Classic, formal bridal portraits are one of those special portraits that are cherished by a bride and her family for many years.  Too often brides skip these sessions and regret it later.   The young lady in this blog post has a long history with Portraits by Steven.  Steven has created a family portrait of Stephanie with her sisters and mother, he photographed her high school senior portrait as well as the senior portraits for each of her sisters and just last April he photographed her sister Heather’s wedding.  Today is the big day for Stephanie.  Stephanie and Brian are getting married at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens in Fayetteville, North Carolina.   Portraits by Steven is honored to be invited once again to capture such important photographs for this dear family.  The following section of this blog post was written by Stephanie.  It reflects her thoughts about her Bridal Portrait experience.  As a footnote Stacy and Steven were not aware at the time of her session about her apprehension to having her bridal portrait created.  They were just doing what they normally do – set their subject at ease and have them enjoy the experience. 

  “So, I have a confession.  I did not want to have my bridal portraits taken. I actually shirked away from the idea.  It may sound strange; especially for a bride in the South where bridal portraits are tradition, but I could not convince myself otherwise.  

  Four years ago, I had extensive surgery on the left side of my face and neck due to a rare bone cancer localized in my jaw. The physician gently informed me that I would have visible scars and numbness in each of these areas, but despite the news, I felt that the scars would be reminders of the Lord’s provision and grace through my healing process and I hoped that my story would become a source of encouragement for others. – Stephanie

The last image that Steven created of Stephanie was her twirling in her wedding dress.  You see, ballet had played a big part in Stephanie's life since she was a little girl and gave her much joy.  Steven wanted to give Stephanie a very special moment dancing around in her wedding gown.  Isn't that one thing that most little girls dream of?