married in the redwoods

katie and ben.

this day was who they are. it was sacred, where they said their vows, nestled in the redwoods towering over all of us. it was full, they have a trillion friends between the two of them, so there was constantly laughter and play in the background. it was enchanting, spending the candlelit evening sharing unbelievable food with all their people. and it was purposeful, katie and ben don't do anything half-heartedly, so every speech and every conversation reflected their own intentionality.

these two have a remarkable love. it is pure and eager and knowing. katie wrote to me in one of her emails early on that, 'i have truly come to know, deeply in my bones, that the heart expands'. i think about those words all the time. they've effected my own marriage and my parenting and the way my family navigates our own lives. they have effected me so much, i think, because of the knowledge behind the words. those words aren't ignorant to pain and loss but they still speak from that knowing with hope and joy and eagerness for the future. 

and that's the thing about katie and ben. they are pourers. they have so much to give, in heart and soul, and hand it out freely. i got to jot down to berkeley to shoot this stunner of a day and I'm the one the walked away encouraged. it's just how they are. 

love you two.