Anna Caroline & Scott met while in college.  He was a working at Pine Cove (Crash & Burn) and a mutual friend made sure they both went on a spring break trip together.  Soon after that, they started dating while they were finishing up school. They spent so much time studying in coffee shops that the Strada Cafe seemed like the perfect place to start their session. (Shout out to Strada for being super nice and accommodating and letting us shoot there.)

Scott said the thing he likes most about Anna Caroline is how laid back and chill she is.  How she just goes with the flow and is so transparent.  I saw that right away and I loved seeing the two of them interact. My Bride also possesses these traits, and trust me, they are great traits to have in someone you plan to share your life with.

I always try to get a photo of my couples just walking and chilling.  Getting a nice clean background can sometimes be a problem.  At first glance that red car is ruining the photo.  That shows how little you know.  The red car is actually MAKING the photo better.

Meet Wally.

Wally is the car Scott has had the past few years.  They have been through a lot together.

One time Scott hit a deer.  When he went back to check on it, it had gone back into the woods.  Totally to run back to it’s family to live a long and happy life.  (Definitely not to die cold and alone.)

One time one of the hubcaps fell off.  So Scott pulled the other three off because he wanted Wally to look symmetrical.

They have gone on trips, adventures and best of all, Wally is how Scott would go from Fayetteville to Little Rock every weekend to visit Anna Caroline. (3 hours one way.)

Yes, the windows still go up and down.  (Although the buttons sometimes fall down into the door.)

I think it took both of them by surprise when I insisted that we feature Wally in their photos. But to me, he is central to who they are.  He is a part of their story.  I loved working him into the session.

You know what else Anna Caroline likes besides Scott?  PLANTS!
Breedlove Nursery & Landscape was super generous for allowing us to crash their place.

These two fit together so perfectly.  I think it’s Scott’s magical hair.  I wanted to run my fingers through it, but I felt that might be inappropriate.  Maybe I’ll work up the nerve to ask about it on their wedding day.  (Totally normal right?)

Anna Caroline told me her favorite thing about Scott is how thoughtful and considerate he is.  How he is always thinking of others and looking for a way to meet their needs.  This jumped out at me right away as every time we were going somewhere, he would rush around to open the door for her.  He kept checking on me to see if I needed help with any of my camera gear and had enough room in the back of Wally.  (Riding in Wally was a joy and may have been the highlight of my day.)

Seriously though, this girl is nuts about flowers and such.  I can’t wait to see what La Tee Da Flowers does for her day.

I can’t tell you how much I loved hanging out with you two.  I loved your personalities and sense of humor.  I love that Scott drives a car that looks like it should be on fire, and I love that you, Anna Caroline, are ok with it. I love it because you two already seem to value the things that are worth valuing.  People.  Relationships. Community. Experiences.

What’s funny to me is that you two spent time thinking and planning what to wear and where we would go take photos, but didn’t once even consider Wally as part of the day.  Instantly I knew though that he would MAKE the session.  Because in 2067 when you have been married for half a decade and have piles of grandkids running around your house hunting eggs on Easter, one of them may ask about your story and how you fell in love.  I don’t know all the details you’ll tell ,and all the stories that you’ll remember, but I bet you’ll talk about how generous Scott was even as a young man. And I know Scott will tell of your gentle spirit and how attracted he was to it.

And I wonder if just maybe, you’ll pull down a picture off your shelf where the two of you are sitting in front of a beat up red car. And you’ll talk about how Scott drove for hours every weekend in a car that didn’t look like it could go 10 minutes, just to win your heart.

And right then in that moment, your kids will smile because they’ve heard the tales for years. And your grandkids’ eyes will be filled with wonder at how magical your story is and how a little car named Wally played a big part in it.