Jemez New Mexico Adventure Engagement Session with Kristina & Ramon
I guess the questions of the day in the Wedding world is: postpone, cancel or elope? Huge articles could be written on all topics.
The biggest challenges/obstacles currently are travel, accomodations & assembly. I would love to argue that "love conquers all" and that the commitment of marriage supersedes that of a large gathering. So go to the court house. Elope!
Hire your uncle to officiate. Do whatever it takes to GO GET MARRIED NOW because as long as you in that legally binding contract, the entire world could crash down around you and it wouldn't matter. Because, you did it! You got married and you can die now. But something about that feels off. YA THINK!
On a greedy level we'd love couples (that we weren't previously booked with) to can their wedding plans, come to our new mexico oasis, get out in the wide open with grit in their teeth, sand in their hair, and melt away in to in to the transformative energy that has the power to bond and provide an almost supernatural experience. But then what about that couple’s vendors. Am I robbing someone else to make my own dream a reality.
It's so complicated. Which is why my post yesterday was, "let it go. If it was yours it will come back to you." If it wasn't yours, perhaps it's time to find a new way to make a living. Or does that idea even apply to this scenario? And is it not scary that we're currently living in a world that has utterly been dictated by other human beings outside the bounds of actual state and civil law saying "Stay in your home, or else!" OK. Sure. Whatever you say!
But wait, what is the punishment again? And then let's pretend to enlist in total anchary against the current mandates. Do we become murderers in essence? Not like Carol from Tiger King per say, but close….because there again, no evidence. So where do we go from here.
For Shutterfreek anyway, we're praying our guts out that circumstances outside of our control, miracles even will just happen. That we'll at least survive. That we'll have hope. That we'll still find joy amidst the trial.
We're working to be creative with the simple things. My daughter and I put Christmas lights up this afternoon. It was amazingly satisfying and rewarding I think primarily because it has such a significant purpose, and because a virtuous root.
Virtue & love at the end of the day will be the underlying attributes that have the power to produce any level of joy in this situation. Which really makes us question how authentic the joy and happiness we were experiencing just 4 weeks ago really was. It's a curious time for sure.
AND THEN I MET THIS BRILLIANT MIND LIZ RAE WHO RESPONDED TO IDEAS ABOVE VIA EMAIL. CHECK HER OUT!!
“As awful as this whole situation is, I can only hope it puts into perspective what truly makes a wedding - the couple. It's not about the fancy florals or the perfect guest list or the venue or the scenery. Of course, all of those play a role in the day, but the most important part is the two people making the commitment. I absolutely understand how it makes you two feel as though you're robbing other vendors. I've gutted the same emotions on my end, too. Countless times over the past six years, I've been told my job as an officiant wasn't important, easy, and that anyone can do it, which to some extent is true, but then I feel awful now for thinking, "Well, I'm literally the only vendor they need to make a wedding happen during a virus." It's as if no matter what emotions we have during this time, they're either right or wrong and we don't know which way to feel. Most of my days begin great and end in disaster and worry, so you're not alone over there.
It might be the American in me trying to take advantage of the time at home (and I also like staying home, so I'm weird), but I've realized this is the perfect time to me to get utterly creative because there's nothing else I can do. I started writing a new blog on Medium, diving into the book and screenplay I wanted to finish, and hammering out the rest of my ceremonies. I imagine it's incredibly difficult on your end, figuring out what to do with photography, but knowing the little I know about your work already, I'm absolutely positive you two will find something beautiful to do during this time, if you choose to. I love the Christmas lights with your daughter - what a beautiful way to make light of the situation. I hope we get to see it online!”
Editing this session reminded us why we love what we do—the thrill of exploration, the beauty of authentic moments, and the joy of couples willing to embrace adventure. Kristina and Ramon’s Jemez New Mexico Adventure Engagement Session perfectly captured all of that: love, courage, and the magic that happens when two people step boldly into the wide open together.
Thank you Kristina & Ramon, for being willing to adventure. Editing this shoot reignited our flame to get out and EXPLORE! LET’S GO ADVENTURE! For directions to this spot, click here. To see more of our engagement photos, click here!
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