As a wedding photographer, we’re often called upon to document the happiest day of a couple’s life.  I feel so blessed that my job is typically full of joy, laughter and love and that my God-given talents involve freezing those smiles for generations to come.  Last week, I had the opportunity to meet & photograph a couple in Ireland thanks to so many amazing people and I can’t begin to tell you guys how much that one day has affected me.  The photos I get to take of brides and grooms are so much more than just photos: I know this in my heart but rarely do I get to experience it in it’s raw form.  Karen, our beautiful Irish bride has shown me just how powerful images can be when one has experienced a year like she has and how love can indeed conquer all.  Today’s blog post is incredibly special to me, not only because I get to share with you all a powerful and moving story, but because I have an incredible woman named Vig who helped make this all happen.  She was able to pull together a talented team of vendors and even wrote up Karen’s story for you all today….so, please take a moment to read and enjoy one of the best days of my photographic career.  I can only hope that they bring a smile to your face and remind you all to enjoy life and love with all you have those God has placed in your life.

“I’m speechless I truly am. My husband is my best friend, my soul mate, my rock & my world. I adore every bit of him & now I have the most amazing photos to show my love for him to the world.  Everyday is a struggle to survive, to get up, to smile & to try be normal. It’s a year tomorrow since my operation & last Monday has been the ONLY DAY I have felt truly happy, wonderful, pretty & most importantly like a woman. I am & always will be forever thankful for allowing me to feel that way.”  – Karen

******** I take a deep breath & attempt the descent back to earth after an amazing whirlwind experience with Jessica, whose work I have been admiring for years.

My heart took a massive leap of joy when she emailed me to say she is coming to Ireland, and would I be interested in putting together a wedding shoot. Would I?  I jumped at the chance to shoot with my absolute Favorite Wedding Photographer & replied with a great big massive YES! before the thought of what would be involved even entered my mind.

How difficult could it be to get a Bride & Groom together for a few photos, – right?

Off I went, on holidays for a few weeks and returned 3 days before the shoot, nothing organized, just a massive great will to make it happen, and a message from Karen. I immediately knew Karen’s story would become the inspiration for Jessica’s photo shoot. This was something entirely different to your normal wedding story, this was life in it’s raw form.

Life with all it’s pain & sorrow, – Life with all it’s joy & happiness

Karen was a happy, healthy, beautiful and petite young woman. She was up on life, in love with her man, Olly, and their beautiful baby boy Al. She was building her career, – life was getting better every day. Their wedding day would come, but for now, there was no rush with anything. Life stretched out like a long sandy beach in front of them.

. . . but then, –

In 2012, when she was 28 weeks pregnant with her baby girl, Sophie, her world fell apart. The news of her Dad’s sudden and premature death shattered the lives of her entire family.

Suddenly the “we have all the time in the world” changed to, “we must get married NOW!” Grief stricken and heavily pregnant, Karen’s focused changed to wedding dresses and wedding plans. Her Dad was no longer there to walk her up the aisle, and her sister was making an imminent move to Australia. The wedding plans were quickly moved forward.

Six weeks after the death of her Dad, Karen’s body, struck down with the heaviness of stress and grief, was no longer able to hold on to the precious life inside. Princess Sophie was born 6 weeks premature and the weeks that followed were a horrific ordeal for Karen & Olly, mostly spent in the neonatal unit.  Thankfully, Princess Sophie pulled through and 3 months later, on the 6th August 2012, Karen married the man of her dreams.

“I think, when life shatters into a million peaces, your heart breaks open, you are no longer able to think straight, act normal or be the self your man first saw. When that man stays with you, without complaining and patiently support you, every day. When you wake up one morning and realize that he has turned into Your Rock, Then you know, he’s THE MAN of your dreams.

It wasn’t a perfect wedding day. Karen felt ill, most things went wrong; the dress that she had tried on at 30 weeks pregnant didn’t really fit. “I missed my Dad so much,” says Karen, “and the rain never stopped pouring”. Maybe this was the universe pouring out the tears Karen had yet to cry.

Following her wedding day, Karen was feeling increasingly worse and a month later she was rushed in for an emergency hysterectomy. When you are on top of the world one moment and only 6 months later find yourself in the deepest pit of hell, something’s got to give.

By Christmas 2012, Karen had not only lost her Dad and undergone life-altering surgery, but all her hair had fallen out. Alopecia is a common side effect of a Hysterectomy, both very frightening experiences for every woman enduring them.

I don’t think you could expect anyone in this situation to still be up on life, still looking forward, still be sane and happy. Karen’s descent into depression was debilitating. Her doctor prescribed tablets which somehow helped her through the days, but caused the petite, size 8 girl to gain weight.

“When I am out amongst normal people, just doing the weekly shop with the kids and they say or do something funny that makes me smile, I feel that I have no right to smile” says Karen. “It is like people are looking at me and thinking; “Why is she smiling, what has she to smile about, she’s bold!” Karen’s voice brakes over the phone line, we both take a deep breath, then she continues; “I just want to feel normal again, just for one day, I want to feel beautiful again, I want to feel like me, just one more time”.

It is a few days before her wedding anniversary when I meet Karen for the first time. The beautiful woman in my drive, wearing a baseball cap and a stripey top (just like Jessica & I, a complete coincidence) does not look like someone who is depressed or down on herself. There is a radiance in her smile that comes through her eyes. This woman looks strong, confident and ready to charge.

Maybe that is what it takes to truly know yourself. It sure is “A Hero’s Journey” and this hero is called Karen Enright.

My house is buzzing with women who have come together, for one day only, to make magic happen! We have hairstylists, makeup, flowers and assistants and of course Jessica & I with our cameras. Karen was brought 3 wedding dresses, we all want to see them on Karen before we start, so we help her try them on.

I love the chatter & giggle of women as they prepare the bride for her wedding day. Today felt just the same as all the other wedding mornings I have attended, though still more real, – as if I was part of something huge!

Karen was completely comfortable in the hands of our amazing makeup & hair stylists. Karen’s “this is incredible, where where you on my wedding day?” said it all for their talents.

When Karen’s wig was finally styled she broke down and needed her Rock for comfort. “I never thought I could be beautiful ever again” she cried. A silence filled the air. “It looks just like my own hair!” we tried to stem the tears before the makeup washed away. “I never thought it was possible that you could do this to a wig.”

“I never thought it was possible that I could be beautiful again.”

She was on a cloud, floating with The Man of her dreams, her Rock, throughout the 2 hours it took to shoot their wedding photos. I was blinded by her beauty as the sun set over the magnificent ruins of Mountshannon House. “I had so much fun” she said after the shoot; “You and Jessica made me feel so relaxed, it was amazing.” I’m not sure who was more amazed but I was blown away.

A few days later, Jessica published the first few of her photos and the magic feeling surged through us all again. This time our friends and relatives on Facebook joined in and the Hugeness of what had happened started to dawn.

“I love photographs” chimed Karen over the phone, “I have them all over my house, they tell the story of our life. But I don’t have a single photo from our wedding. I love admiring my friends’ wedding portrait, you know the big one that holds pride of place in a home. I might sometimes have felt a pang of jealousy, but now . . . ” (I can hear Karen smiling that radiant smile of hers through the wire) “Oh my God!” she continues bursting with pride & joy, “I have the most amazing wedding photos in the world! I couldn’t believe it when I saw Jessica’s photos, you have no idea how much this meant to me. I will look at these photos every day and they will remind me how amazing I felt that day.”

“I never thought it was possible to have this day, to do this, to be beautiful again, to have my wedding day again and to get these most incredible images.” We are both close to another Kleenex moment, but Karen continues: “I can’t thank you enough, what you & Jessica & Maria & Ali & Patricia did . . . ”

I can virtually hear Karen’s heart swell with gratitude.

“I know there are many woman out there going through the same as me and I want my story & my photos to inspire every one of them to do the unthinkable”.

You think it’s impossible but it IS possible, – just go and do it.”

I am still blown away by Karen. To me she will always be my inspiration to follow my dream but most importantly to stay real & true and believe in magic.

I know anything is possible. Thank you Karen & Jessica for proving it to me.

All my love Vig xx

Our amazing team of wedding vendors!! You ladies were incredible to work with….thank you Clare for taking our photo to remember this day forever!

I’m so excited to share a huge THANK YOU to our incredible wedding vendors who donated their talents and time to help make Karen & Olly’s day perfect!

Coordinator/Photographer:  Vig froM Wonder Works Photography – Castleconnell, Ireland  www.facebook.com/WonderWorksPhotography

Location: Mount Shannon House, private property in Castleconnell, Ireland

Hair: Maria Goud – Tangles Hair & Beauty – Limerick, Ireland  www.facebook.com/pages/Tangles-Hair-and-Beauty

Makeup:  Ali Fox

Flowers:  Pat from Ring O’ Roses  www.facebook.com/ringorosesflorist

Wedding Dress: Bride’s First Choice Mobile Bridal Salon  www.facebook.com/pages/Brides-First-Choice-Mobile-Bridal-Salon