Jake & Rachel | Wedding {Gulfport, Mississippi Wedding Photography}

Living in an area with two military bases means that we have lots of military people come in and out at our church. They're usually here for an average of 6 months for training. So, last fall, we weren't surprised to see some new Air Force officers at church. One of them, Jake, was engaged and planning on getting married this June in his home state of Pennsylvania. Everybody was all happy for Jake and thinking, "Pennsylvania is way too far to drive! We won't be able to go to the wedding!"

Until Jake found out he was getting stationed overseas. (Plot twist!) The June wedding plan was not going to work out anymore! Jake's fiancée, Rachel, would not be able to go with him to Japan unless he married her...before he left in May! And to add to that, he couldn't leave Mississippi because of his class schedule, and the only time she could come down here would be on Spring Break in March. So our whole church jumped into action and helped organize and put on a wedding in about 3 weeks.

It was incredible. Everybody pitched in and helped in so many ways! And thankfully, Rachel is the total opposite of a bridezilla. She and Jake were super chill with everything! My family had the blessing of hosting the bride, her parents, and her maid of honor, Sarah, the night before the wedding.

Jake and Rachel, thank you for trusting me to shoot your wedding even though I'd never done it before! I pray the LORD richly blesses you both as you serve Him together in Japan!


















































































































































The best man had had lung surgery only a couple of days before the wedding and was released from the hospital that morning!



Jake's classmates from Air Force training.

























Jake decided to do Call Me Maybe...






















(The variety of facial expressions in this picture cracks me up.)
















Recently having lung surgery didn't stop Mason from belting out the last line of the song!


Y...


M...


C...


A!










"Somewhere, beyond the sea!"




I have no words...













The rain finally cleared, so we went back to the house for some portraits before they left...the ground was soaked so they stood in the driveway!






(Jake looks so much like The Neighbors' Nate Dugger, it's not even funny. Just sayin'.)

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Swink! Y'all are the best.

And the funniest.
And the craziest.

And you are cool enough to be hipsters.

Love,

Rebekah

(So...a disclaimer for this post...I'm not shooting weddings. I just did Jake and Rachel's because they are friends and they needed me to. :))

Venue: Grace Fellowship Church (and yes, the lighting was awful)

Bride's dress: Galina / David's Bridal

Hair & Makeup: the dynamic duo of J&H

Food: everybody at church (Organization: The LeBlancs)

Flowers: an awesomely talented friend of the bride

Photography: yours truly (borrowed Canon 50D + rented Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L USM II lens)
Videography: my sis, Sarah, and me (Canon T1i + 18-55mm lens)

 .......update......

Here's the video!

Jake & Rachel Swink | Wedding 3.15.14 from Rebekah Hope on Vimeo.

......and..... the pictures from their Pennsylvania wedding in June!