The Rivas Wedding!

I had the privilege of co-shooting a wedding last weekend!

Actually, there was another wedding the week before that too!

I can't believe my pregnant body survived, but I'm sure glad it did because I had SO much fun!

Goodness what an adorable couple this last wedding was. 

She is originally from Venezuela and that's all it took for me to be so excited for her wedding day.

Their families sure know how to party, and it was such a gorgeous day.

I had hundreds of pictures to go through but I narrowed it down so I could share a few of my favorites.

Also, if you would like to arrange a shoot to help me build my portfolio, I would love to work out pricing and get going!

I'm in the Utah Valley but would be willing to travel to the Salt Lake area as well!

email me at ajoy94@gmail.com

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Be Strong With Me

You know that Jenny Phillips song, Be Strong With Me?

Well, it has actually been stuck in my head quite a bit lately haha.
I used to blast Jenny Phillips in my car many Sundays that I still wasn't aloud to go to church.
Because of that, I have just about every word memorized to every song.
I used to sing it thinking about the wonderful friends I have and how much they helped me in my conversion.

I was singing it earlier this morning and realized that I still can apply it in married life.

I get to be strong with my best friend, and have him supporting me right by my side. Always.

And that sure makes the days seem a bit easier, the burdens feels a little less heavy, and the trials a little less scary.
"You and I, we need each other To stay on the Lord's side Wherever we are"

I'm so grateful for a wonderful husband that always puts the Lord before anything else and helps me remember to do so as well.
Thank you lovebug, for being strong with me. 
You sure make life so much Moore enjoyable :)

All my love,
Aleigh Joy

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Three Months of Marriage

Happy Three Months of Marriage Hunter Miles!

My sweet lovebug,

I love you Moore than I ever could have imagined loving another. I am convinced you are the most amazing husband out there and I love you with everything I have. These past three months have been the best three months of my entire 20 years of living. I can only imagine it will get better from here on out. I love the way you look at me, the nick names you come up with for me, the way you snuggle me every morning before you leave, that you ask to my hold my hand wherever we are, and that you tell me I'm beautiful when I'm not wearing an ounce of makeup. You are everything I could have dreamed of in a husband and Moore. I love looking back at our wedding pictures and remembering how happy and anxious we were on that day to finally begin our eternity together. We had been dreaming of our wedding day for just about all of high school and wrote love letters about it all through your mission. I always knew it would be you, and I'm so glad you felt that too. Every day just gets better and better. Though I am so excited to one day start a family together, you are all the entertainment I need ;) Throughout the day when we are apart, I miss you just like I did while you served for 2 years in Ohio. I'm in awe of all you do for me and how special you make me feel. Hunter Miles Moore, you are my one and only. You are my beginning and we have no end. You are my life, my love, my everything and I'm so grateful to be living this love story with you :)

Here's to the rest of eternity! :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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Our Wedding Book

We got our wedding book back a few weeks ago and it has become one of my favorite hobbies to look back on the wonderful memories from that day. 

A few weeks before we got married there was a groupon for shutterfly making our wedding book about $15!

I bought that one really quickly and I am so glad I did.

We will cherish these memories for ever :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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2 Months of Marriage

side note: this is my all time favorite picture ever. Check out Erryn Kowallis photography. Like seriously. 

Today my lovebug and I have been married for two months. 

I know, I know 2 months is nothing compared to 20 years, 15 years, even two years... But it's hands down been the best 2 months of our lives and that's really why I wanted to write this post. 

The world seems to look down upon getting married and starting a family at a young age these days. I can Truthfully say that i cannot seem to understand why. 

When I went to try on wedding gowns I remember standing in the dressing room getting zipped up thrilled to see what I would look like in a big white dress. The lady was asking me questions about me and my fiancé. I love talking about Hunter so I was really enjoying this experience. She asked when the wedding was and was stunned to hear how soon it was. She then asked our ages and her eyes almost bugged out of her head when she heard I would be a teenage bride. She immediately assumed I was pregnant, then asked if he was in the military. When I explained that it was simply our choice to get married young and only a few weeks after the engagement she looked puzzled and the conversation just kinda ended. That was the first of many confused looks I got throughout our short engagement. 

I remember laying down on my pillow several nights during our engagement wondering if we should have waited longer. I mean everyone else made it clear they thought so and it sure would've made for less explaining on my end. 

Well, I'm going to make this very clear... I am so glad we didn't wait! 

The first night Hunter brought me home to our first place I was trapped in newlywed bliss. I surveyed each wall trying to figure out where I would place decorations and was so excited to finally be able to cook for him. We layed down that night wrapped in each other's arms and I couldn't imagine how life could get any better than at that moment. 

Yet somehow, it did. 

I didn't have a job the first month of our marriage. I also couldn't drive our one stick shift car. Hunter was gone all day everyday and I began feeling pretty lonely. Our relationship was wonderful but we were only with each other and awake for like 3 hours of the day. I hated saying goodbye and even goodnight to him. I was a smitten new wife and I quickly learned that he was my biggest most reliable source for happiness and I just wanted to be with him every second. 

Each night Hunter would walk through the door my heart would race because I was so excited he was home again. Each night seemed to get better as I became more and more comfortable around my high school sweetheart who I thought I was already comfortable around. Our little life together quickly and easily became all that really mattered to me. My thoughts shifted over from making sure I was in the know about all the coolest new music, movies, shoes, and clothes to planning dinners in my head throughout the day and day dreaming about taking our future family for walks to the park. I'm not a perfect wife and I know I have a ton more learning to do, but I'm so glad this concept clicked so easily: Hunter and I are now a family. And just typing that brought tears to my eyes. We are one, and we are each others forever. The car is going to break down, we are going to be tight on money, a baby will one day be screaming in the other room in the middle of the night, we're going to get frustrated with each other, and there will be plenty of trials thrown our way... But we will always have each other and this is the one relationship that matters most. 

Hunter is my husband, but he is also my very best friend. I confide in him, I feel most comfortable around him, I laugh with him, and I cry with him. We have already made countless memories together that we can't wait to share with our kids one day. Some have been good and others have been not so good. Like last week when I ran to the bathroom crying because I felt so sick. Hunter found me lying on the floor in tears. I then threw up twice as he held his hand on my back telling me everything would be okay trying to comfort me in any way possible. He brought me to our bedroom and set up a movie for me to watch as he drove to two different stores to get me what I needed. He then stayed up with me until I was finally asleep. Even between the nausea, sore throat, and tummy aches I felt content because I had my husband, my best friend right beside me through it all. And that, is what I'm trying to say in this big, jumbled, lengthy post. I'm trying to say why wait? When you can have a constant support system, lover, helper, sidekick, and best friend right by your side for the rest of your life! Yes times do get hard, but getting through them together is a thousand times better than doing it alone. 

I for one, couldn't wait to be a wife and share this life with Hunter and accomplish things together. I can't wait (well but can at the sane time) to start our family together and experience the joys and challenges parenthood will bring. Yes, I'm only 20 years old (well on Saturday) but growing up and growing old with the love of my life was the best and most important decision I've ever made. I know we have so much further to go and so many more challenges are to be had, but we're in this for eternity and eternity is what we shall have. 

So anyways, Happy two month anniversary my love! You're all that I have ever dreamed of in a husband and Moore. Thank you for putting up with my grumpy days and doing the dishes when i get sick of them. Thank you for turning every moment into a party and for helping me satisfy my ice cream cravings. But in all seriousness, thank you for loving me, for being patient, selfless, and kind. I love you with all that I have and then some. 

All my love, 

Aleigh Joy

18

Bridesmaid Gifts.

I was going through my old pictures today and came across a few quick ones I snapped of my bridesmaid gifts, so I decided I would share!

I really enjoyed planning and making these little guys.

The necklaces were purchased early on and the color was absolutely perfect.

They ended up looking adorable with the dresses and they will look cute paired with any outfit in the future!

Just like the dresses, I sure wish I would have gotten myself one. 

Anyhow:

Wrapping these babies was quite fun.

I got all my supplies at Micheal's and went to town.

Each bridesmaid got a box with their necklace inside.

The outside had their nickname on a gift tag and a card from me.

The inside of the card said 

"I said yes, I'm glad you did too because I need you there the day I say I Do" 

My sister was my maid of honor so the inside of her card said 

"I'm such a lucky bride to have my sister right by my side."

I definitely teared up writing each card and loved the way the wrapping turned out :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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