You might remember Rori and Matt from their engagement and wedding posts, but today there is even more online excitement to share!

Recently, I received an email from a sweetheart named Chantale. Blogger & wedding enthusiast extraordinaire, her blog (La Belle Bride), specializes in featuring photographers and real weddings that have an artsy, vintage feel. I was so honored that she stumbled across my site and asked if I would be interested in submitting a wedding to her.

While so many of our photos have an artsy & vintage feel, I could think of no better wedding to submit than Rori and Matt's.

Click here to read the article about Rori & Matt's wedding on La Belle Bride!

Yep. You heard me. They ELOPED!

And there's no better service than Facebook to get the word out! I found out via Jackie's status update, which read: is married to the love of her life! Yes, the wedding is still on for next July but we just couldn't wait any longer :)

And I can't blame them, really. Their chosen wedding date would have meant an 18-month engagement for the two young lovebirds. I remember when Jake proposed, I wanted to run away with him and make it official right away. Because, when you're young and in love, sometimes patience is the last thing on your mind.

And 'twas the case with Jackie and Zach... during a simple conversation one day this winter, they decided they just couldn't wait until July to make things official. They like to do things differently. They were excited to plan an intimate ceremony without being in the spotlight of 200 guests. They described their decision to me as wanting to make it official for themselves, but still not wanting to take away from their big wedding planned for this summer for all their family and friends to enjoy.

So, on December 16th, 2009 - a Wednesday, they went to their minister's home and he performed a 20-minute ceremony in his living room in front of his Christmas tree. Zach's brother Jake and his girlfriend, Kira, were there as witnesses.

At the holidays, Jackie & Zach had the chance to share the news with family and friends. Needless to say, all were completely surprised, but also so very happy for the lucky couple. Their wedding this summer is sure to be a big celebration for everyone. Jackie told me that she is stoked for the opportunity to wear her gown, walk down the aisle, and celebrate. Zach confessed that he is relieved he won't get hit on in public so much now that he's sporting his temporary wedding band (to be replaced with the official one this July), and is much looking forward to his Bachelor Party :)

But perhaps the best, most romantic, parts of this story are the beautiful thoughts that Jackie and Zach had to share about each other:

From Jackie... "Being married has been so amazing and fun. We didn't really expect to feel any different from before but we totally do. We feel so much closer and every time I look at him, I get so giddy inside because I get to call him my husband! I love it."

From Zach... "I love my wife. She has been so supportive and I am excited about our new life together. We have such great plans for life. We both want to be parents of a role model family that supports and loves each other, accepts all people equally and gives back what we take from the Earth. My wife is an angel and she has the kindest heart. She has taught me so much and I feel so privileged to be in her life."

These proclamations give me goosebumps, and teary eyes, and a heart full of happiness. And this, my friends, is what it's all about.

Congratulations you two. I am so honored to be your photographer. You have something special, and there is so much to celebrate!

(And a huge thanks to their witness Kira for making sure to get some photos of it!!)

We shot a super-fun engagement shoot this past Saturday, and we were so fortunate with the gorgeous Seattle weather we had too! Here's one sneak-peek shot for now to whet your appetite (I know, I'm soooo funny) :)

I love my new iPhone. And I mean seriously LOVE it. The ability to read email while lying in bed is really just soooo exciting to me.

This morning, I woke up a bit late, and totally dazed and confused. Would I have time to get to the gym on time for class? Do I need to walk the dogs or is it raining out? Do I have time to put my contacts in? My mind was reeling, but I still managed to unplug my iPhone from its charger and sort threw my 14 new emails.

When I saw her name in my inbox, my heart skipped a beat.

Would it be good news?

A gentle let-down?

You just never know.

But it was good news. Great news, in fact. A lovely bride emailing to let me know that the feeling was mutual and that we were their top pick for their wedding photographers and "where do we sign the contract"? (i.e. words that make me MELT).

I immediately jumped out of bed as if I'd had a few shots of espresso intravenously. Me and my crazy hair ran into the bathroom, iPhone in hand, screaming, "WE BOOKED THE WEDDING!!!" and read Jake the email word-for-word while he showered. He knew I was referring to the lovely couple we'd just met this week and shared in the excitement. I did a happy dance. He laughed at how fast I woke up, made fun of my crazy hair, and we decided we'd celebrate over dinner tonight.

And while I know we are one of so many vendors and so many choices a couple makes for their wedding, just one piece of the pie, I am pretty sure the couple never really knows how much their choice means to US. And it does mean so much to us, so thank you, thank you, thank you to all of our fabulous couples. We love you SO much!!

I have debated about posting this for some time. For months, in fact, because you might just  think I'm nuts. But the last few days, I've seen both the Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet and the Hollywood Cookie Diet advertised on TV and I'm just infuriated. This era of bad nutrition and misinformation needs to end!

Jake and I have been eating super-healthy for almost a year now, and feeling really, really great. Life-changing great. Our health has improved so much.

Some people think we're nuts, as what we're eating is definitely not society's "norm" and it wasn't easy for us to find the information we did. So I'm putting it here to share with you. Take it or leave it. But, I'm hoping you'll take it!

Where to begin?

My food journey, like everyone's, started as kid, I avoided vegetables like the plague. My mom served veggies with every dinner, but bless their souls, she and my dad never forced me to eat them. I knew Popeye ate his Spinach, but I never understood the reason people at things like cooked spinach that looked soooo soggy... and steamed broccoli that smelled so.... green.

I grew up surrounded by Italians with a divine love for homemade pastas (and the marinara always from scratch), garlic breadsticks, and homemade pizzas with a thin yet chewy crust.

I would start my days with a bowl or two of cereal... anything from Cheerios to Frosted Flakes... pancakes or scones or eggs and bacon on the weekends, lunches of grilled cheese, cheese and crackers and, of course, pb & j... I loved fruit and enjoyed yogurt, so later in life I thought those were the healthy choices that would keep my body healthy. I averaged a size 4, and while I often felt tired, I worked out and never thought I was out of shape or terribly unhealthy. I ate this way until I was 29. Until 9 months ago, in fact.

Last holiday season, Jake and I didn't feel like we were at our best. We tried to eat healthier by incorporating whole grains, more fruit, and some veggies (Jake was better than me at this) into our diet. But again, no science behind our methods, just what we had thought was right from the good 'ol USDA.

As we started researching new gyms and workout programs, Jake also began searching for more information on nutrition. Both of us ready for a change, we bought a few books and began reading. We were amazed at what we were learning, and decided to give things a try.

We now eat a diet that consists of:
-lean meats & seafood
-healthy fats
-non-starchy vegetables and fruits

What don't we eat? Grains, cereals, rice, processed meats, unhealthy fats, sugar, and dairy.

We went through a bit of grain/sugar withdrawl when we first started it (I literally saw cupcakes dancing in front of me one day), but once we made it past the first few weeks we saw and felt some amazing things start to happen.

The changes we've seen? All positive!
-Increased energy (I joke that I've been awakened from a lifelong grain-induced coma)
-Becoming more lean (We're both the smallest we've ever been in our adult lives!)
-Feeling satisfied and full after meals for several hours (No need for snacking)
-No longer fearing a future with heart disease, cancer, or one of the many syndrome x diseases caused by eating foods that weren't meant for our systems
-Clearer skin
-Improved strength at the gym
-Improved allergies (Jake hasn't renewed his allergy rx in 6 months! he used to need it every day!)
-Better sleep
-Improved & easier to control blood sugars (for my type 1 diabetes)

The official name is the Paleo Diet. Dr. Loren Cordain describes it best on his website as:

"The Paleo Diet is a way of eating in the modern age that best mimics diets of our hunter-gatherer ancestors - combinations of lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. By eating the foods that we are genetically adapted to eat, followers of the Paleo Diet are naturally lean, have acne-free skin, improved athletic performance, and are experiencing relief from numerous metabolic-related and autoimmune diseases.

If you are ready to be lean and healthy, then look around and subscribe to our newsletter. Learn how to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, acne, gastrointestinal disease, autoimmune diseases, and more. On this website, and in our books and newsletter, you'll learn the latest science and practical scientific tips that will lead to optimum health and performance. This truly is the world's healthiest diet."

I am posting this article today because I know so many people come out of the holidays full of eggnog and holiday cookies, ready to get into shape. Resolutions are set, yet so many don't even know how to properly achieve them. Try this yourself and see how you feel!

Recommended Reading & Websites:
-The Paleo Diet by Dr. Loren Cordain
-The Everyday Paleo Blog
-Robb Wolf's Blog
-The Diabetes Solution by Dr. Bernstein (any diabetics out there MUST read this!)

Happy Eating!