditions and comforts of knowing one another so well.
If someone had told me this when I was 18 I might have felt bad for them! But I believe now that for me at least, the fire of love is in the quiet moments, the ones we least expect. For me it’s watching the “Friends” Thanksgiving episodes on Thanksgiving Eve night with my husband after the pumpkin pie has been made. It’s the little voice he uses when he he talks to our cats. The smell of his cologne in the morning after he showers.
I love what Brittany says in their blog about what they’ve learned in their two years of marriage:
We have learned that, above all, look to each other for strength during moments of weakness. Our marriage has been filled with extremely stressful moments, as I’ve been in a demanding graduate program while Patrick has been working two jobs for years so that I can focus on my education. At the end of the day, the stresses of school, work, and finances can be draining, but we have learned to prioritize our time and make our relationship our number one priority!
Are you interested in an anniversary portrait session to give your beloved for an anniversary gift? I would love to take a trip down memory lane with you. Please contact me about setting up a session to celebrate who you are and how you’ve grown together!