Anniversary Session ~ Denni & Brian

Denni & Brian are one of the two couples who won our Love Story Contest a couple of months ago, winning a complimentary Anniversary Session with us and an 8 x 10 linen print.

Anniversary Sessions are a way to honor your relationship- past, present and future... to take some time out of the hustle and bustle of life, and focus on each other during a fun photo shoot at the location(s) of your choice. They're a great treat for yourselves, or as a gift for your parents, grandparents, or a favorite aunt and uncle. If you're interested in treating someone you love to an Anniversary Session, take a peek at our Gift Certificates, or contact Reminisce Photography & Design at 414.405.6693 or email miranda@capturingyourday.com

Miranda and I have had the pleasure of meeting Denni and Brian more than once, as we've photographed two of their daughters' engagements and wedding. Their love story is nothing short of an inspiration to all married couples, and after reading it, I couldn't wait for their session. We had a great time walking through the park; Brian picked wildflowers for Denni, and it was so cute to watch the two of them together.

Without further ado, here are some of Miranda and my favorite photos from their Anniversary Session. Don't forget to scroll down to read their story!

~Adam























Denni & Brian's Love Story
"Brian & I met on November 7, 1980. An earlier opportunity for us to meet did not happen, which turned out to be the best thing EVER. Had that happened, he would have been with his then-fiancée at a party held at Brian’s stepsister. Fortunately, for both of us, he didn’t marry her. While recovering from his broken heart, Brian’s stepsister and her husband, my coworker, thought some matchmaking was in order. So they fixed us up on a “blind date”. The rest is history, and our love story.

That first night we met, Brian drove me home. He walked me to the door and asked to kiss me goodnight. Disappointingly, it was not what I expected. Two days later, on a Sunday afternoon, he called, asking what I was doing. What is any green and gold blooded Wisconsinite doing on a Sunday afternoon in the fall? I was watching the Packers! We agreed to go out for a movie and a drink afterwards. At the end of that date, when he walked me to the door again, he again kissed me goodnight. MUCH MUCH BETTER! He asked me to call him in a few days, which I was eager to do. After waiting two days (don’t want to seem overanxious!) when I called Brian, at that moment he was on the phone with another woman. He asked if he could call me back in a few minutes. As he puts it, he got rid of her as fast as he could and called me right back. I had him!

Within a matter of weeks that we knew that were in love. After dating for about a year Brian proposed (that’s a whole ‘nother story). We married on June 26, 1982. We were blessed with two beautiful daughters: Mara born a little more than a year after we married and Megan sixteen months after that.

We've had three places we’ve called home, two daughters both having graduated from college, six cars, five cats and one dog, some rough early years, 15+ jobs (Brian has changed jobs only once, the rest were Denni’s), one surgery, 2 lengthy hospitalizations, diagnoses of several medical conditions, Brian gone on two trips out of the country for a total of 20 days (and nights) apart, deaths of all four of our parents, and nearly one of our daughters, 26-1/2 years later, we are still in love, definitely more than the day we married. God has always been at the center of our marriage and our love for one another. We had promised Him, and each other, that better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness, health –and we’ve had all of that - that we would stand beside one another. Divorce was never an option. One thing Brian taught me was about God’s unconditional love. Brian loves me, no matter what. Another key component is forgiving AND FORGETTING… not bringing up past hurts and wrongs we’ve said or done, or things we neglected to do. Little things mean a lot – a text message during the day just to let him know I’m thinking about him or making him one of his favorite meals. Flowers, for no reason at all. Anniversaries and weekend trips taken regularly so we would know each other after our daughters were grown and out of the house, and still be in love with each other more than the day we married.

And that we are. Brian is the ever romantic. He designed a beautiful necklace to symbolize our love, and gave it to me on 25th anniversary of the day we met, on November 7, 2005. He even arranged a special dinner to include his stepsister and her husband, the couple that originally set us up.

We now enjoy watching our daughters grow in love with their life partners: Megan married on June 14, 2008 and Mara is planning her wedding on May 30, 2010. We pray that they will find all the happiness and love that we have been blessed with."