story.

10 years of friendship. 3 months of dating. 6 months of engagement. Approaching 6 years of marriage. Jensen & Elizabeth have been among the lucky few to be married to someone you’ve known for pretty much your whole life. That kind of connectedness is rare. Rare and beautiful. The stuff dreams are made of. That lasting friendship that just pours out into a loving marriage built on the strongest foundation ever created… these sweethearts are the real deal. And it’s obvious in their Dolce Hayes Mansion San Jose Portrait Session.

I have been immensely blessed to have deep friendships with Jensen & Elizabeth. After moving back to Morgan Hill in 2015, only about a year after they were FINALLY married, I met the Nears at our annual staff retreat in Sonora, CA. I distinctly remember meeting Elizabeth and saying, “Can we be best friends?” We both laughed, but the answer was an unspoken and resounding YES. I worked alongside Jensen for three years in young adult ministry as well as weekly hang outs with his gorgeous bride. We would alternate between shopping trips to Whole Foods, working out at the gym, hiking Mount Madonna, watching He’s Just Not That Into You, and so much more.

It was an honor to get to spend any time at all with Elizabeth because this beautiful woman has a wise heart. Sometimes, we look at pretty photos of people and jump to conclusions, comparing ourselves to the ones we see in that perfect Instagram post with the cutest caption and all the heart eye emojis. But we all have stories, and to know Elizabeth’s story and see her gorgeous smile on the other side of my camera made me tear up a bit. I know I look in the mirror almost every day and feel like I’ll never look like those couples on Instagram, those brides on those famous wedding blogs, those models in those commercials (even the plus size ones). It is always my prayer that photos of my clients would help them see how truly beautiful they are, that their stories matter, their struggles matter, their joys and desires matter. And I want to celebrate it! Every little moment in between the big ones, too.

And it just so happens that we were also celebrating these two completing their Master’s Degrees!! Watch out world. Jensen & Elizabeth are even more of a power couple because those hoods don’t mess around. These are smart, diligent cookies right here. Even more to look up to!

Jensen & Elizabeth, thank you so much for trusting me with your Dolce Hayes Mansion San Jose Portrait Session. I look at these images and I see your story and the brief time I got to walk right beside you in it. It’s still a joy to watch from a distance, pop in now and then as you’ve both moved on and are following in God’s plan for you. It is an honor to show off your love, your marriage, your relationship, your cute faces… all of it! Love you!

Love,
A&M