An Intimate, Faith-Filled Wedding with The Andersons
The word LOVE is often characterized by two words: Intentionality and Authenticity. Those characteristics are not just words for this couple; it’s what they live by and demonstrate in and through every relationship they have - including their own. This past weekend of July 8th-9th, my team and I were blessed with the opportunity to capture a very special wedding for two of the worlds most loving & grace-filled individuals; Davonte + Vanessa Anderson. WOW, I came back home inspired to serve my family in the same way that they serve so many others in their lives. The Wedding took place in a beautiful VRBO named White Horse Farm in Hoschton, GA but as the weekend got started, and conversations started flowing - anyone in attendance could tell you that the location took a backseat to the strong presence of the Holy Spirit as it filled this 6600 sq. foot home.
The weekend started out with a trip that seemed to take forever for Davonte and Gabe (Co-Best Man) to get a haircut, but it easily became a highlight of the trip with lifelong memories and funny stories to look back on. This wedding was designed and planned by Davonte and Vanessa but friends and family helped bring the vision to life as everyone started to gather from as far as Cali & Florida to celebrate these two.
As friends/family started to pour in from different parts of the country, so did the weather which caused for the most beautiful Rehearsal Dinner I have ever captured. You see, when I title this an Intimate Wedding… it’s not because of the lack of support, but because the people that were in attendance were a representation for different seasons and walks of life for the bride and groom. The rehearsal dinner was a culmination of good food, laughs, cries, and a WHOLE BUNCH of convincing for a baby in 9 months; or shall I say trying to convince. No, but seriously, the rehearsal dinner allowed for everyone to pack into the living room of this VRBO and serve as an uplift and encouragement for the soon to be newlyweds. The words spoken and testimonies preached about the impact that Davonte + Nessa had in each persons life was nothing short of a small glimpse of what they strive to do for everyone that they come into contact with. I cannot remember exactly who said it, but “Your love for each other will always be magnified based on two things: your love for God and your love for others, because that’s the mission that you all have personally strived for and will continue to do together.” Photos will always tell a more powerful story than I ever will…
In a world where most weddings are highly anticipated, stressful in planning stages, and the wedding day comes and goes in a blink of an eye… I found it important to take a moment for the bride and groom to just reflect. For Davonte & Nessa, I did not want their authentic and intentional love story to be diluted with the society norms because their relationship has always been to break the norm. So to finish off the night before the big day - Davonte and Vanessa, accompanied by myself and videographer (Miterson Charles @_mitthappens), took a moment to reflect on their story and their testimonies that led them to this weekend. They sat in front of a fire, leaning on what most marriages are built on - their faith. Davonte and Nessa had a devotional that led the conversation to deep thinking of questions posed by my wife (Whitney Hollman): “What are you most excited about tomorrow (your wedding)? , What are you most looking forward to in your marriage? , and What impacted you most about what your friends and loved ones said about you tonight?”. The answers brought tears and laughs but most importantly, it brought confidence and clarity in their future. The conversation then led the couple to the kitchen where they just sat in silence and miming (shadow) each others emotions with smiles, laughs, and kisses as a foreshadow of what is to come as they transition their lives back into their house in Lakeland, FL. AND then I was put into tears by their last dance as an engaged couple in the sunroom. If you know these two, you know any John Legend song would be befitting to this moment, tears started falling as All of Me by John Legend whispered the midnight quiet skies and D+N slow danced to lead them to their special day…
