Lauryn & Anton
The rollercoaster which we will call 2020 was no joke.
And while we all are glad 2020 is over, the rollercoaster is still one that we’re all on until…well who knows when!
For my work- it was a year of loss and continues to be for 2021 and likely 2022. I even called it at the beginning of everything … that while I am horrible at math- I knew it would be at least a 3 year trajectory before I notice any real stabilization. That being said… I’ve cried only once over it because truth be told, I am a realistic person and realistically, everyone who runs their own business eventually will experience a huge setback. Like..earth shattering. So if in the past 12 years this is my first deep dive into that feeling, I have to be happy and content with all I’ve had until this point.
And because of this year, it’s made me appreciate even more than EVER the work I do ..the passion I give it and the places it’s brought me. One of the places it brought me this year was back home- to New Brunswick. For not one, but two beautiful weddings. One of which I’m showing you today- Lauryn and Anton’s.
I felt it ok to write the above for their wedding blog post being that they do can resonate over the rollercoaster feels and the deep diving into setbacks. Howso?
They got engaged just before the pandemic. How were they to know what life would through them while they were planning their wedding? Like the rest of us, (many of us at least) they thought things would even out and all would go back to normal. They’d have their grand wedding and celebrate just as they had planned. But alas there was hurdle after hurdle. First, let’s just start off with the fact that Anton is from Pennsylvania and so even being able to see his beautiful fiance was impossible during the planning stages. Being in a cross-border long distance relationship is hard enough as it is. Add to it being denied any chance of seeing each other, its nothing short of heartbreaking.
No matter what she told me they were going to start their lives together as soon as possible. Once I knew their determination to get married come what may, I too was all in. Calling the government, finding out when I could get into New Brunswick - do the 2 week quarantine and photograph their wedding. The New Brunswick border finally approved any non maritime residents to come just 4 weeks shy of their wedding. WHEW what a releif!
Lauryn was constantly keeping in touch with me on any progress and government updates. I knew it was going to be nothing short of a miracle that they’d pull this off being that the government still wasn’t budging on cross border travel except for very specific reasons. Yet, all of a sudden she was in the states, and yes, you guessed it, they got married. Just the two of them. This made it possible for Anton to come to Canada, quarantine (aka 2 week honeymoon!) and then have their real celebration with friends and family which was allowed in New Brunswick at the time.
I was so impressed with their determination which only fueled my excitement to document their big day. Know what else was fuel? Seeing how happy her parents were that they did not miss out on their little girls wedding. Brb… crying!
They had chosen at the beginning to get married at the beautiful grounds of the Whispering Willow just outside of Moncton in Scoudouc, New Brunswick. The day was perfect, the joy infectious ( too soon ?) and the love evident between them both. Being able to photograph their Moncton New Brunswick wedding was truly wonderful.
And to end off my lengthy post I just want to say I’m choosing to be grateful this year. Because like a marriage- we will go through hard times, tryin times. Yet when we come out from them {and we always do)…we come out better, stronger and wiser. Here’s to better days ahead friends. And here’s to Lauryn and Anton.
Read more about their story on CTV!
Hair: Angela Baughman
