Charlotte, North Carolina
Around this time last year two of my dear friends, Christina Falke and John Namour, were married in a beautiful ceremony at the Dunham Hotel in North Carolina. I was lucky enough to get to take a couple of shots! They are truly one of the most compatible and likable couples I know, and I am over the moon that they are expecting their first child in 2015!
Earlier this year, I had the awesome opportunity to help photograph a friend of a friend's newborn baby... and it was so much fun!! My friend and fellow photographer Mirah [Mirah Curzer Photography] had set up a time with her friends Rachel and Joel, and their 5 day old newborn Isaac, to take some newborn photos and invited me along! I'm so grateful and honored to have been a part of baby Isaac's first photo shoot. He was absolutely precious and only pooped on us once. :)
Last week, sadly sick as a dog, I traveled across the country to beautiful Palm Springs for my best friend Liz's wedding. She asked that no guests take photos during her wedding--not only so they would be able to focus on the event itself, but also because it has a tendency to ruin your official wedding photos--so all I was able to capture was the moments right before the ceremony. She looked beautiful! It was such an honor to be there. I think I went through three packets of tissues.
When we weren't with Liz, Jon and I were able to do a little bit of exploring--hampered by our illness, but fun nonetheless! You can't seem to go wrong in Palm Springs.
Finally... the night of her wedding, I was honored to give a speech as Liz's unofficial maid of honor:
For those who don’t know me, my name is Jenn. Liz and I met ten years ago as freshmen living across the hall at NYU, and I knew from the start that we were sister soulmates. For those who don’t know, this is actually Liz’s second marriage. Liz and I have been married on Facebook for almost ten years now, and we have vowed never to get divorced. Sorry, Erik.
We bonded over our mutual love of shiny things, of fluffy things, of food and adventure. We wrote bad poetry together, worked terrible jobs together, explored the city together with no destination in mind. We’ve climbed glaciers together, watched the northern lights together, and listened to classical music together with our eyes closed.
For three amazing years, I also got the chance to live with Liz, and since that time we’ve traveled across the world together. So I’ve had the chance to learn many things about her in that time.
· I’ve learned that, not unlike me, Liz likes to keep everything she owns out on display across the room. She’s not messy, she is just the curator of her own special Liz museum.
· I’ve also learned that Liz requires regular feedings every few hours. One time, Liz and I traveled together to New Zealand, and planned the most amazing trip imaginable—but we forgot entirely to schedule time for food. We quickly learned that whoever was in the passenger seat of the car was on feeding duty.
· I’ve also learned that Liz is the best sport about almost everything. One time we were hiking up Roy’s Peak in New Zealand, and we got caught in a rain and hail storm on the top of the mountain. We were running down the trail in an attempt to get back to our cars as soon as possible, drenched from head to toe, when Liz lost her footing. She slid down the hill full body into a pile full of wet cow poop. We got back to the car soaked, and most people probably would have complained and whined. But instead, Liz laughed about it with a smile from ear to ear, and as we drove we made up a song and sang in harmony about how our butts were wet.
· I’ve also learned that life with Liz is never boring. One year we worked under the table for $6/hour at a local frozen yogurt shop called Tasti D Lite in New York City. We sometimes worked long hours for very little money, with snooty customers with surprisingly complicated demands. But when we were together, we were always happy. We even bring in music and choreograph salsa dances that we’d do together in the store.
· If you know Liz, she is always up for anything, though perhaps always a little off the beaten path. It was three or four years ago when I discovered on cracked.com “Places that You Didn’t Think Exist” the Wave, which if you might have heard is an amazing rock formation in the desert. Normally there is a lottery to get permits and people wait months, but by an act of fate there were two permits available. I was somewhat hesitant, but when I asked Liz if I should get the permits, she immediately said yes and we started to plan yet another amazing adventure together. A month later we were standing in this natural phenomenon that most people are never able to see.
· I’ve also learned that Liz is one of the most encouraging people I have ever met. I’m pretty sure she can convince people they can do anything, and when Liz tells you that you can do it, you believe her. Liz convinced me to run my first half marathon, something I never thought I could do having never run more than two miles in my life. She convinced me to climb my first mountain, and she would run up ahead and lure me up the trail with hugs. Through her fine art of justifiable misdirection, she even got her aunt Meg to climb a mountain in Yosemite by telling her they were going for a “stroll.”
· Liz is also incredibly humble. She is so full of natural talent, so brilliant, so creative, but never lets on to it. She can sing like Aretha Franklin, paint like Monet, take photographs like Ansel Adams, and write poetry like a Frenchman. She’s so beautiful, and she doesn’t even know it.
As you can tell, I deeply love and admire my Lizzy. So when she told me in college that she met someone, I was immediately skeptical. Who was this older guy she met on a plane who wanted to take her to the Bahamas?
As we stand here today in this beautiful setting, I feel so happy that Liz has found her match, and I know it’s right. I’ve had the chance to know Erik these past few years, and I love knowing that Liz has found her perfect match.
I’ve always known Liz would need someone to join her on adventures. With Erik she gets the bonus of a field guide to the natural world and someone who I dare say is more adventurous than Liz (but not nearly as pretty). Anyone who accompanied Liz and Erik on Thursday’s hike knows that Erik is an endless source of knowledge. The fact that they agreed to their wedding including a 12-mile round trip hike is proof positive that they are a match-made in heaven.
Erik is such a wonderful compliment. He feeds her through his wonderful cooking. Erik keeps a clean house and he loves her despite her messiness. Erik can be a bit compulsive about cleaning, but he has a great sense of humor. Liz told me a story about Erik cleaned the apartment and instead of getting upset or yelling at Liz for her many, many items strewn about the apartment, she came home to pile of her stuff with a little hand-made flag on top that said “Mt. Wroblewski.” In Erik, Liz has found someone who will snuggle her and engage her in deep conversation. He is truly her perfect counterpart in life, as she is his.
Since I was little, as the only child of two wonderful parents, I longed for a sister. Someone to play with, to bond with, to grow with as women. Someone to debate with, to cry with, and to adventure with. Someone the bond with whom would know no distance or time. I am forever grateful to have found my long lost sister, my best friend, my family, in Liz. I could not be happier for her today.
Let us toast to them, and raise our glasses to a lifetime of love and adventure. I love you both so much.
I love you tons, Liz. :)
