Becky and Scotts Charleston Wedding

The beautiful bride and handsome groom said their heartfelt “I do’s” on a hot summer’s day at the beautiul Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms, near Charleston, SC.  Lots of family and friends, from all over the country, traveled to share in this happy day, and to celebrate with these two wonderful families.  Lot’s of bright colors, and happy smiles blanketed the day for all to partake in!  Congrats to Becky and Scott on this wonderful wedding day!

Lynley and Roberts Wedding

It was a fabulous family affair when the two hearts of Lynley and Robert (Bob) were joined at their beautiful home in Deercreek.  Everyone in the wedding party was immediate family and shared in every moment of their special day.  Lots of friends joined in on the celebration festivities, dancing the night away to a fabulous live band, wonderful food and liberating libations.  Congrats to everyone in these two wonderful families!

Elizabeth and Jordan Estes’ Wedding

Our son, Jordan, and his lovely fiancee Liz were married June 6th down at Lovers Key (Ft. Myers Beach), with friends and family coming from all over the country to attend the wedding.  We photographed the wedding along with our dear friend and wonderful photographer, Al Gordon from Bradenton, FL.  The below collage is a collaboration of both Al’s images and ours.  The reception was held at the wonderful Sandy Butler restaurant, and the food was simply devine!  And the location on the beach was magnificent!

Kim and Tim Hurse’s Wedding

Kim and Tim were married at the beautiful Club Continental on the St. Johns River in Orange Park, FL.  The wedding party were all wonderful close family members, who were so helpful that day, and a joy to work with.  Kim was so exquisite and classical, and with her handsome groom, they made a really beautiful couple!  Congratulations to you and your families on your joined commitment of love to each other!

Julie and Sonny Beckham’s Wedding

Wow, this was such a sweet, sweet, wedding.  Bride and Groom are both such wonderful people, and so attractive to photograph.  The ceremony was downtown at the Hobson auditorium of First Baptist Church, with a reception following at the Florida Yacht Club.  All the family members were so fabulous to work with….couldn’t have been nicer…a real testament to their faith and Christian love.  Thank you Julie and Sonny for making us a part of your wonderful wedding.

Amanda and Allen’s Wedding

Loved sharing the day and photographing the wedding of Amanda and Allen.  The bride was so radiant in her dainty lace wedding gown and hot pink shoes, and the groom beamed from ear to ear with his handsome smile all day!  The couple exchanged their vows in their church, then celebrated with family and friends at the Hilltop Club in Orange Park, FL.  I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a bride so enjoy every detail and aspect of her wedding day.  They truly had fun and happily shared all with loved ones!

Marie and Scott’s Wedding

On a beautiful spring day up in Savannah, Georgia, Scott and Marie said their vows with family and friends witnessing, and celebrating the occasion at the wonderful Mackey House!  Tucked away in the woods, it was everything you’d expect for in a tastefully done elegant southern Georgia wedding!  This was the fourth daughter’s wedding we’ve photographed for this terrific family, and it was great to see all, and share again in their family celebrations!

Columbine 10th Anniversay

Powerful, please read and share with people you know!!!     Guess our national leaders didn’t expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript: “Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. “The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain’s heart. “In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA – because I don’t believe that they are responsible for my daughter’s death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel’s murder I would be their strongest opponent. I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy — it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air. You’ve stripped away our heritage, You’ve outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die. You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question “Why?” You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed. And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need! “ Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation’s history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine’s tragedy occurs — politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. “As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA — I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter’s death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!” Do what the media did not – - let the nation hear this man’s speech…. Please send this out to everyone you can. God Bless

Resume posting….

Sorry I haven’t posted much the first of this year, however, we’ve had so many things going on with both the business and personal.  I promise to start up again, so you can see what we are up to here at Estes Photography.  Thanks for visiting…….and for your continued support!      Brenda and Steve

The Wedding of Erin and Tres

Here are a few images from the Erin and Tres wedding we did recently.  The wedding was at the Riverside Garden Club here in Jacksonville.  It was an absolutely beautiful day for a wedding and for the photography.  Enjoyed working with the fun-loving group, and the stunning bride and groom made taking photos a real joy!  Congrats to you both, along with your families!  Blessings always!

December 12, 2008:

Here’s the Christmas card I did for our daughter with her five beautiful boys.  They live out of state, and we miss them so, but they will be with us for Christmas, and we are so excited to see the whole family!

 

December 12, 2008:

Below are some Christmas photos we took of Amy and Jason’s twins (Gillian and Spencer), which we put on their Christmas cards.  They’re at such a cute, exciting age….love all the toys and Christmas stuff, so much fun!

 

 

 

 

Terese and Bill Wedding

November 15, 2008:    Today we photographed Terese and Bill’s wedding down in St. Augustine.  We started out at the Casa Monica, then over to the magnificent Basilica for the ceremony, and then we made our way over to the reception at the Episcopal Church.  Both the bride and groom were so happy, and a real joy to work with.  Congratulations to you both!

 

Jodi and Mike Wedding, Oct 18th

October 18, 2008:     Today we had the pleasure of photographing Jodi and Mike’s wedding out at Jacksonville Golf & Country Club.  Although the day started out with clouds and a few sprinkles, by wedding time, the sun was out, the temperature was great and it was a beautiful outside wedding.  Jodi and Mike, along with their families and wedding party were a lot of fun to work with, and the photos turned out great!  A very attractive bride and groom to photograph and a beautiful day to do it!  Wish all outside Florida weddings were this pleasant, comfortable and fun!

The Daughter Teaches the Mother

In reading my daughter Kim’s Blog today, I am so reminded and encouraged by her thoughts and how in the midst of her life with five boys and homeschooling, a hard working husband, and a live-in Dad who struggles with Leukemia (and she with Migraines), how she wonderfully and honestly always reflects on how she wants to better herself  in ways that she treats others.   In a day to day life, when we all sometimes struggle with resentment  towards those we love the most, when it is so easy to be negative and doubtful, it is so ironic that the daughter teaches the mother in so many ways…….!   Whenever I want or need to realign my perspective in life, all I have to do is read her comments, share in her heart and her desire to be what God really wants all of us to be, it definitely puts all the unnecessary selfishness that most of us struggle with to shame. 

 

If you want to be uplifted and encouraged, read her blog today.    www.christmasjourney.blogspot.com

 

Love to all, Brenda

  

Note to Kim:  Thank you Kim, even though you are all the way up in Kentucky, your wonderful perspective and impact is felt throughout the miles!    You are always a blessing.    Mom    

 

Liz and Eric Wedding, August 9th

August 9, 2008:

We did Liz and Eric’s wedding down in St. Augustine today, and what a fun wedding it was.  The bride and groom were such a sweet and easy-going couple to capture their images, and the whole wedding party and family were terrific to boot!  The ceremony was at the Grace United Methodist Church, and the reception was held at the wonderful A1A Ale House.  It was terrrific day for all!

 

Catherine and Daryl Wedding

August 2, 2008:   Catherine and Daryl had such a beautiful wedding today over at Westside Baptist church, sharing it with all their friends and loved ones.  The couple were absolutely stunning and so very, very sweet to work with.   The couple left in a firetruck (Daryl’s on the Jax Fire Dept.) with lots of guests wishing them well!

Daniel Memorial 124th Birthday

JULY 19, 2008:   Today we were thrilled to donate our time to photograph the 124th Birthday Party of Daniel Memorial here in Jacksonville.  Daniel has supported orphaned and at-risk children for 124 years…amazing and heart felt work!  There was lots of fun and food to be had, along with clowns, races and games, along with Jaxson Dville (from the Jaguars), Southpaw (from the Suns), and the cute little dolphin mascot from Jacksonville University.  Representatives from our local government and state legislature were also there to lend their support and enjoy the festivities.  This wonderful party was sponsored by Celebration Church, which had lots of volunteers to make the event a success, along with additional volunteers from Citibank to support their efforts!  Great job by everyone!

Ashley and Ryan Wedding

JULY 5, 2008:    On a hot summer day up in beautiful Amelia Island, Ashley and Ryan said their vows at the chapel on the plantation.  An absolutely stunning bride and groom!  Reception was held over at Walkers Landing on the marsh, to a muted sunset overlooking the water.  Simply beautiful!

Amy, Jason and the Twins!

July 14, 2008:   Got to photograph our son Jason, along with his beautiful wife Amy, and their oh-so-precious twins, Spencer and Gillian (at 6 months).  I know I’m a little prejudiced, but aren’t they just the cutest?