Usually I take an engagement session before a couple’s wedding, but Zachary and Delane’s nuptials were so unique. I had the wonderful honor of shooting Zachary and Delane’s wedding ceremony a few years ago when I was just starting my photography business. They have such a sweet love story and they are still so clearly in love! I asked Delane to recap how they met and I’m so happy to be able to document this and allow their familiy and friends read as they continue to celebrate their love. YOU JUST HAVE to read this story!!!! It’s movie material, seriously. You’ll also see why we didn’t do their “engagement” photos until now.

Fate is real when it comest to this couple and proof of how such wonderful opportunity comes out of unwanted circumstances. Delane and Zachary first met when Delane worked as a lifeguard at the Pueblo Athletic Club in Pueblo, Colorado back in 2009. Delane told me that it actually started out as a bad day at work. She was scheduled for a day off, but was called in to work on what was supposed to be a relaxing day at home. To better her luck, a storm came in during her shift, forcing the lifeguards to call everyone out of the pool. It’s funny how things like this happen when you’re not even supposed to be working, huh Delane? :)  While they waited for the storm to pass so that they may go back to work, Delane and her coworker decided it would be a good time to go purchase a smoothie at the snack bar. At the same time, Zachary and his friend walked up to order as well. While in line, Zachary noticed Delane’s tattoo and said, “I like your tattoos, they are nice.” and Delane responded with, “I think you’re nice.” She recalls to me:  ‘He didn’t catch on that I was throwing out a pick up line!’

Zachary and Delane continued their conversation for almost half an hour. She learned he was in a program for wounded warriors, and that he was in the military. He learned that she just graduated high school and planned on going to nursing school at the University. Time slipped away during their conversation and before she knew it, Delane had to let people back into the pool because the storm had cleared. Delane says: ‘He totally didn’t even ask for my number after a really great conversation! So I ended up giving it to him right before he left, good thing!!’ 

Four months later, the two love birds are caught in a jewelry store looking for promise rings. Delane pointed to a cute one, Zachary directed her attention elsewhere and said, “No, I like this one better”.

It was an engagement ring.

‘We told my parents, and they were pretty weary about it, but we knew we wanted to do it.’  Three days later, the couple went to the courthouse to get their license and to make an appointment to meet the judge. ‘I’m trying to think of romantic thoughts, but honestly when we decided to go to the courthouse and get married, I was terrified. Our parents were supportive, but I knew that they would prefer we didn’t do it, but I knew that this was what I wanted, and that over time they would see in him what I did. He was dealing with a lot of problems then, and despite that I knew that he had a good heart and he just needed someone to help him move past the issues that he was facing.’ While filling out paperwork, it came to their realization that they could just sign it and be married. ‘So we signed it.. and we were married!’ Delane recalls how excited the two were to be able to spend the rest of their lives together. ‘Zachary was so cute, he took me to Cowboys (a local dancing club) and begged them to let me in so we could have our “first dance”. And they did, before they opened. It was pretty neat!’  SOOOOO romantic! :)

Because these two were married so quickly, they decided to have a ceremony which would allow both families to meet each other, and of course to celebrate the strong love that was formed between these two. I don’t have their wedding photos to post today, but I can say right now that although at that point the couple had already been married for about a year, the day was still filled with so much excitement, love, laughter and beauty. Delane contacted me a few weeks before their wedding looking for a photographer last minute.  As I stated earlier, I usually don’t immediately take on a wedding job so quickly, but this was such a special circumstance and I couldn’t say no. Since then, I have formed a wonderful friendship with these two and I have yet to meet another couple who is so in love!

Delane’s last thoughts: “I’m incredibly happy to have married my best friend, and someone that I just really enjoy hanging out with. I know its so cliche, but when you can joke around with someone and have them completely understand everything about you, cliche really doesn’t matter. He deals with me being a big baby, laughs at my jokes, and even likes my hair curly even though I think it looks way better straight. He makes me happy about who I am, and if time would allow it, I could spend more than 24 hours in a day with him.”

Here are some photos of these two that we took together this past December as Christmas photos for their family. They are going into their fourth year of marriage now. Love you two..

Comments

comments