When you start planning your wedding day, you probably start trying to solve any possible problems that may pop up.
You never imagine that the person you plan to spend the rest of your life with won’t make that day – and that you’ll be left alone.
For one bride-to-be Lauren Reynolds’, her life was changed forever when her fiancé Tristin was killed in a car accident a month before her big day.
A time that was meant to be spent planning the final details of a special day of love were now swapped for funeral arrangements and grief.
Image: Stephanie Jarstad
Rather than give up on everything, Lauren decided to make a wedding album tribute, to the man she loved.
Working with Washington-based photographer Stephanie Jarstad, the pair decided to make a replacement moment that can help Lauren celebrate her love:
“Lauren hopes this photo shoot will cause others to have a new outlook on life and to influence others to express the love they feel. She is grateful for the time she spent with Tristin.”
According to Elite Daily, Jarstad asked Lauren to speak about the little bits of Tristin she keeps with her at all times:
‘He would call me and if I wouldn’t answer he would leave these little voicemails of just, like, his pocket noise. I have like 20 of them, but I love it now because… it’s HIS pocket noise.’
Image: Stephanie Jarstad
In a quote accompanying one of the photos, Lauren said,
‘Today is my wedding day. On October 11th I didn’t just lose Tristin, I lost the life we’ll never live together, I lost all of the children we’ll never have and all of the grandchildren we’ll never get to spoil, I lost my other half.’
Reflecting her situation, Lauren had an important message for people who stumbled across her photographs:
“Life is so fragile. My hope is that those who truly invest some time in learning my story will develop a sense of empowerment to fully appreciate the love in their lives. Appreciating the love in your life isn’t just something you do alone in your mind. There are physical and mental barriers that have to be broken in order to love to the levels that you and those around you need. So go tell your mom you’re sorry, hug your little brother like he’s been trying to do for the last week, look in the mirror and feel good about yourself, bring your grandma a birthday card and hug your spouse tight enough that they know they will always be the one for you. Don’t ever go a day without telling that person you’re thinking about right now, that you love them.”
You can watch the full memorial here:
Video: Stephanie Jarstad
