Watson Party of Two

Isaiah + Ariana

These two were instant winners in my book when we connected and had our first conversation. Their story is sweet and genuine offering hope to those who may stumble across love in thee simplest of ways.

Watson Party of Two

As Ariana wrote to me her love story, it read a little something like this…

“So where do I start… so we have a pretty "millennial" love story. One day, I was on FaceTime with my cousin having a good conversation, who was hanging out with some of her friends. As we continued, her friends were having fun so I became interested. Isaiah being one of the friends was there of course. Surprisingly, she put him in the camera and Isaiah says, "Dang Ma." LOL.

She kept inviting me to her church but I didn’t want to go at first, then I changed my mind and all of a sudden Isaiah was there. Behold, Isaiah was sitting right there by the door and I asked my friend “Is he okay? These were just a few times we crossed paths and made small talk as interest built up”.

Now, this is where it gets juicy.

There was one day Ariana had an agenda to connect with Isaiah because she knew he was managing a store and he was currently there. Next, Ariana had a brilliant idea! She wanted to order drinks knowing she would see him again. Without a doubt, it was her plot so she made a choice to go inside his job instead of the drive-thru. 

Ariana said to me, “That was our first encounter and how I met my best friend”. They became best friends because they departed from their past and shared similar stories in a previous area and it was easy to talk to each other and it wasn’t anything forced.

Here are a few thoughts from the Bride and Groom about one another lol…

Isaiah: Ariana’s personality was really nice and she was beautiful and he loved the great conversations they had. Lastly, I’m so grateful for all she has ever done for me, and us because at the beginning of our relationship Ariana was driving back and forth for about 2 years to keep us going, I’ll never forget that!

Ariana: What attracted me to Isaiah was something very simple. I never had a relationship where I didn’t feel the need to pull him to church or constantly outpour because he already had a strong relationship with God. Oh yeah, he’s also funny lol.

The rest is really history from there, they've been pretty inseparable ever since (of course).

Beautiful Wall Art for Your Home...

How will you hang?

Now is the time that you can sit back and enjoy every moment captured during your wedding day as you scroll through your gallery. From getting ready, flowing into your ceremony and enjoying life to the full at your reception every ounce of energy was worth it! The truth of the matter is, you are IN LOVE with your wedding images and want to print everything and share them with the world. Yet this time around, you have the opportunity to sit down with your spouse and choose artwork for you home.

These are defining moments because your special moments will hang around your home. Whether it’ll be a smaller 16x20 for a hallway mounted print or a state of the art 20x30 jaw-dropping acrylic.

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How does this process work?

This is a simple process yet it’s very intriguing. Through your gallery you will carefully select a few images that you’d like to be printed by pressing the heart and it’ll be added to your “Wall Art” favorites folder from the gallery. Just in case you guys forgot, I’ll be adding a separate folder so you can see the images that was selected. I’ll ensure the image is cropped perfect, color is vibrant and the image is clean for printing.

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A Few Suggestions

• Survey your home to know where you’d like to hang your wedding wall art

• If there’s a image you love but would like it in B & W for print, feel free to request it.

• If possible, use a measuring tape to ensure the size you are ordering fits perfectly.

• Hang pictures at eye level

• If hanging a picture over a sofa, don't leave a lot of wall space between sofa and picture. Try for three to six inches. If you go any higher, the viewer's eye will just go to the wall, not the picture.

• Look for a picture-hanging kit at the hardware, Lowe’s, Amazon or your local Home Depot store. It will include everything you need. And keep in mind, the picture's weight will determine what size hook to use. For a very large picture, use two hooks.

Here are some clear steps from www.architecturaldigest.com

• 1. Decide on a strategy. The weight, size, and shape of the item you're hanging and the material of your walls both need to be considered before you so much as get near a hammer. Can I drill into brick? What about tile? Will my plaster walls hold anything and what the heck is a stud?

• 2. Gather supplies. Besides a hammer, measuring tape, and pencil, you'll need the following supplies to hang art on plaster or drywall (essentially more weight-bearing supplies for heavier artwork):

  For light-weight pieces: small nails For medium-weight pieces: picture-hangers. For heavier pieces: a big nail and a stud-finder or wall-plug anchors, screws that fit them, and a screwdriver

  If you're hanging on tile or glass, you'll need good-quality, low-profile adhesive hooks rather than nails and screws, and if you're hanging on brick, use brick clamps.

• 3. Hang the thing. Yes, there is a semi-science to the art of getting the height of a piece just right—it's called measuring (!). To be exact, the center of a framed piece of artwork should be 57 inches above the ground (that being the average human eye level, and the height galleries and museums use to decide where to hang pieces). Mark that height using a pencil, then measure to find the middle of the wall (from side to side), and mark where the two points meet. That's where the middle of your artwork should go! Now, measure the distance between the middle of the piece and where it will catch the nail (either where the wire hits when bent to bear weight, or where the saw tooth hanger is.

SAVE THE DATES AND THANK YOU CARDS – WHAT TO DO BEFORE & AFTER YOU SAY “I DO”

SAVE THE DATE IDEAS

YAY! Congrats, you just got engaged! It’s a great time to get ready to do a lot of fun preparation mailing out all fun love note invites. From STDs to TYCs and of course wedding invitations, you’ll get pretty familiar with the post office teller and the long Disney World line. What do STDs and TYCs have to do with the post office you ask? Save-the-Dates and Thank You Cards often get mailed. 😉 I know, I know – you can smack me in the comments below. Until then, here are some save the date ideas.

Save the date Card Example

Normally, your beautiful wedding invitations will be designed from scratch.. But if you’d like to stay with the nice and pretty look for your save-the-date and thank you cards, but stay away from the $15 per card price point, then this is where your photographer comes in handy. Thanks to your online gallery and step by step instructions, you’ll create it in a few steps at your fingertips.

Personally, all of my clients get complimentary custom-designed, 5×7, flat thank yous cards on premium-quality Smooth Matte, Semi-Gloss, or Art Recycled paper with foil stamping options (mention “Free Thank You’s” in the email body if you’re my bride/groom) or save-the-dates cards, they’re %50 off per 25 for my couples. You need them and I have some beautiful pictures that I can put on them. I even fill in some of the writing for them so their fingers don’t hurt writing them all out themselves. Makes it so much easier!

But that’s not all!!

Flat double-sided cards are great, but you can do so much more. And don’t just stop at Thank You Cards when you’ve got great engagement photos to slap on some pretty save-the-dates too!

One Week Before: BRIDAL INSOMNIA

One of the best things you can do to enjoy your wedding day is nearly impossible. Sleep.

This super important beauty sleep escapes most brides not only the night before the big day, but also the entire week. With so much to do and so little time, it’s not surprising that the magical mix of stress and excitement is a perfect caffeine cocktail.

If you want to wake up on the right side of the bed the morning of your wedding day, here are a few tips on how to fall asleep when you’re having trouble.

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1. Make a list

You’re doing this already in your mind, so why not put it on paper? Writing it down takes the responsibility off of your brain and puts it on paper, giving your poor head a break and the opportunity to relax. Keep a pen a paper by your bed. Pen and paper, not your phone. Even if you open your phone to jot down notes, you’ll likely end up getting distracted.

2. Do Not Disturb

Speaking of your phone, either turn it off or silence notifications. I like the Do Not Disturb feature on mine. In addition, try to limit night phone activity to before you get in bed. I know we all look at our phones in bed, but this week, break up the cycle to get to sleep faster.

3. Breathe

One of the easiest things you can do when you’re lying down is breathe. I use this trick for myself and for my two year old as well if she’s having a hard time calming down before bed. Simply take three, deep breathes in a row, holding them at the top, and slowly exhaling. This will send messages to your brain that it’s time for a snooze.

4. Go Natural

I get that you’re likely doing all of these things and are hoping for some chemical aid. Skip the wine, because while wine makes you sleepy, it doesn’t lead to a solid night’s rest. Instead, try an all herbal, non-addictive solution like SomaLunex or Valerian Root that adds a little muscle relaxing as well. Both will help you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Wedding Shoes to Choose

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WITH THE BIG DAY COMING UP, YOUR COFFEE TABLE IS LITTERED WITH WEDDING MAGAZINES AND GUIDES, HALF-WRITTEN NOTES TO YOURSELF, AND A PLANNER FULL OF APPOINTMENTS. IT’S A JOB WITHIN ITSELF, TO PICK THE PERFECT CAKE, ANNOUNCEMENTS, DRESS AND LET’S NOT FORGET THOSE SHOES (AS IF WE NEEDED ANOTHER EXCUSE TO BUY A GREAT PAIR OF SHOES)! 

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WITH ALL OF THAT GOING ON, IT’S EASY TO FORGET THINGS; YOU JUST HAVE TO HOPE THEY’RE NOT THE BIG THINGS LIKE EATING OR LETTING THE DOG OUT. OFTEN, IT’S THE SIMPLE THINGS, LIKE FINDING SHOES THAT ARE NOT ONLY CUTE BUT COMFORTABLE, TOO. THOSE BRIDES THAT CAN WEAR THEIR DIAMOND-ENCRUSTED STILETTOS FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET ON THEIR SPECIAL DAY AREN’T GODDESSES, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY HAVE YOU BELIEVING OTHERWISE. HERE’S THEIR SECRET

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Analyze This

IT’S EASY TO FALL IN LOVE WITH A CUTE PAIR OF KICKS AND NOT BOTHER THINKING ABOUT THE PRACTICALITY OF THEM. BEFORE RUSHING RIGHT UP TO THE CASH REGISTER WITH THE ONES THAT ARE BOTH PINK AND SPARKLY, SIT DOWN AND ENJOY A BREAK. ARE THESE HEELS FAR OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE? IF THEY ARE, SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A SIMILAR STYLE WITH A LOWER HEEL, OR EVEN CALL A LOCAL SHOE REPAIR SHOP AND SEE IF THEY COULD FILE THE HEEL DOWN

DO YOU NORMALLY WEAR HEELS? IF THE ANSWER IS NO, ASK YOURSELF IF YOU REALLY WANT TO WEAR HEELS ON YOUR WEDDING DAY. IF YOU DO, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: BE SURE TO WALK IN THEM DAILY UNTIL YOU BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH THE STYLE. CONVERSELY, IF HEELS SIMPLY DON’T MAKE SENSE FOR YOUR WEDDING (WOODS, BEACH, ETC) THEN CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE FOOTWEAR THAT CAN BE JUST AS CUTE!

Discover Your Size

ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU WILL BE WEARING YOUR SHOES FOR THE ENTIRE DAY, MAKE SURE YOU’RE GETTING THE BEST FIT. SHOES THAT FIT PROPERLY WILL NOT PINCH YOUR FEET (TOO SMALL OR NARROW), NOR WILL THEY ALLOW YOUR FEET TO SLIDE (TOO BIG). YOUR TOES AND HEELS SHOULD NOT HANG OVER THE EDGES, EITHER. IF YOUR FEET ARE DIFFERENT SIZES, ASK THE STORE IF THEY WOULD ALLOW YOU TO PURCHASE THE SHOES IN TWO DIFFERENT SIZES AS WELL. WHEN IN DOUBT, HAVE THE STORE CHECK YOUR SHOE SIZE TO ENSURE YOU’RE GETTING THE BEST FIT (YES, THEY STILL DO THAT)! 

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You Rascal You

WHEN YOU’VE FOUND THE PERFECT PAIR OF SHOES THAT FIT JUST RIGHT AND STILL AREN’T COMFORTABLE, CHEAT: INVEST IN GREAT INSERTS THAT CUSHION YOUR FEET IN ALL THE RIGHT AREAS. WEAR SOCKS WHEN YOU TEST YOUR HEELS AROUND THE HOUSE TO HELP STRETCH THE BANDS THE TINIEST BIT, WHICH WILL CREATE A COMFORTABLE, WORN-IN FEEL. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, INVEST IN A GREAT BACK-UP PAIR OF SHOES THAT ARE MORE COMFORTABLE.

PRACTICAL DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN BORING—ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY!  WHILE FINDING THE PERFECT BALANCE CAN SEEM LIKE MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, STEAL THESE SECRETS AND BE A BRIDE THAT DOESN’T HAVE TO GO BAREFOOT ON HER BIG DAY!

Clarie + Rashunda

There are always two sides to a story, literally. Dive into the love journey wof Clarie and Rashunda and hear how love in the most interesting moments can be found.

Her Story

“When you’re busy planning your own life, God has a funny way of showing you he is in control! Clarie and I met when we were in college and were introduced to each other by one of my cousins who was also attending the college. Meeting Clarie proved the saying, “Never judge a book by the cover”. I first thought to myself, “We won’t be friends, two different people, he is trouble!” Ha, boy was I wrong.

I started reading and each time I finished a chapter in his book he became more interesting. The same cover I judged became very attractive! His intelligence, shyness, and respect for me was irresistible. Then I thought, “Damn, my Dad was right, I should have read books more often”, (Hahahaha) I know he won’t get this joke. The more Clarie helped me with math problems that I didn’t need help with, the more I wanted him to myself. Mind you, at this time there were a few girls who wanted his help with math questions but once I looked at him, he knew I was the only girl he could help.

After a few conversations and winning him at an auction on Valentines Day, we went on our first date. We started dating on February 15ht, 2011. It was not too long after that, while we were sat waiting for the bus, he told me he loved me. Typical right? You’re just getting to know me how could you possibly love me so soon? But truth is, at that time I had already fallen for him too. The past 9 years that we have been together were not easy and of course both had our ups and downs. Yet time with Clarie I’ve not regretted any stage in our relationship. It not only made us stronger but I learned that he was the only one I wanted to fight for the rest of my life. When asked to be his wife, I quickly said “Yes” before he changed his mind. He’s my everything after God. I want to spend the rest of my life showing him how much I love him.”

“I can’t wait to be Mrs. Astwood!”

His Story

After reading Rashunda’s story…

“Well that was a story!” (lol) I don't think I could top that but I'll give it a try.

Here is my story of how I met a beautiful, intelligent, funny, and amazing woman! With the start of my second and final year at the college, I was interested to see what challenges and opportunities would come my way. If only I had known what was going to be in store when I met Rashunda! On the first day, as I made my way around the college to catch up with friends, I came by a young lady who seemed very quiet and shy. Boy was I wrong! Being introduced to Rashunda, I could sense the glaring eyes weighing me up and down. I could hear her thoughts as loud as day. “This boy? Valedictorian of HJ? Yeah right!”

While I had become used to those first impressions, I was equally impressed to hear Rashunda was the top CXC student having captured 13 CXCs. Having only attempted and achieved 9 CXCs myself, I took this as a challenge to test how smart she was and if she was smarter than me. As we were in separate years and separate courses, the one and only place I could test my wits against hers was on the domino table! While I was pretty good at dominoes (one of the best in college), Rashunda always seemed to be slightly better (very slightly). Through hundreds of domino games, she slipped by time after time and I always seemed to miss my chance to love her. The more she got away, the more of a challenge it became. So much so that the entire college knew that I had a wanted poster with her name on it (lol).

After a few months of trying, the day finally came! With my final card in my hand, I looked at the board, looked at Rashunda, and burst into a loud cheer. Everyone around knew that this was it. I’d finally got her. I skinned my teeth and dominoed. I then took out the marker and added Shunda’s name to the wall. ‘Rashunda loved by Clarie’. Not wanting to admit defeat all she could do was smile. That smile is the one that I fell in love with, the smile that still makes me feel warm to this day. Through the love of dominoes, our friendship turned into a relationship that blossomed into love. (Who would have guessed!) With the challenge completed, I became to love Rashunda more and more each day. As the days went by, I could hear a voice inside telling me “This is the girl for you. You better treat her right!” It could have been my inside voice or it might have been Shunda’s friends and cousin. Either way, I knew that I was going stay by her side forever. Here we are now, having been together for 9 years. While there have been a few ups and downs along the way, my love for Rashunda has always remained. I now look forward to call this beautiful, intelligent, feisty young lady, my wife!

“Our hearts entwined together. Always and Forever.”

Omar + Marquia

As their wedding photographer I wanted to get to know their story and how everything happened, detail by detail so I suggest you buckle up for this one.

Omar and Marquia were local church friends of mine and we volunteered many months together but now it was time to capture a side of them I never knew about. I was shocked when I was approached to capture their wedding day and I didn’t have a clue that they were even dating (haha). So this is the amazing story, enjoy the read!

These love birds met at church a few years back, perhaps 2012 at a Field Day Event hosted by the ROC Singles Ministry at The Faith Center, a church they both attended. She usually didn't attend singles events, but it involved sports so she was super interested. Over the years, they would walk past each other with a casual "Hi" and kept it moving. Marquia always thought he was a “ladies man” so she didn’t have much interest. Omar always thought she was really pretty but she always looked like she did yoga. It was typically every Sunday because she always had on workout clothes lol :)  Marquia wanted me to put this here, she said “For the record, I taught Sunday school and wanted to be comfortable” she laughed.

Fast forward to July 2018. During the summer of 2018 Marquia spent some time and prayer to initially pray for her family and her next moves concerning her future. While praying, she felt that she was hiding some deep desire that she tried to cover up by serving in multiple ministries, staying beyond busy at work, and working towards a Master’s degree. All things that she felt could fill a void. Well, God asked her “Do you want to be married?” Initially, Marquia felt a little ashamed because Christian circles always tell you that God is enough, which he totally is! However, He also places desires in our hearts. So she spoke truthfully and shared her heart’s desire. She left the request at His feet and started the top of the summer with a new attitude and a fresh outlook.

During this time as well, Omar was praying for a spouse after experiencing some misfortune in dating. He always said that he had a "type" but asked God for the right woman for him. Shortly after, Omar hosted an event called "Barbershop Talk" where the men would discuss topics that women could listen to concerning the male perspective. The event went very well and a group of them went to a restaurant afterward. Somehow, Omar and Marquia talked the whole night because he was absolutely mesmerized by her (lol). Seriously, it was a light and refreshing conversation that continued the next day and beyond.

About a few weeks after, he asked her out on a date. They talked a lot! Like the restaurant closed and they had to leave (lol).  During this initial date, they were very comfortable and felt like old friends. (Marquia even said out loud “This could work!”, it was supposed to stay in her head). Both of them then talked to their Pastors and gave the heads up that they were dating. They were very helpful in giving advice, praying for us, and later becoming our premarital counselors. Omar & Marquia also spent a lot of time with their family and close friends in the initial stage, as it truly helped their foundation and provided guidance. “It's crazy how you could walk by someone for years until something clicks,” Marquia said. “It’s been a crazy, wonderful, and challenging year but every day we look forward to a forever future together!”

Carl + Jelessa →

I was beyond excited to be Jelessa and Carl’s wedding photographer, more importantly having the opportunity to capture their intimate engagement session at the Wilder Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Fl.

She told me that their very first introduction occurred in October 2013 & at that time both of them were college students in Tallahassee. During that time their friends Jalecia and Dominic were expecting a baby girl and they asked both Carl and Jelessa to be her Godparents! They were super excited! Now being new Godparents, they played the role of their God daughters parent’s maternity shoot, baby shower planning, her birth, and christening which took place in April 2014. The christening was the last time Jelessa saw Carl before moving to Georgia for graduate school a few months later. While away, Jelessa would ask how Carl was doing and if he was visiting Jayde their beautiful Goddaughter, etc. but nothing more than that (lol). Nevertheless, they didn’t have each other’s phone numbers. He was truly just “Jayde’s God Daddy” in her eyes.  In May of 2016, Carl requested her on Facebook & he saw that she was a recent graduate and he left a “Congrats” comment under one of Jelessa’s photos. 

Fast forward 5 months later, (Yayy!) she’s invited to a surprise dinner at Shooters Waterfront restaurant for their God Daughters father and Carl was there! They hadn’t seen each other in person in years; (low key-sparks fly), it was good to see that he was doing well she thought. Throughout the night at dinner, Carl kept asking Jelessa to dance and she politely told him no multiple times. He was very persistent and she eventually agreed because he was not giving up. Here’s the BEST part; when they finally made it to the dance floor the band stopped playing & apparently their set was over lol.  Soooo Awkward... Carl was disappointed but he sparked a random conversation to prevent her from going back to her seat. Jelessa told me she never thought much of who he was as a person outside of his role in Jaydes life, but his growth & maturity throughout our conversations was evident and gave her a different perspective of the wild college boy she once saw him as. Lastly, a few days later, he asked for her number, they went out on a few amazing dates and then on December 7, 2016 Carl asked Jelessa to be his girlfriend and she happily said yes!