A Destination Downtown Paducah Wedding

Normally, I write a few details about my couples for their engagement blog and then spend some time putting to words their wedding day for their wedding blog. Stephanie & Sam didn’t have an engagement session so I didn’t have the chance to write about how wonderful, intelligent, and courteous they both are individually. Or how Stephanie’s eyes light up yet soften all at the same time when she looks at Sam. Or how Sam smiles the biggest, cheesiest, but most genuine smile when Stephanie is near. Or how they share the sweetest love I have ever witnessed. And being a photographer of love, that’s saying a lot!

Yes, normally I tell things from my point of view and I feel like I’ve been in contact with them through Skype, email, Facebook, and in person enough to tell it well – but no one could tell their love story better than Stephanie & Sam:

When asked what makes them unique as a couple… “The majority of our relationship has been long-distance in nature; while it hasn’t always been easy to be (geographically) apart for long periods, it hasn’t been an impediment to our relationship as a whole. If anything, the knowledge that we couldn’t take proximity for granted drove us to develop deep bonds of trust and strengthen our communication.”

When asked what Stephanie loves most about Sam… “It’s kind of hard to choose one particular thing when you’ve been lucky enough to catch the total package. He’s incredibly intelligent and has an absolute passion for the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, both in the realm of academia and life generally. I love listening to him describe his PhD seminar readings to me, even when it’s theory stuff I don’t quite grasp—it’s enough to be able to watch the gears turning in his head as he speaks and reaches new understandings himself. Furthermore, this passion isn’t a flighty character aspect; he is resolute and deliberate in everything that he sets out to do, and gives nothing less than his absolute best to every endeavor.”

When asked what Sam loves most about Stephanie…”In no particular order, she’s kind and caring to an uncommon extent; she cooks delicious food; I love how simultaneously attentive and expressive she can be, even when talking about the most quotidian things. Her love of cats, and even dogs (despite the fact that I’m not a dog person) and fish and bunnies and cows and all other animals; the way she can make me feel light and goofy in what seem like the most tedious and burdensome of circumstances; her love of chocolate; the way her head feels on my shoulder, or in the crook of my arm. To say “most everything” is a cop-out answer, but anything else would be dishonest.”

While visiting Sam’s mom in Kentucky, he and Stephanie took a day trip to Paducah and instantly fell in love with its big city feel and small town charm. There was no discussion to be had – Paducah was where they would be married! Months later and not just their family but also their friends showed up from all over the US to help this beautiful couple celebrate the beginning of their lives together!