Why are we doing a “marriage stories” blog series?

We are passionate about photographing couples and weddings, of course. But we care even more about thriving marriages. We are here for our brides and grooms beyond the wedding day and we are cheering for your marriage! That’s why we have decided to start a blog series this year called Marriage Stories. We will post every other week on Marriage Monday with an interview from couples that we look up to as well as our recent wedding clients. We will still be writing and sharing every other week about our own marriage too.

We hope that you enjoy and are encouraged and inspired in your own marriage from our friends Phil & Kristi’s marriage story!

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How long have you been married?
6.5 years

Do you have kids? Grandkids? How many?
1 daughter

Tell us your love story! How did you meet?
Phil and I met through a mutual friend at a church camp while we were in high school. We became great friends and started dating. We both went to West Virginia Wesleyan College and broke up while there for over a year and during that time we became best friends. We were leading Younglife together and had the same core group of friends so inevitably we ended up back together for good!

What’s your favorite memory from your wedding day?
We had a really fun reception and DJ. The dancing with all our friends and family was so fun and also we wrote our own vows which were both sweet and funny.

Photo provided by Kristy & Phil

What have been some struggles in your marriage? How did you overcome them?
Learning how to communicate. Learning that my way isn’t the only way to do things. Learning the importance of putting God first individually and in our marriage. We’ve overcome all of them through just doing life together, support of church community, and a Bible – teaching church.

What is one thing that you’ve learned from marriage?
How to be truly self sacrificial and put someone else’s needs above your own.

What have been some great joys of your marriage?
Weekend getaways, surrounding ourselves with biblical community, having a baby, always having someone to have pillow talk with, someone always by your side willing to try new things.

What’s your best piece of advice for newlyweds?
Find biblical community early and do legitimate premarital counseling

Anything else you would like to add?
Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with the person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with and know they can’t bear the weight of your soul – Phil