Written by Candace on May 1, 2013 | 2 Comments

RJ+Jamie
Wedding at
Rios-Lovell Winery

RJ stood in his hotel room adjusting his tie and making sure his hair was fixed to perfection. Tying up his chucks, he couldn’t wait to get on the dance floor. That’s their spot – the dance floor. But that night, they’d be dancing together as husband and wife.

Though the dance floor may have been his final destination, anyone could see how eager he was to promise his life to Jamie, his lover and best friend. Vowing forever was what he and Jamie were ready to do. And the smiles on their faces leading up to the ceremony reflected just how excited they both were.

Through tears and laughter, Jamie and RJ said “I do.” I half expected them to dance down the aisle during the recessional, but they walked out, side by side, hand in hand, smiling from ear to ear. RJ and Jamie were married.

You can read their love story here. And you can also see 20 of our favorite memories from the day: RJ AND JAMIE: THE HIGHLIGHTS

RJ and Jamie, you are both so special. Listening to the speeches at your wedding only solidified it more for us. We are blessed to call you our friends. Your wedding was perfect in every way. And RJ, your dance moves did not disappoint! Keep dancing, laughing, and loving through the years! We love you both! Congratulations!

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Written by Candace on April 30, 2013 | 4 Comments

Cuddled on the Couch

The first time I ever hung out with Vitaliy one on one he took me to Border’s on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago.

We don’t actually consider this our first date. (That’s a whole other story!) He took me to the photography section and I was immediately captivated. I don’t know if he was trying to impress me, knowing Vitaliy he wasn’t, but I was definitely blown away. It was the first time I thought to myself, “Who is this guy?” I left that evening curious to know him more.

This past weekend we spent time with our close friends Emik and Yana who are also a husband/wife photography team located in Fresno. While taking a trip to our favorite coffee shop Kuppa Joy, we stumbled upon a used book store nearby. Vitaliy took my hand and led me once again to the photography section. We cuddled on the couch, this time surrounded by dear friends, and I listened with just as much anticipation as I did 8 years before.

I know I’ve said this once before, but I’m going to say it again, Vitaliy is my favorite photographer. What he sees in an image, whether taking the picture or just reviewing one, is remarkable. This is one of the first things I admired about him and something I’m still enjoying to this day.

Thank you Yana for the picture and this sweet memory I hope to not soon forget.

What were you up to this weekend?

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Written by Candace on April 24, 2013 | 7 Comments

Beach Day

For the past 6 years, every time the weather was warm enough to go to the beach, it would happen to fall on a weekday. I worked an office job at the time and was unable to take the day off on such short notice. I hated seeing the disappointment on Vitaliy’s face.

When I quit my job to join Vitaliy doing Pictilio full-time, I promised him that we would have many beach days in our future. In Northern California, there are very few days warm enough to lay in the sun on the coast. So I promised him that as long as we weren’t photographing a wedding, we would drop anything to head to the beach when those days came.

Over the weekend I heard that the weather was going to be beach worthy on Monday. But our to-do-list hung over my head and I was tempted not to mention the idea. My promise lingered in my thoughts. And that’s when the question came.

Was I going to be Vitaliy’s business partner or his wife?

When I was preparing to join Vitaliy, I made an agreement with myself in order to protect my marriage. I promised myself to be Vitaliy’s wife first and his business-partner second. It’s a daily decision and I don’t always choose the right one but I’m happy to say that Monday I did. We closed our computers and spent the day at the beach. As husband and wife.

So I thought I’d ask…

Is there an area in your life that needs some re-prioritizing?

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