Shannon and Greg booked me a LONG time ago for their wedding. We'd originally met up at a coffee shop down in San Diego for our first interview together. We ended up chatting for over 2 hours! Clearly we covered more than just photos in the discussion. I had a very good feeling about them as a couple, and their feelings for each other. I knew it would be a great wedding AND (more importantly) a great marriage. They weren't quite sure about the wedding date at the time, since Greg is in the service and he would be deploying at various times. Several months later, they booked me for a February 7, 2009 wedding in San Diego. I've been looking forward to seeing them again, and we were set to shoot their engagement session this past Saturday.

Unfortunately, life has thrown them a curve ball. Greg was diagnosed with cancer about a month ago and is battling hard. Shannon and Greg changed their previous wedding plans, and instead got married this past weekend in San Diego. I raced down to be there. Surrounded by friends and family, they got married in their backyard. Honestly, everyone was so (emotionally) close there that I think the backyard was too big...everyone just wanted to be hugging and holding each other. Sometimes personal space is a highly over-rated thing.

Thank you Shannon and Greg for everything you shared. It was more than just taking your photos this weekend...you also reminded me of the meaning and depth of the martial vows. Aside from my own wedding, I've never quite listened so intently to the words exchanged. (Of course at my own wedding, I understood the vows so well that I got BIG splotchy hives just saying them!! You, Shannon, managed to say your vows with much more beauty and grace than I did.) I can't wait till your times are "for better" and "in health". You certainly deserve them.
  Greg loves classic VW vans. Shannon showed up to the ceremony in a tricked out, beautiful baby blue one. And Greg can't wait to see her...

I love the expressions on both their faces as Shannon's sister announced during the toasts that she was pretty sure Shannon would end up as one of those "old, single cat ladies". But, luckily Greg won her over and saved her from that fate.
  A word about the cake topper...Greg and Shannon found this topper online. It was perfect for them. However, they kept getting outbid on the topper...drats. While Greg was on deployment, he secretly managed to find the topper from a vendor. He shipped it home to Shannon and told her not to open it until he was on the phone with her. What a nice surprise from afar! (and...for the vendor who waived the cost of the topper because Greg was in the military...please enjoy this photo and know that it ended up on the nicest cake for the sweetest people)