A Very Normal Love Story

It's not that extraordinary, nor is it unique. It's simply a story of a boy meeting a girl. And somewhere down the crooked path called Life, we fell in love. Madly. Deeply. Simply.

We met in high school at the ripe age of 17 years old. We went to different schools, but shared the same district, and we were heavily involved. I was co-captain of the varsity cheer squad, senior class president, and president to five other campus clubs. At JD's school, he was student body vice president, played varsity football, and served as captain of the soccer team. We were two kids from rival high schools, but the district planned a fundraiser and asked student leaders to participate.

My best friends and I–donned in our blue and gold cheer uniforms–helped during the event, but when my guidance counselor introduced me to our rival's ASB vice president, my heart fluttered. He wasn't my type (if I HAD a type in high school…who really does?!), but we spoke for ten minutes and I was smitten with his smile and his ability to handle conversation more eloquently than the boys at my school, which primarily consisted of burping and monosyllabic sentences. We shook hands and departed.

I bee-lined to my friends and told them I just met a cute guy. No, he wasn't my type. Yes, his smile was endearing. Yes, I wanted to talk to him again. Then a whole bunch of shrieks ensued.

From a distance, I saw JD leaving the venue. Out of peer pressure from my friends, I was pushed to approach him again. And I did. We spoke for about an hour before he had to leave…with his parents. I'll see you at the football game, he said. I'll be cheering against you, I replied with a coy smile.

Then a funny thing happened. The high school counselor who introduced us encouraged JD to write me a note. The counselor worked at both our schools and traveled between the two on a daily basis, so he essentially became a courier. JD wrote me letters in first period Physics class, I'd read the letter during break, and then I'd respond during my third period Calculus class. Letters then turned into JD sending small gifts (a box of chocolate, a UCLA keychain), which ultimately led to JD asking for my phone number. OF COURSE I GAVE IT TO HIM.

The first night we spoke, I hid in my bedroom closet. God forbid my mother hear me TALKING TO A BOY. They're from the devil, you know…boys are bad news and I'd prefer if you didn't think about them until you were 35. That right, mom, I'll just collect porcelain cat figurines and needlepoint until I'm 35. Riiiiight.

We went on our first date in September 1997, and have been together ever since. The boy I met in high school had morphed into the man of my dreams. He's been by my side as my mother battled cancer, cheered the loudest when I graduated summa cum laude from college, held me in my arms when I watched my grandmother pass away, and pushed me toward my dreams. I've been by his side when he left to college in Monterey Bay, held his hand when he discovered his baby sister was born mentally handicapped, supported him when he wanted to work for pennies at a startup company, and–hopefully–pushed him toward his dreams.

JD and I married on Oahu, Hawaii in September 2005. I was no longer wearing a white cheer uniform, but a white dress. And his smile? His smile was the same as I remembered it eight years earlier and I was still in love with the boy from my rival high school. Here are a few memories of our wedding day, with many thanks to the talented and amazing David Jay

As I might have mentioned in the past, my mom wasn't supposed to be at my wedding. Doctors had given up hope on chemotherapy treatments, so nobody believed she'd make it through…but she did. This picture captures the poignant mood of my wedding…perfectly. I'm so blessed with such amazing parents!!!

Because I practice what I preach, JD and I opted for a First Look and saw each other before the ceremony. In retrospect, we couldn't have made a better decision because the light and weather was perfect, and allowed for us to be alone for the only time on our wedding day.

Hands down, my favorite photo of my wedding…

And look at that smile…holllllla! 🙂

I wrote this post per the suggestion a few blog readers. I know my blog can be random mix of personal and professional posts, but I hope this entry sheds a little light into who I am, and why I'm so passionate about what I do. My wedding photographer opened my eyes to endless possibilities of successfully running a business, loving your career, and following your heart.

It's my hope my brides look back on their wedding photos with the same adoration and fondness as I do mine. If my clients view their photos with just 3% of the love I have for mine, I'll consider myself a true success.