I struggled with this post. I've stared at these photos for months now and no words ever come to mind. Nothing I can say seems to do justice to the loveliness of this setting and this dress, so how about I just talk about the people behind the magic here.
This little chapel is the closest I will come to taking photos in front of a castle. The design is unlike any other place within a thousand miles of me, I'm certain. How can I not wear a crown and feel like a queen in this place?
Like most of the places I've been taking majestic photos lately, this is a venue that is rented for events and photo sessions. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it. But there's so much more to this place.
The area that you see here is a small part of the grounds and every stone was laid by one pair of hands. Yes, you read that correctly, a single solitary person built everything you see here. The construction took several decades and was truly a labor of love.
Although the original proprietor has passed, his family now cares for the property. When I heard the story behind this I was struck by the fact that they have kept the property going as he would have wished. So few people today honor the work and the wishes of their parents that way. What lovely, thoughtful people.
On this particular evening, this fainting couch had been left from a previous session and so they allowed me to use it free of charge and even allowed me to stay late, taking photos as long as I liked in the setting sun. No rush? Again, how often does that happen? Not often, not to me anyway. It was such a relief to have that pressure gone and to just be able to relax and take our time with this session.
I know this all probably sounds like a lot of small things, but there are so few people in the world willing to offer even small gestures of grace and kindness that to find so much of it one place, and such a beautiful place at that, is a gift.
I wish there were more people in the world willing to craft a small wonder with such care and precision as the man who made this chapel. I wish there were more families who picked up the torch and carried on with a dream as this one has.
And I wish, above all, that there were more such acts of simple grace and kindness as these people have shown to me.
This place is beautiful not just for its outward appearance, but for the love and care shown by the people who own it. That is the heart of its charm.
A beautiful dress, a beautiful crown, a beautiful moment in a beautiful place with the loveliest people I could ever ask to work with.
I think that's what I'll remember when I look back on these photos and I'll always be a little gladder for having met them.
Beautiful photos with beautiful dresses! I just discovered your YouTube channel and blog because I was looking up Teuta Matoshi dresses. I'm curious about your experience with how the dresses fit, if you did the made to measure option or the standard size, how long the shipping took and what the return process was like (if you returned any that is). I am looking at ordering a Teuta Matoshi dress as my wedding dress, but am unsure because I can't try them on before buying. They look so good on you and it's nice to see them on a real person to see how they fit and move in real life.
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm so glad you asked because I felt exactly the same way before I bought any. I strongly recommend that you custom size your dress. You'll need to take your measurements, but in the half dozen or so dresses I've ordered from Teuta Matoshi, the one that fits the very best is the custom dress. I've had one or two be veeeery tight and one that's a bit too big. The others fit true to size and the customs size fit like it was made for me. From the time I ordered, it takes about three weeks for it to ship. Once it ships I usually receive it within 3 days. If it's a pre-order, it takes longer as expected. I don't think I've waited longer than 6 weeks the pre-orders. I haven't returned anything, but I did work closely with them on a customized dress and the customer service was very good. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Also check some of my older posts, because I think I have a link that will save you 10% off your purchase.
Delete