We Do!| Joanna & Andre

On March 31st, 2012, a lovely California lady and a dashing Portuguese gent stood before each other in front of loved ones who have seen them through various stages of life and entered into a lifelong covenant with each other and with  God. Joanna and Andre became Mr. and Mrs. Abrantes, and lemme tell ya--there was celebration to be had!

This wedding was special for Life With [Ed] because I (Liz) graduated with Joanna from the MA TESOL program at Biola. We spent many sleepless hours over the course of two years together learning and preparing ourselves to teach English to speakers of other languages. Through those two years, Joanna's passion, hardworking nature, and ability to love people were evident.

Andre loves Joanna from the very top of her head to the tips of her toes, and Joanna is Andre's most supportive and adoring fan. Together, they are a power-packed duo as she's a teacher and he's a strong teacher of the Word and gifted worship leader. It was evident at their wedding that these two people are dearly loved, which isn't a surprise because Andre and Joanna are a couple of incredibly loving human beings. This was the kind of wedding that embodies the beauty of true community: Friends and family from all over the world pitched in and made it happen.Their big day couldn't have gone any better--a beautiful wedding for two beautiful people.

 

Dave and I were incredibly blessed to have had a chance to be a part of your wedding. There was no denying that the Spirit of God was very much present all throughout your day.

We are so happy and excited for this next part of your adventure together!

Wedding| Amber & Chris: A Privileged Perspective

This past weekend something huge happened: Amber and Chris got married! I imagine friends and family exhaling in unison, "Finally!" We've known they were meant to be from the start, so now that they're Mr. and Mrs., we couldn't be more overjoyed. Amber wins the award for longest time roomie (we lived together in three different apartments over the course of 3 1/2-4 years). During the time we lived together, she and I definitely went through some of the most pivotal stages of life together. I got to see firsthand what happened to Amber when Chris came into her life. Amber, this already life-loving, beautiful woman grew to love life even more than before and stepped into the shoes of this person who knew that she was fully loved and fully known by this Godsend of a man. Their whole relationship has been nothing short of God's awesome provision and amazing sense of humor. They are perfect together, they really do bring out the best in each other, and they are going to have some of the cutest babies ever--just sayin'. 

Amber and Chris picked Elings Park in Santa Barbara, CA to be their wedding venue. Dave, along with a bunch of other friends and family, helped set the scene for their big day. I had a different kind of privilege; I had the honor of spending the day alongside the bride and some of her closest friends, watching her get ready, and finding myself (and the other party people ladies) get antsy, anxious, and expectant on her behalf. We seriously could not wait to get the ever-so-sacred "show" on the road. 

Let me just tell you--the tears started rolling down my face the minute Amber stepped into her one-of-a-kind gown. From that point on, I along with the other girls took turns shedding tears over how momentous this day was for these two lovebirds. The combination of a handsome groom, a stunning bride, their undeniable love for each other, a gorgeous setting, and a ton of loving friends and family really made this one of my favorite weddings to date.

This post is different as it's not technically a wedding post; Life With [Ed] didn't shoot this wedding. We didn't even have our normal shooting camera with us, so these pictures are taken from the perspective of friends who were there for a long awaited celebration:

Amber was so cute--even though it was her big day, she was still running around like the great little hostess that she is, entertaining, and telling everyone else how pretty they looked!

 How can you not love a girl like that?!

The picture above is easily one of my favorite pictures--the couple covered in prayer.

 

Get it!

Here are some photos from the ever handy iPhone:

 

Amber's best franny helping her get her amazing dress on

 

We love you guys a ton and can't wait to see you when you at your new home 

once you get back from your honeymoon.

And just like we all sang together at your wedding, our prayer is that you 

remember until you two are beautifully old and gray:

How deep the Father's love for us... 

Sneak Peek| Joanna & Andre

On March 31st, two people who had lived on two different sides of the world and met under some of the most unexpected circumstances stood before each other and before loved ones to start their covenant life together. Joanna and Andre, your wedding was so, so thick with love. There was no denying that God was a part of every single detail. Dave and I were so blessed to be a part of your day.

Stay tuned for more pictures from Joanna & Andre's big day!

Sneak Peek.

Caley married her Jordan this weekend, and she is now a Mrs.


More pictures to come!

We do! | Amanda & Chad

A little while back, Life With [ED] was given the opportunity to assist photographer friends, Sarah and Rosina, for Amanda and Chad's wedding. My new friend Becky and I assisted with some of the photobooth fun as well as just getting some shots here and there. Make sure you check Sarah and Rosina's pages soon for the official wedding pictures. 

Amanda and Chad tied the knot in a beautiful church--flooded with natural light:

The ceremony preceded a beautiful backyard reception:

Photobooth shots--proof that fun was had!: 

Make sure you visit Image Bearers Photography and Rosina W. Photography for more from Amanda and Chad's wedding.

Congrats, you two! May the joy seen on your wedding day be something that threads through the rest of your days as man and wife :).