A large part of what I do when I am not photographing is designing. I design albums, gallery walls, print collections and mood boards for my clients. When developing I am so lucky to relive so many amazing aspects of a wedding day. The day is an endless sea of unprovoked moments within the contagious energy of a wedding day — moments between the bride and groom, fathers and daughters, guest and countless other exchanges.

In looking over all this work, I’ve decided to post a series of journal entries that highlight some of my favorites. These images give you a look at what I am so inspired by, the beauty of the human spirit. The deep love that resides in all of us and the extraordinary elegance that rests just beneath the surface of the unexpected.

In my first entry, I want to share photographs that illustrate Fathers. Having a little girl of my own, I always wonder what it must feel like to be a dad on your daughter’s wedding day. The culmination of a life’s work and the distant dreams and prayers manifested into reality. Even more so, my wife recently lost her father to cancer, and we comb through the images of him from our wedding with heavy hearts. Having experienced this, I carry even more gratitude by being present on such a day with our couples and their fathers. Scenes of a father walking his daughter down the aisle, toasting the bride, or sharing a dance always piece together the beauty of a wedding day.

Below are men from all walks of life, with wildly different stories and backgrounds. The same can be said for their daughters as well – some of these dads weren’t expected to live. Others have served courageously for our country, and many strong blue-collar men could not withhold the tears that inevitably came fourth when seeing their daughters for the first time on their wedding day.

Regardless of these dynamic families and their stories, one thing is remarkably common, love. The love shared between a father and daughter is like no other love on earth.