Whilst I’ve never had one done myself I love the sentiment of anniversary shoots and this one by JULIAN N. PHOTOGRAPHY really couldn’t be lovelier. From stylist Ashley of CHIC & PRETTY EVENTS, “Jenna and Carson are the epitome of chic refinement, so to add to their style I chose a romantic garden setting in the Dallas Arboretum. It has parts that feel Parisian like the arch of trees and others that feel old-world like the aged stone walls and stairways of the courtyard. It was a perfect space with so much natural beauty that gave them room for quiet tucked away moments. Prominent greens, soft pinks and golden ivory roses in her bouquet accessorised her floor length blush coloured gown. The same inspiration went into the paper suite of vows and love letters. The whole shoot was moving to be a part of and see how they carry an ease of comfort and care in their marriage that anyone would aspire to have.“
The gorgeous Jenna tells us, “We wanted to do an anniversary session because why not? Couples document their engagement, their marriage, and then wait until pregnancy or family photos for their next round of portraits. But, so much happens in between! I love the idea of first, fifth, tenth, twentieth and beyond anniversary sessions! It’s the perfect excuse to continue such a beautiful celebration.
I had recently moved back from the south of Texas. I wanted to go on a date with someone fun that would make me laugh, so I reached out to a mutual friend who said she knew the perfect guy. She said he would crack me up for hours and that he was the adventurous type of guy to take me sky diving on our first date. After exchanging our contact information, he and I chatted for about a month and finally decided to meet in person over dinner. The ice was broken fairly quickly when the waiter accidentally spilled an entire glass of water right in Carson’s lap within minutes of sitting down. I loved the way he reacted and handled the situation with ease and laughter – although I’m sure he was as embarrassed as could be. Needless to say, the evening was a success. Although he never took me sky diving for our first date, he made up for it by surprising me with an indoor sky diving session for our first anniversary instead – I’ll take first anniversary over first date any day!”
Best lessons learned from first year in marriage:
Jenna: “My best lessons learned is trust and patience. My husband listens to me and my needs more than I realise. I’ve learned not to assume that he isn’t listening. In fact, when I let go of that assumption, I’m blessed with constantly being surprised by the things he remembers and does for me, no matter how big or small. When we give away control and expectations, we can be gifted with so much if the opportunity is simply given. I’s also learned that even though we may not always agree on things, he always has my back. It just may take a few days for me to see that.”
Carson: “I have learned when to be “just be there”. She is a strong and intelligent woman who has the ability to figure things out on her own. Although my wife values and seeks my opinion and advice on many situations, I have learned that sometimes she just needs to talk through things herself with someone who will just listen. I love to witness when she comes to a conclusion or develops a plan that best suits her needs. It reminds me of why I married more than just her pretty looks in the first place. I married her creativity, her passion, her wit, her intelligence, and much more. When you give people the opportunity to be themselves, you have the opportunity to watch the magic unfold all over again.“
