A Vow Renewal: Philip + Cavette

Chris Carpenter, the pastor of our church, Hope Community (don't you love the name?), recently told Danielle and I that the church was going to do a renewal ceremony as a gift to a couple that are Hurricane Katrina transplants from Louisiana that now live here and go to the church. He asked us if we would photograph the ceremony and we very willingly said yes. We knew right away it would be a blessing for us to do this and it was!

Philip and Cavette were originally married in 1991 and were planning on renewing their vows for their 15th anniversary when the hurricane interrupted those plans. Cavette told us an amazing story about the dress she bought for the renewal 6 years ago and how it survived the flooding and devastation:

"I bought the dress in 2004 and stored it at my mom's house. She put it on her bed and the mattress floated (during the flooding). The dress survived with only two water spots. I told Philip it was a test of how strong our love & marriage is… even my original wedding dress made it. It's amazing how some things make it and most didn't. My mom found the dresses. Her's didn't make it… neither did the kid's baby books; they fell off the bed. That was a hard one for me. I had so many memories that I had saved and lost. But we are making new ones here."

The renewal was put on hold while their lives were shuffled around, but almost 6 years after Katrina, they got their chance to renew the vows for their 20th anniversary. It may not have been what was originally planned, but I don't think the location or the building matters… it's the love you carry in your heart. That goes with you anywhere. And these two… you can just see how much they love each other whenever they are together… after 20 years, you can tell they're more in love today than they were the first time they said "I do".

Here are a few favorites from their service...

Cavette was full of happy tears as her son escorted her down the aisle.

Winks don't always translate well with still photography (it tends to look like something flew in the person's eye), but now that I told you what he's doing, isn't Phil cute?

Pastor Chris whipping out the wisecracks.

Their daughter being all cute and stuff. :)



An emotional embrace at the end of the service.

Followed by a group hug. :)

We took them outside for a few portraits. Oh, and a special thanks to our friend Lisa Foster, who donated that beautiful bridal bouquet for Cavette.

It's hard to believe this dress survived a hurricane!

Aren't they cute?





For the record, those hearts were already carved in the tree. ;)

Philip looking studly.

The beautiful bride.

A water-damaged photo from their past.

I don't remember the story, but for some reason, they didn't have a first dance at their wedding… so this was literally, 20 years later, their first dance. I think it was the most emotionally filled first dance we've ever photographed, even if it was in an elementary school cafeteria. :)

They know how to laugh too.

See.

Congratulations Phil and Cavette! It was truly an honor to photograph your renewal! Danielle and I were blessed to be a small part your day. Here's to many more happy years together!!