Each wedding for me is more than just an event, it’s a love story long in the making. I couldn’t show the beautiful pictures of the lovely bride and groom from that special night without mentioning how it all came to be. I’ve asked Sydney and Justin to share some of the moments that started their life together as well as some special moments from the wedding.

Below I’ve included some beautiful snippets of the love these two share and nothing I could write could capture the way Justin gazes into Sydney’s eyes when they slow dance. With his hand resting firmly on the small of her back, gently dipping her as he gets closer for a kiss, you can honestly tell how devoted these two are to each other and their two beautiful children.

Let’s take a brief walk through the story of Sydney and Justin…

Sydney and Justin 8

Kate:
How did you two meet?

Sydney:
We first met when I was in college and going to turn in an application to work at a local restaurant. We knew mutual friends.

Kate:
Justin, when did you know you wanted to marry her?

Justin:
I first knew I wanted to marry Sydney when I saw how beautiful of a mother she was. Kids had always been in my mind in previous relationships. I knew that I wanted them and I also knew that I didn’t want to wait until I was over 30 to have them. Our situation was special. Leading up to Charlie’s birth I knew that I wanted to marry Sydney; however, seeing her with that little angel just solidified my heart’s intentions. For a man to TRULY believe that there is no one else on the earth capable of mothering his children better than his wife is quite a moving realization. And on top of all of that, have you seen her? She’s breathtaking!

Kate:
What about you, Sydney, when did you know you wanted to marry him?

Sydney:
When did I know I wanted to marry him? [Slightly giggles] I was pregnant with Charlie at the time. Both of our destructive, unhealthy, and ungodly relationships were coming to a much needed end. Through God, and Justin’s friendship, strength and support, I gained enough courage to walk away. Little did I know, God’s plan for me and Charlie Jo was much bigger than anything I could have imagined (it always is). Justin was there to pick up the pieces. A few short weeks later, I was finishing a shift at the restaurant I was managing at the time, and Justin was waiting on me to get done. He always came and sat with me when I worked nights. The idea of me being there by myself never sat well with him. While I was wrapping up, I got a text message, checked my phone, and it was from him. The text read, “I’m going to kiss you tonight.” It probably took me an extra 30 minutes to finish my work because I was so nervous. [Giggles to herself again] Well, I finished and being the gentleman he is, he walked me to my car and kissed me just as he said he was going to. I didn’t know how or the exact moment, but I knew then that I wanted to marry him.

Kate:
What’s the story of the engagement?

Sydney:
Justin proposed to me March 9, 2012, shortly after I had our daughter, Charlie Jo. The planning began almost immediately and we set the date to be married in March of 2013. The planning came to a halt in October, when we found out we were expecting our second child. We moved in my parents’ home and began searching for our own home. We closed on our first home at the end of May and had our son, Bruin, two weeks later (June 2013). After the hustle and bustle of having a child and buying a home, we began the wedding planning again and reset our date to March 29, 2014. This go around, with so much help from Kate Cook (our unfailing wedding coordinator), the pieces of the puzzle starting fitting together perfectly.

Kate:
Give me a recap of your wedding day from your perspective.

Sydney:
Our wedding was the most elegant country wedding I’ve ever seen! I may be a little biased but it was everything I ever dreamed of. From getting married in front of a beautiful barn in Covington, LA to our reception in the tack house, everything was PERFECT. Things ran so smoothly, and most importantly, it was a very memorable and exciting night. Kate made sure there wasn’t one kink in the flow and timing of events throughout the night. Stress was never a feeling for me on my wedding day — just pure excitement!

Kate:
Justin, now that you’re married, what’s one thing Sydney does that you can’t live without?

Justin:
The one thing I could not live another day without is the way Sydney keeps a house. Do you know that feeling you get when at night and you lay down in a bed made with fresh new sheets? I get to enjoy that every night. My clothes are folded just like they were in the store when I bought them. I would eat off of any surface in the entire home. And it’s not just me, the kids’ rooms, clothes, and toys are all the same way. She takes care of all of us. She makes our house feel like a home, and I am grateful.

Kate:
Sydney, what about you? What can’t you live without?

Sydney:
The one thing Justin does that I can’t live without is his ability to make me laugh and stop the time when the weight of the world seems overwhelming. He always makes me feel like his wife and not just the mother of his children. He’s good at reminding me there’s more to me than being a full-time mom.