Joel and Toby have been best friends since middle school so when Joel got engaged last year, he asked Toby to be his best man. The wedding was this past Saturday and it went wonderfully!!!

We had the privilege of doing Trena and Joel’s engagement shoot back in November of last year and it was great to see that they used their engagement pictures to add personal touches to their wedding day! Since Toby was in the wedding, they chose to hire Lowry Photo as their photographers. They did, however, ask us to bring our cameras just in case they wanted any pictures taken after the guys from Lowry Photo left.

I’m so glad we brought the 5Ds!!! The 20th Century Theatre is one location at which I would love, love, love to shoot a wedding!!! The couple shots that we got at this one has made me want to shoot there even more! It’s such a beautifully unique place! Part of its beauty, however, is its artistic lighting and I cannot even imagine how grainy the pictures would come out with anything less than a 5D’s high-ISO performance!

Trena and Joel also had The Peter Adams Band play at their reception. I really liked their music and it was just another personal touch that made their wedding unique.

Anyway, we had the opportunity to get a few shots and I figured I’d share them. I’m also including some from our engagement shoot back in November.

Trena and Joel :: Thanks so much for asking us to be a part of your special day! You two looked so happy and the day went wonderfully!!! I have to say that my favorite part was watching you dance with Graham… So sweet. Congratulations, guys! Enjoy Europe!!! I am SO looking forward to a Trash the Dress session with you!!! = )

- Annie

My favorite from their engagement shoot… I LOVE Ault Park!!!

Toby got this one before the wedding started. It’s completely unprocessed – straight out of the camera (SOOC)! Wasn’t the sky phenomenal?!

This is just one example of the details that Trena designed featuring our engagement pictures. It’s always nice to see couples love their engagement pictures so much that they incorporate them into their wedding day!

Holy cow!!! Have I mentioned how awesome the 20th Century is?

I caught these two alone on the dance floor close to the end of the night… They are so sweet!

Trena’s son Brennan loves the guitar and was rockin’ some Nirvana out with the band after they were finished playing. It was awesome!

I wish we could have done these earlier in the day, but we didn’t get any until the very end of the night. Despite the difficult lighting, I was pretty happy!!! = )

I was out in our garden pulling weeds with my mom this morning when I happened upon him.

He was big. Really, really big.

If you know me, you know that I’m not a fan of bugs. Whether it be insects, spiders, or even little critters, you can almost always find me walking (or running) in the opposite direction. Today, I ran.

My mother, however, was completely calm. She even POKED at him!!! I’m sure that normal people find this acceptable behavior… I was petrified. I lost sight of him in the garden and now, quite frankly, I am concerned that the next time I see him will be in the house.

Please God let it be when Toby is home…

:: After the Research ::
So our lovely spider was not a “he”. As I frantically browsed spiderzrule.com, I discovered that she is probably a Black and Yellow Argiope, also known as a St. Andrew’s Cross spider. As I continued to look up information about whether or not I should be as worried as I was, I began to think more and more of Charlotte A. Cavatica from E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. Then I found on Bug Guide that the Black and Yellow Argiope is also called the Writing Spider…

I know that in the book, Charlotte is a grey spider, but I just can’t shake the feeling that she’s right outside in my garden…

Upon informing my mom that she had disturbed Charlotte, she gave me a pretty hard time about running from the “harmless” spider. (Actually, I think her exact words were “big baby”…) She also suggested that since today’s web was gone, perhaps tomorrow we might find the words “Some Kid” written into a new one… = )

- Annie

My fabulous husband is 25 today! I can’t believe it. I mean, I’ve known Toby since we were 13 years old, so it’s just incredibly hard to fathom that we’ve been part of each other’s lives for so long! This man is absolutely the love of my life and has been for a very, very long time.

So today I’m celebrating and saying prayers of thanks for the birthday of my best friend, my soulmate, an amazing dad, and a wonderful husband. Thank you, God, for giving him to all of us 25 years ago today. (Thanks also to Mom and Dad V who sort of had a hand in it as well!!! Haha! Your son is fantastic!)

I thought I’d share some pictures today… Some from long, long ago. One as recent as today. Enjoy!

Toby :: I can’t even begin to tell you how glad I am to be your wife. I love you. Happy Birthday!

- Annie

This first picture is from our senior year at Covington Latin School. It seems so long ago!!!

This one is in front of the Eiffel Tower on our honeymoon back in 2006.

Toby holding Emma… It’s hard to believe it’s been a year!

One of my favorites of Toby. Ever.

This one’s from tonight… Check out the AMAZING carrot cake made by my mom and sister! It was so delicious!!!