Ceremony-25 A perfect wedding day at the edge of Tellico Lake at Tellico Village Yacht Club.

This story is going to get syrupy and sentimental. You’ve been warned. Sometime back in early spring 2011 I was in a Starbucks. One of the ladies that worked there knew I ran a photo business. She had heard that I was looking for help. She told me of her daughter, Mazie. As you might expect, mom had only high praise for her daughter. I told her to send her daughter to my business. I would hire Mazie on the spot - great attitude and wide-open personality. Plus isn’t Mazie short for “A-mazing”?

As luck would have it I would loose the contract at the location where I had hired Mazie to work. It was quite confrontational for the last 10 months of the contract. Mazie and her co-workers endured much. But Mazie always came in with a great attitude and took great photos in very stressful situations. I could always rely on her. As the final weeks of the contract unfolded, my employees were approached to work for the new business replacing mine. Mazie declined. She had seen the way those employees were treated. And she respected our work relationship of mutual respect. She was loyal. A quality not exhibited much any more.

Fast forward a couple of years. My wedding photo business was growing. I added open air photo booth services. The first person I thought of was Mazie. We had stayed in touch. Somewhere along the way she picked up a job at Starbucks. And in those days I knew most of the staff at the area Starbucks because I drank enough coffee to float a boat. I went and visited her. Told her I needed her help. She was stoked!

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Mazie, at a wedding in Johnson City, rounding up kids to get the party started!

Then John would ask her to marry him. Not sure when John entered the picture – pun intended. But they asked me to shoot their engagement photos. And they wanted me to be their wedding photographer. That was more than a year ago.  We've shot quite a few weddings that included our photo booth. Mazie never once let me down. It was a Saturday evening gig twice or three times a month. We had fun. But she’s in her mid 20’s. I am certain she’d rather be doing something closer to fun than schlepping around photo gear; especially when it’s hotter than the devil’s armpit.

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Mazie & John in front of a coffee shop. Did you expect anything other than a coffee theme?

John and Mazie were married back in mid October at Tellico Villager Yacht Club. And even though it was an all day event, the time flew past. Almost every portion of the day left me weepy and teary-eyed. I don’t have kids of my own. I have stepchildren that I love. I’ve photographed 2 of their weddings. This felt like those weddings. I’d look through the viewfinder so thankful for autofocus. There were several times I was completely crying. Tears streaming down my face. Good thing my camera is big enough to cover most of my face.

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Mazie - ALL Mazie, in all her beauty! If you know her then you know this captures her.

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John couldn't even see Mazie, but he was overwhelmed with emotion. Not one dry eye in the room.

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John and his boys. These guys had fun at every turn. Stay tuned for the one guy who could never hold it.

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John and the guys strutting there stuff along the boardwalk at Tellico Village Yacht Club.

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Mazie's bridemaids were beautiful and not shy.

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Mazie and her father making the long procession. I love how much time the guests had to watch them come in.

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Making the turn down the home stretch!

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That's Mazie brother killing it on the guitar in the background. Go Squid!!!

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The ceremony - perfect weather, beautiful guests, every little thing was just as it should be.

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Love how the clouds frame their first kiss!

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Yeah boyeeeeeeee!!! WE ARE MARRIED!!!

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Love to get a group photo with everyone cheering!

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WAIT FOR ME!!! Relax, it's joke. He did this in dozen of photos. It's his thing. And everyone was howling!

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First dance and the lighting was perfect!

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You better catch that bouquet!

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Loooooooove seeing guys fight for the garter!

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Full extension to feed cake to that tall groom!

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Killer bubble send off!!!

And all this happened on the last day those two would live in Knoxville. John took a promotion on the west coast. They would be driving away the next morning. And so it goes. Here’s to you Mazie and John (me raising an invisible glass to toast them). You made this guy so happy you chose him to capture your moments. As I write these words I miss you terribly. And my eyes are filled with tears of happiness.

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My wife Allie, John & Mazie, and me. I cherish this photo.

Oh, and Tellico Village Yacht Club will be using the images from Mazie and John to update their advertising. So if you see an photos of an amazing fall wedding on the pier at Tellico Yacht Club and the groom is twice as tall as the bride, that’s John & Mazie.