Carrie + Jim's seaside wedding on Captiva Island was intimate and romantic, but the real sentiment didn't come from the beautiful decor - it came from the true and sincere love they hold for their family. 

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Rewind many moons ago and we first meet the couple as they worked together at a PR firm. Jim was Carrie's boss, and while Jim held stars in his eyes for his future bride, Carrie didn't think too much of Jim. 

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Add in 10 years of friendship, and eventually Carrie succumbs to Jim's charm. Then comes 2 little boys and a home in California, and that brings us to the present day. Or does it? 

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The couple joked during their ceremony that they did everything backwards, ending with the wedding, or hopefully for Jim, a bachelor party. 

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Jim's father suffers from Alzheimer's. The swift degradation of the disease encouraged them to put the wedding on the books, even if it wasn't a high priority in previous years.

 

Throughout the entire planning process, the key ingredient to their special day was family.  Even though the couple hail from California, they chose Captiva Island so Jim's father didn't have to travel.

 

The father of the groom was slated to recite a prayer during the ceremony - a prayer he had said many times before. However, on the actual day, it proved too challenging a task. Not expecting his father to understand much of what was going on, there wasn't a dry eye in the house when, by surprise, Jim's father leaned into the microphone at the closing of the prayer and whispered a soft, ''Amen''.  

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Wedding photography fills my heart with joy for many reasons - I love witnessing the love between a couple, and in this instance, the love of a family. 

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Thank you Carrie + Jim for inviting me along for the journey, and for showing me the true beauty of enduring and sincere love. 

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Planning: Along Came Stephanie | Venue: Sea Oats at Captiva Island | Florals: Kaleidoscope Florals | Catering: Black Salt Culinary | Cake: Kakes by Karen | Popsicles: Professor of Pops | Hair + Makeup: Duality Artistry | Rentals: Party Time Rentals Naples | Videography: Focused on Forever | DJ: MSE Productions | Lighting + Draping: Island Events  | Film: Film Supply Club | Scans: Richard Photo Lab

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