I still remember the first time we held hands.

Butterflies spring-boarded off the walls of my stomach.  Each nano-second that passed seemed so new…  Every portion of my self was so fully present in that moment.

And don’t even get me started about the first time we kissed…

But somewhere between the “I-do’s” and the “there’s TWO lines” and the “I love yous” and the job changes and the depression and the debt and the dreams…those butterflies stopped spring-boarding.  Words were said that could not be taken back.  Kids threw up on us.  The TV was turned on and our ears off.  Money got tight.  And so…motions were gone through.

Somehow I lost sight of the incredible man I married.

There were now layers that we saw each other through.  Layers that built up from the time I said that and the time he did that and the time I didn’t come through and so on…

This past year we’ve worked hard to peel off the layers.  To each see the person we married.  And to realize what a gift we’ve both been given.

And throughout all of this, I’ve been infused with a passion for marriages.  That people could have marriages that are full.  Of love.  Of joy.  And spring-boarding butterflies.

Which is why one of my favorite sessions in the world is my couples’ session.

It’s a time for just the two of you.  To stop.  To really see each other again.  And to have amazingly beautiful photos OTHER than those from your wedding day.  (Seriously…why is it that after we get married we never have photos of JUST us?)

Two incredible people recently joined me for one of these sessions.  I left our time glowing.  Changed.  Beaming even.  And more excited about my own marriage.

Liz and I got to debrief their session, and here’s a little bit of what she had to say:

I get weepy just thinking about it.  It was so different from what I thought it was going to be.  It changed me.  I got to see how he feels about me from an outsider perspective.  It gave me a picture of his love for me.  I left remembering that I’m a woman.  I know it sounds funny, but you know…when you’re a mom you sometimes lose sight of that side.  I left knowing I am desired by someone. I left renewed in my love for Brian.  That spark was reignited.

And here is a glimpse of those two people that I absolutely adore…

Brian knew he wanted to do something special to ask Liz to marry him.  He decided he would commission an incredible artist, Sherri Ohler, for a painting for Liz.  On the back he wrote, “Will you marry me?”  When he gave Liz the painting, she was so blown away that she never even took the time to look at the back and see his question.  Finally, Brian got her to look, she said yes and the rest is history…  With so much more beauty still to be written…

 

 

Because I love couples’ sessions so very much, I am giving one couples’ session away!  (Cue party dance!)

Here are the qualifications:

The session MUST take place on Saturday, November 5th in the Wheaton, IL area at either 7 am OR 4:30 pm.  (I have a feeling the winner will opt for 4:30 pm but I’m open…)

All entrants MUST have been married AT LEAST 1 year.

If you have kids, you get bonus points.  However, as much as I am sure I would love your kids, this session is solely for the two of you.  You must make arrangements for your precious little ones during our time together.  This is a time JUST for the two of you.

Even if you’ve already been one of my client-friends, you are COMPLETELY welcome (and encouraged) to enter!

 

How to enter:

I love stories.  It’s no secret.  So I’m asking you to submit your story.  And a picture of the two of you.  You can email me your story at: amy@amypphotos.com

The winner will be announced on Monday afternoon. (October 31)

 

And finally, if you’d like to see more from Liz and Brian’s session, just CLICK HERE to see their SLIDE-SHOW.  And a HUGE thank you to Andrea Bustin for writing one of the most incredible songs ever and sharing it.  And to her parents for singing it…