Whitney Darling Photography

A Better Perspective

whitneydarling — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:28:59 +0000

Life advice:

Sometimes, the big picture requires you to step back, more than originally feels comfortable.

Career Translation:

Sometimes, stepping back requires you to wade in a Mormon Temple fountain. Just sometimes.

Photo Credit: Ashley West.

Whitney Law, Newport Beach Temple, July 2010.

Erin & Aaron- Sneak Peak

whitneydarling — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:06:37 +0000

Their love feels classic– sewn by a cadence on beat.

They, the lines; Life, the pages, the two, reading like black-ink poetry,

They, the lyrics, Life, the tune, the two, playing like a dizzy vinyl favorite.

The McGinnis Family- Baby Announcements

whitneydarling — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:29:39 +0000

(AHEM)

Ladies & Gentlemen- boys and girls of all ages,

May I have your attention, please?

It is my great privilege to report

An important announcement, a message for the masses;

To a family, a blessing was born.

A colossal congratulation to the McGinnis clan, and a fuzzy warm welcome to Miss Aspen Lemay McGinnis.

Little Princess, my prayer for you, for now, and also for later–

May you find your security in the abundant love God has reserved for you, overflowing,

May your heart be tender for the world, but not malleable to its pains, compassion still growing,

May you quickly learn grace, a generous spirit, forgiveness not slowing

And may your adventures begin but not end within yourself, a selfless undergoing.

To you, little darling, and your future bright and shiny!

Whitney

Love Letters + Our Engagement Session

whitneydarling — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:06:31 +0000

My Dearest Andrew,

My lungs require an extra deep breath, as I sit here to write you this little token of love. A gigantic, nostalgic sigh as I sail away to the beginning of Us– all those nights I’d stay up, restless in bed, under a mess of white sheets, with the sound of Ryan Adams serenading my racing heart, that old brown journal in hand, searching for words to give to you, words that could do justice for the feelings that were just starting to take my heart captive.

I loved writing to you, and imagined you reading my thoughts out loud, thousands of miles away, underneath a little yellow light at your desk, I imagined your hands, what they looked like, as they tore open the envelope, unpacking what I had sealed for you.

Our exchanging of words, of heart, in letters, in poetry, and now in real life have become my favorite memories, ever. The sharing, Andrew. What we’ve intentionally shared, it moves me like the moon moves the waves. They’ve washed me up on your shore, once lost at sea, now comfortably anchored with you, where I intend to bask for all of time.

Even before we met each other in person, I remember sending you a post card from a little ma and pop shop in New York. I remember signing my name– Love, Whitney. I wondered what you’d think when you’d see my handwriting, and what you’d feel when you saw the word Love, followed by my name. Would you smile? Would your heart skip like mine?

I remember your voice so well, because it was all I had for all those months. Smiling, I sat perched at my window sill, looking out to the street, the rain falling, and the lights gleaming, listening to your dreams of meeting me, someday soon. If we could only meet…

We would whisper in the dark, until 3 am, talking about anything that came to mind. You sat in your old El Camino, and told me about the bench seat you installed, and you told me one day you’d like to have me sit real close to you in that middle seat, and take me out to dinner, and hold my hand. To just hold your hand, what I’d do.

I remember giggling in excitement as I’d anxiously tear open the mail sitting on my bed. I’d read those letters a hundred times, and wonder what would happen if we took this chemistry to the next level… if we perhaps… met.

And at last, we did. Five long months later, it was time. I picked you up from the airport, after reapplying my lip gloss 37 times, and my heart felt like it was going to burst at its seams.

I saw you standing there on the curb, at LAX, and as my car slowed down, time began to stand still.

It slowly sank into my skin, what was happening, as the door slowly creaked open, and as life continued to play, in slow motion, I saw you, my future, merging with me… your future.

Andrew, that first time we looked at each other, that… that was magic. Do you remember it like I do? The beginning. Our story. It’s my favorite one.

Now, a few chapters in, I sit here, completely overwhelmed by what has been written for us.

And to think, our beginning… was just the beginning.

My love, cheers to the future, and our story being told, and retold, to each other, in memories, to one another, and one day to our children to come.

I love you.

Whitney

To My Darling, Whitney,

It is evident you have beauty and charm in spades—an overabundance in fact, if that is possible. No one can deny that. Anyone with even the slightest amount of sense and eyes in their head can tell you’re magnificently made. And I know this far better than anyone else, having been given the opportunity to study you so intently all these months. But there is far more to you than cute dresses, or even your stunning, natural aesthetics…

Whitney, it has been the greatest honor for the last year and some months, having the ability to get close to you and look below the surface of your person. All men and women may admire you for those things I spoke of a moment ago—your charm, your beauty, or the many ways your love bubbles to the surface—but it is for me alone to know you in the most intimate ways. That privilege is the greatest gift I have ever been given; you will always be my clearest evidence of divine providence.

Your smile swallows my heart; it’s perfect punctuation for the only joy I’ve known to truly be contagious. You effortlessly season all your words with grace, but that’s because you bring them forth from the overflowing storehouses of love I’ve seen inside your heart. You’re incredibly delicate, softening my heart with a gentle touch and tender voice. At the same time you’re a refuge of strength where I seek restoration and renewal for my soul.

You’re my famous love, my one and only home.

You’re my sun on every hoped-for horizon, the fruit of blessing that I survive on. You’re all the places I wish to travel to, and the renewal of every dream I had resigned before I met you.

You know I have a lot to learn about life and living, but in my twenty-three years I’ve learned one important truth: True love is eternal because it proceeds from God. Dearest Whitney, I look forward (with the greatest faith, hope, and love) to sharing in eternity with you.

Andrew

(And if all this has been too wordy and I’ve somewhere missed the mark then let me simply say: I want to get a house with you, and have kids with you, and love you no matter what our future holds.)

A gigantic thank you to Kamee June, our talented engagement/wedding photographer, for our rockin’ e-session. Check out her blog, www.kameejune.com/theblog for more of her work.

Julie & Max- Wedding Sneak Peak

whitneydarling — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:11:53 +0000

Once upon a time…

In the old city of Orange, in the great state of California,

A charming wedding changed two into one,

And upon the news,

The sun couldn’t resist but to paint the city gold.

(A sweet summer wedding post is on its way)

Karly & James- Sneak Peak

whitneydarling — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:22:43 +0000

This engagement session kind of… sort of.. really won my heart.

But I did made one big mistake:

I should have added in the photography contract that I need them to move to California.

In the fine print, our contract would read,

“Must move here by tomorrow, live on my street, and hang out as much as I ask. By reading this contract, you hereby agree to the document, and its extended terms.” Cool? Cool.

SO.MUCH.MORE.BEAUTY to share. Coming soon!

Mr. & Mrs. Gardner

whitneydarling — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 06:06:17 +0000

It goes without saying, I’ve been to many beautiful weddings in my day.

Like, lot and lots. and lots.

But, I must say… I’ve never been to a wedding as fun as this one:

Hey Rachele and Tyler— whatever you did, you did it right.

Even for someone “on the job”… this celebration was the sort that I truly didn’t want to end. Not just for my sake, but for the sake of the attendants. I don’t think any of them had that great of a time, if not all summer, all year.

I have this confident feeling, that as the guests piled home, they talked about how epic the Gardner dance session was, and then woke up, and still talked about it more, and then went to work, and probably texted people they ran into, and said something like, “I wish they got married more often.”

I did. I thought about their wedding for several days to come. Racking my brain, trying to figure out how they made it so enjoyable… for everyone. What’s the trick? I need the trick!

Here’s what I came to:

It wasn’t because of the venue. They married at the temple in Newport Beach, and had the reception in the groom’s backyard.

It wasn’t because of some expensive DJ. They had their friends play live music on the side of the backyard hill.

It wasn’t because of the dress, as Rachele put it, she had, “Just found it recently.”

It wasn’t because of the food, although, the food did come in close second– they catered Cafe Rio, and it was silly good.

See, all of these things were (seriously) wonderful, but nothing too opulent. Nor too extravagant.

You want to know what it was? (I know you do…)

It was the bride. and the groom. They… not exaggerating… were smiling the entire time, with only breaks of laughter.

I have never seen two people so, for lack of better words, laid back, or comfortable, on their wedding day. They left any pretentious attitudes behind. They abandoned expectations of something lavish. They came, as themselves, with enough confidence in their union, to worry about securing the fun in anything else.

Their presence was marked by unwavering elation. Not only in visiting with their guests, but even in the more subtle and quiet moments with just me. They. Just. Didn’t. Stop. Smiling.

It brings me to happy tears remembering our moments photographing at the beach. I want that. I want that for every bride and groom. That uncontainable joy that seeps from their time together.

Rachele and Tyler– you have inspired me. I will not forget how contagious your joy was. I will not forget where your expectations were invested. I will not forget your stunning summer day wedding. I feel better prepared for mine by being a guest at yours.

Love you two, times ten.

Whitney

Baby Aspen McGinnis- Sneak Peak

whitneydarling — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:39:47 +0000

The princess has arrived:

Prepare for pink things, plenty of sass, and kissable cheeks brought to you by baby Aspen.

Rachele & Tyler- Wedding Sneak Peak

whitneydarling — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:00:57 +0000

Kisses. Sand. Water. Family. Friends. Sunshine.

Yep, they did it right.

A summer wedding story coming soon…

Julie & Max- Engaged

whitneydarling — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 04:41:02 +0000

One of the coolest perks of marriage is the immediate inheritance of family. One minute you’ve got two parents, the next four. Your two sisters become five, and your brotherless-ness is voided. Now your sharing bathrooms on holidays with people you didn’t know a few years ago, and even more than that, you’ve got the same last name. All of a sudden, Christmas time looks WAY more exciting, and electric, and… expensive, but whateva. Their family. They’ll understand the gift of regiving. Maybe.

For only-children, the ability to inherit siblings for the first time must be REALLY special. And for those who have lost a parent, or sadly sometimes both, to inherit your fiancé’s must make you feel rich. I write about this luxury from experience. I lost my father at nine, and have been earnestly awaiting my fiancé’s dad to become a fatherly figure in my own life. I get goosebumps even thinking about having a “real life dad.”

There is a whole gamut of emotions that tag along with this spoken reward: excitement, curiosity, honor, to name a few. I feel like this process of becoming a part of an extended family isn’t to be taken lightly, because what you pour into these relationships is something that will drip for the entirety of the marriage. You confidently invest in this unity, in these people once strangers to you, because now these people contribute to the health– the fruit– of your family tree.

I strongly respect Max and Julie’s story, because their reality of becoming a family is bigger than I will ever know, firsthand. Max is not only marrying Julie, but is marrying the lifelong idea of fathering her sweet little daughter, Mahayla.

As much I am saddened by the many families that have fallen apart, I am equally encouraged that there are men like Max who are stepping into roles that may seem intimidating. I am encouraged by women like Julie who press forward, trustingly, into a vibrant future. What an amazing Author of Life, writing another heartening story to follow. God redeems in such unique and precious ways. Glory to Him, for making the love he’s modeled to us so personal to each of our lives.

Now, let’s cheer them on, as they will officially begin their journey, tomorrow at the Chapman Chapel in Orange! Woohoo!

Praying for you both, on this eve of something beautiful–

Love, Whitney