JCarlynn Photography

I had my stroke on a Thursday and Brooke and Brock’s wedding was the Sunday right after.  I was trying to explain my neurologist at Sparrow Hospital that he should release me because I needed to be there to shoot. He asked me how I was planning to shoot a wedding and not be able to talk. I replied, “I don’t need to talk to shoot”. Jason and my family were practically begging me to stay in the hospital for as long as they wanted to keep me. I was refusing. You see, I LOVE Brooke and Brock. They are one of THE sweetest couples that we have worked with to date. When we booked their wedding, they came in and signed their contract and we went right out to shoot their engagement session downtown. They were so much fun and up for anything. I was VERY excited for their wedding……

Sooo, while lying in the hospital bed Jason reasoned with me. “Jen, please don’t go shoot this wedding. I will find someone to shoot it with me. You can’t handle the stress and it’s a long way away if anything happens.” So I sat there with tears in my eyes, frustrated beyond belief. Then Jason said, “What if I can get Bob to go?” Bob and Dawn Davis are good friends of ours in the Chicago area. I go and shoot with Bob here and there for weddings and they are both an inspiration to me. When we get the time to hang out together, I always come back feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. They are really amazing and genuine friends. However, Bob has a ton of his own weddings, teaches seminars, speaks at conventions, has 2 kids of his own and I am sure would like a Sunday off it’s possible right? Totally assuming Bob is not going to have time to go, but if he does I know Bob is an amazing photographer, and tired of trying to argue about why I should go with my family (and only being able to spit out 2-5 word sentences) I shake my head yes and say, “only if he can go.”

Jason makes a phone call and walks back in the room and tells me Bob is coming and he’s bringing his son, Bobby. And Jason didn’t even have to ask, because Dawn offered before he got around to it. I cannot explain how I felt in that moment and how I still feel about that moment now. It brings tears to my eyes to think about not only how relieved I felt, but also how much I appreciated that he would do that for me. Jason and I are usually the first to jump and help someone out and often get taken advantage of. It’s hard for us to ask for help from someone else and even harder to take it. Knowing Bob was willing to take time out of his busy life, make the trip into Michigan and shoot this wedding on such short notice was an awesome feeling and literally made me cry and I am not supposed to mention it, but it made Jason cry too.  So for that – thank you Bob and Bobby

So on to the wedding
Although I didn’t get to attend, the wedding was beautiful. Really beautiful. When I looked through the images that Jason, Bob and Bobby shot, I felt like I had been there. The wedding was stellar, Brooke was stunning and Brock was handsome himself tooAND at the end of the evening,  they sent out lanterns! I LOVE lanterns. Jason was really excited about how in love they truly seemed and you have to understand, as wedding photographers, we see so many couples in love, but he left feeling inspired by their love and wanted me to add this – Brooke and Brock, please send us an invite to your 50th wedding anniversary party!

Brooke and Brock have been the most understanding, caring, compassionate and patient couple throughout this entire process. For that Brooke and Brock, I appreciate you. I cannot explain to you how much we needed it.

And to make me feel better about not being there, I asked Jason to offer them a Day After Session so I would get another chance to shoot and visit with them before they headed off to California for school. We literally shot this on their way to Califonia. I mean, their car was packed and we were the last stop out of Michigan.  I am super happy with this session and beyond happy that we got to work with them. We wish you the best of luck Brooke and Brock and keep an eye out for a special thank you gift in the mail

Be sure to check out more from their wedding and Day After session at www.facebook.com/JCarlynn tomorrow!

Well, we have already shot Chris and Jessica’s wedding at this point, but we didn’t shoot their engagement session until just before the wedding. So, here are the engagement pics and the wedding will follow soon! They were up for anything (my favorite kind of session), so we went downtown for an evening session. We don’t always get to chose the location or the time, but when we do we are never unhappy! I love this session. I love that it is a little different than our norm and I loved to get to know Chris and Jessica before the wedding!