It was a special night for our family. Our elementary school was hosting the first annual “Princess Prom” and our oldest daughters were more than excited to attend. As the day drew closer, we started talking about it more and more. My husband decided that he would get the girls wrist corsages. Both girls decided that they wanted to wear their princess dresses. Then we started planning hair and makeup. I realized this was going to be a bigger thing then what I thought.
Then I had an idea…
I’m a wedding photographer. Pictures are so valuable to me. I love what a photograph does. It captures a memory for you to remember years down the road. I specifically love wedding photography because how I shoot tells a story. I take pictures of every detail… shoes… makeup… flowers… candid moments. Things that you won’t really remember 10 years from now… maybe not even a year from now! I go into a wedding with the goal of making you remember it all…. recreating the day through photographs. Valuable.
I decided to do my own little project. I photographed my 5 and 6 year old’s Princess Prom through my wedding photographer eyes. I took pictures… memories…. then one day when they find their future husband and they are sitting in our home on their wedding day, we will look back on these photos and remember. We will remember their little faces and how excited they were for this night. We will remember their hello kitty makeup and Disney princess shoes…. Their pudgy kid fingers painted in pink and purple nailpolish… The tiny rose corsages that daddy surprised them with…. Their little girl bedroom where their princess gowns hung from their castle bed that daddy built them…
These memories are recorded. Those photos will be much like their wedding photos and we will get to look back and see our babies 20 years before, attending their very first Princess Prom with their daddy….
And off they went in their royal carriage to the ball… at least that’s what we were pretending it to be. The girls danced with their daddy till midnight (actually 8:00pm) and had the time of their lives. These moments are still fresh in my and my husband’s mind, but as time goes on, it will start to become fuzzy and I won’t remember these little details so easily. This is why I love photography. It keeps the memories sharp. It keeps them at your fingertips. These little princesses will one day grow up to be beautiful women, no longer wanting to dress up and go to princess balls with daddy… no longer wanting mommy to do their makeup and curl their long blonde hair. With that season of course, comes tons more new and exciting things…. but for now, I want to freeze this season… and I did. I’m able to hold onto this day forever, long after they have grown up and left our arms. I surely won’t forget it.
I will leave you with the chorus to the last dance of the night since it is stated so perfectly…
“You’re beautiful baby from the outside in… Chase your dreams but always know the road that’ll lead you home again. Go on take on this whole world, but to me you know you’ll always be……
My Little Girl….”
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful fairy tale.
Well I am tearing up! This is so special! Your girls will remember this forever!
I absolutely am in love with this!! Such memories!
This is just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!!! Love it!
how sweet…she will never forget that!
super cute!
I love that you chose to capture this moment like a wedding. Like you said, after time it will start to get fuzzy, so now you all have these special moments documented. Love it!
As usual, I cried. Such a beautiful thing to capture. Everything you said is so true! My biggest fear is not remembering everything, every single detail. You’re so inspirational ash, and you’re family is beautiful.
That was beautiful! I’m all teary eyed now!
This is the best idea! It’s so important to remember to capture all these moments! Your girls are going to love this when they’re older!
Oh my heart. super cute. LOVE that you took the time to document this. they will treasure these moments, pictures and memories forever! 🙂
This is the cutest thing I have ever seen!!!!
seriously… so cute!!!!
This sure is a fairytale, soooo adorable!!!
Oh my goodness this is precious!!
Serriously Ashley, this is the cutest thing I have ever seen!
Perfect!!!! So….on their wedding day will you be working? 😉
This is just the sweetest thing ever!!!
These are stunning, what a lovely shoot!
What an awesome collection of photos to remember this special occasion! This is like a dress rehearsal for their weddings. So special!
pretty much the sweetest thing ever! what a lovely gift you have given them <3