"Do I look ok? Should I stand like this? How does my hair look?"

Just like everyone who stands in front of my camera, she was voicing fears about not measuring up. But the truth is, being beautiful comes through your heart. Snuggled up to the one she loved, she just glowed and her heart shows through that smile. 
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The family hideaway was WAY up on top of one of the many mountains here in Amherst County. I kept driving and driving up the long dirt road and when I reached the top, the view was unbelievable. I could see for miles! Inside the log cabin it was much warmer than the winter weather outside so we did the session by the handmade rock fire place instead.
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And yes, you both look great! 

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Loyalty. It's why we call dogs a man's best friend. Loyalty is what carries us all through thick and thin. But loyalty in a person is harder to find. When Chelsey and Mark found each other they started with friendship then they also found one who was loyal.
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If you follow Liberty Football you may remember Mark as #65 for the Liberty Flames. 
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That RING!! And the truth is she shows off her ring beautifully but she can also cook up a storm with her hands. Mouth watering dishes of all kinds have been created by Chelsey and that is one of the many things Mark loves about her!
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I love nature, hikes and beautiful locations. This little one by the river was no exception! It provided a beautiful backdrop.
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Hand in hand, side by side, friendship turned in to loyalty and loyalty into "I Do." 

Congratulations to you both!

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Ok, guys, it's your turn to be in the spot light! Most often when I see wedding images, lets be honest, it's all about the bride. But not in today's post. This groom and his men were all having a good time, and looked sharp while doing so, wouldn't you agree?
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And just because he married into the family doesn't mean he will become a Patriots fan but he did pose for a picture. 
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But then this happened! Haha, sorry Kevin, I just had to take a picture. 

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The guys had so much fun and I have to say, it was great to watching good friends have a blast together, mess around and support the groom on his special day. Just another reason I love my job!

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This hand crafted, rustic wedding was filled with beautiful touches all through out. Even though I'm in Madison Heights, VA these friends of mine asked if I would be willing to do their wedding in TN. Umm, roadtrip! YES. I loved being able to be a part of their special day and captured some beautiful images in the evening during the golden hour! The light was beautiful and captured their joy just right.
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These handmade pies were adorable! Each guest picked one up and had their own personal pie for dessert. It doesn't get much cuter than that!!
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It was such a beautiful day and it meant so much to that I was able to be a part of everything. Thank you!

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Janey called and asked for a photo session at Sweet Briar College before it closed. (It was rescued from closing, but we didn't know that yet.) She would soon be transferring and wanted to document her time at Sweet Briar because it had meant so much to her. She had stepped out on her own, in a whole new world and had loved every minute. 
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I learned, as we visiting Janey's favorite spots, how she come to Sweet Briar from China. We talked, laughed and had so much fun together. 
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This last one was enlarged for one of her canvas images as well as included in her beautiful album. She was so happy. Afterwards she texted and said again,"They are amazing!!! Like art work from you angles, I feel so pretty!! Beautiful, yes!" 

This was one of the canvas collection options she had to choose from too. 

You were such a joy to work with Janey! Congratulations on your next step in life.

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Kendra's dress was amazingly beautiful and detailed. 
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Kendra, you are a girl after my own heart! Heels, heels, heels. And your's were AMAZING!!!
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Kevin's best man was his Dad. The man who had struck up a conversation with Kendra first in the library. That whole story can be read here.

Surrounded by friends and sister's who loved her, cared for her and made her laugh, Kendra moment of prayer brought a smile to her face. 
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Under the limbs of an ancient oak tree, stands a little brick church. The St. Marks Episcopal Church, a direct successor of the first Christian Church established in 1747 in what is now Amherst County. Kevin and Kendra said, "I do" surrounded by friends, family and history. Both avid readers and history lovers, it was a perfect match.
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On the grounds of Patrick Henry's Mother's home at the Sarah Henry Manor, the reception was enjoyed by all. 
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Congratulations to both of you! You wrote a beautiful first chapter in the history of your love story and I'm so thankful to have been a part of your day!
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Sarah Henry Manor
Holly Ann Photography

Does your camera confuse you sometimes? Do you take a great picture and then look at the playback only to be disappointed?

Do you want to learn what all the buttons and settings stand for on your camera? 

Would you like to take your photography to the next level? 

If you said YES, then join us at the Amherst County Park and Recreation Center in Monroe, VA this March. They have asked me to teach a 3 week course on Photography 101. We will be covering information in a hands on and practical way. 

Week 1: We will cover the basics of our cameras functions.
Week 2: Learning composition.
Week 3: Working with Lighting. 

We will also have a model join us one night. This great opportunity will provide instant feedback as you practice what you're learning. 
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Classes will be March 17, 24 and 31, 2016 from 6:30pm-8:00pm.
The cost is $30.
You can reserve your spot by calling Sara Lu at 434-929-4722 at the Amherst County Parks and Recreation Center. 

Join us and take your photography to the next level.

 
Stress. It's a word that is often closely associated with every event you try to plan. But that is exactly where RS Exclusive comes in. I sat down with the owner, Sandra Guelzo and learned so much about what they have to offer. I was very impressed with her caring spirit and amazing creative ability. The moment I walked into her showroom, I could tell she was a truely creative gal. If you were to ask Sandra what she does... this is the short of it. "I'm Sandra Guelzo, owner and event designer of RS Exclusive (a full service wedding and event company ) and the RSE Event House. I am passionate about God, my family, and my friends, and do all I can to extend that same passion in the way we serve others at RSE!" 
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One of my first questions was, "What does RS stand for?" Her daughter Rachel (the R )began the business with her and is now a consultant on many details, small and large. Sandra (the S) orchestrates the many running parts of the business and meets with clients one-on-one. 

When Sandra was a little girl, her creative juices where flowing already. She dreamed, planned and created parties for her sisters. Time passed and soon Sandra and her friends were creating events worth remembering. That naturally flowed into a business and then a company, when her homeschooling days were completed.
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As Sandra shared about her business, it was very easy to see that she cares deeply about every single person who comes through her doors. The "Exclusive" in RS Exclusive is meant for that purpose and it really is true. Every person is treated as if they are the only client. Sandra combines creating beauty with compassion.
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Sandra has created events from California, Washington D.C., Maryland, North Carolina and of course Lynchburg, Va and the surrounding area. Quite often planning a wedding here involves working with out of town clients, some as far away as China, and Sandra handles it well. I asked, "What event had a catastrophic moment and how did you avoid it?" She laughed and said,"Oh, I had one." And did she ever!

Like usual, she and her team were setting up for the wedding and understanding the flow of the day, she realized, the chef should have already arrived. A quick call was made and to both of their shock, the chef had accidentally put the following day on his calendar! The wedding was to start in ONE hour. Sandra worked fast and the chef hustled to be there. In one hours time, the food was ready, the guests were served and the bride never knew one word about it! Now that is stress no bride ever wants to deal with! 
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"What event have you imagined but have never had the chance to create yet?" She responded, "My own wedding vow renewal." Sandra, I know it will be beautiful when you do!!
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Many events have been planned in this room right here. The consultation room. Events such as weddings, anniversary parties, birthdays, styled photoshoots, commercials for TV, movie scenes, corporate events and much, much more. 
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You will notice throughout the Event House are scattered some pictures of the beautiful woman who continues to inspire Sandra in the creative and beautiful work she does, Audrey, her Mother.
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"What holds people back from calling you?" I asked. "Two things probably. One being the cost. They might think they cannot afford to hire an event planner. But the truth is, doing it yourself will cost you time away from work and also away from your friends and family. In the end, it is often more cost effective to hire us. Secondly, a client may think their special event won't be done the way they want it to be, the way they see it in their minds eye. The truth is, their hearts desire will indeed be executed by R.S. Exclusive." 

Are you planning an event in the Lynchburg, VA area? Do yourself a big favor and call R.S. Exclusive, you wont regret it and you will make a wonderful friend in the process. 

RS-Exclusive.com
​434-420-0301
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I LOVE to read. I have a personal goal to read 15 minutes everyday. Last year I has the same goal and read over 7000 pages! In short, I didn't always get to bed as early as I thought I would, but it was worth it! For me as a pastor's wife and Mother, 15 minutes is do able. When I have more time that is great but when I don't, it's still pretty easy to reach my goal. I'm not a big fiction reading but I do like to read business books, biographies and autobiographies. 

With February being focused on LOVE I wanted to focus on some wonderful marriage related books I have read over the years. Being reminded of what we know we should be doing or learning something new that we can use in our marriages is so healthy. We need to keep working on our marriages to make them stronger.
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If you have never read The 5 Love Languages, put it on your to do list. 

How we express our love to our spouse is most often done the way we like to receive love. Discovering how we express and receive love is important to being able to describe our love to the one who means the most to us. We may also need to change how we show love to them so that they truly understand how much they mean to us.
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This book, Love & Respect, was a real eye opener to me. The way my husband needs respect was an aspect of our relationship I really under estimated. As I read the stories and explanations, I knew I had changes I needed to make. This is a very good book I think every couple should read.

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100 Prayers for Your Marriage. This one is meant to be used daily not so much as a sit-down-and-read-it-all kind of book. The prayers are short but powerful and thought provoking. I really love it because it's like a guide to praying for different areas of your marriage. I believe prayer is our most powerful weapon in preserving our marriages. 
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The 4 Seasons of Marriage. Not all of us are in the butterflies-in-our-stomach stage of marriage. We have grown together and life is moving on. But be on the watch for signs things might be wrong. This is a great book for couples who have been married for a while. 

As a pastor's wife, I've need marriages do well and I've seen them struggle. Often times, the advice given in these books is very helpful to engaged couples, newlyweds and seasoned couples. I hope you will invest in your marriage this month.

What other books have you read that really helped you? Comment below or on  Facebook or Instagram, I'd love to hear from you. 

Trust. It's a small word which cradles the life of a relationship. Trust starts will some promises being kept and built upon. Out of trust develops strength, which in turn builds pillars of security.

The story of Alex and Jessica follows this pattern of trust and it was so sweet seeing them together and being able to photograph their engagement session. We chose the beautiful landscape at Sweet Briar College. The Blue Ridge Mountains are a lovely backdrop and at sunset, it really was true to it's name, Blue Ridge.

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You guys are just too cute! EEEKKK. I love it!
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When Alex and Parker first proposed, no one was their to capture the moment. So we did the next best thing and re-enacted that special moment. 
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Their beautiful wedding, which was published for The Savvy Budget Bride, can be seen here.

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