Anniversary sessions have my heart! When life and work and kids turn the everyday into a routine, it’s important for couples to take time for one another and celebrate their hard-fought relationship, and none is so precious a celebration than using photography to capture that love! Clint & Parastou’s relationship had a unique start—or rather, Clint’s relationship with his now-father-in-law did—but five years and two babies later their affections have only grown, and we have the distinct honor of sharing their anniversary session with photographer Yasmin Roohi.
A word from photographer Yasmin Roohi:
“This session is super dear to my heart, they are dear friends of mine. Both my husband and I stood in their wedding: he as Best Man and I as bridesmaid, and the same goes for them! So it was an honor to be able to capture their anniversary and be given total freedom to style and conceptualize the session. The funnest thing for me is that it was one of my first Hybrid shoots and the couple loved having a good time with each other; they were dancing, joking around and sharing intimate little moments together. I was just in the background capturing. One of my most favorite sessions to date, really.”
Love notes from the couple, Clint & Parastou:
Tell us a funny story relating to your relationship!
Parastou: “Well, there really is no other way of saying this but simply that Clint dated my dad for six weeks. Yes, dated! The intention was for them to get to know each other first before Clint & I became more serious in our pursuit for one another. I remember feeling utterly mortified that my father suggested meeting with Clint once a week, thinking there is no chance he would accept his proposal. But he did. And he did so faithfully and wholeheartedly. Clint showed me commitment even before we were in a committed relationship. In retrospect, we are both grateful for the experience as it brought a level of closeness not only between us but also with our families. It provided us a safe opportunity to protect our hearts, not rush into something the way society makes you think a relationship should be. It was at our pace & our level of emotional intimacy.”
Clint: “And of course, casually telling people I dated my father-in-law is always a great conversation starter.”
What is the most important thing in your marriage?
Clint: “For us, our faith in God and our relationship with Him is the most important part of our marriage. This empowers us to be loving, patient and kind with each other even when we feel otherwise. It gives us a capacity to love each other unconditionally and allows us to forgive one another quickly.”
If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be?
Clint: “To keep it simple, we firmly believe a strong foundational friendship is critical for a healthy marriage. When you get to do life with your best friend, it makes you cherish every moment you go through together. And this isn’t something that stops. You keep encouraging each other. You keep rooting for one another. You are there to catch each other in times of weakness. You become servant-hearted, placing your spouse first.”
Parastou: “We are approaching our fifth wedding anniversary, and we’ve experienced so much side by side. From our young courtship days to our newlywed honeymoon period to becoming parents twice over…and we haven’t even scratched the surface. We still have a whole life ahead of us and spending these seasons of change with your best friend and love is what makes every passing day better and better. Waking up and knowing we have each other by our side is something we will never take for granted.”
What is the most honest thing you can say about love?
“In marriage, love is constantly pursued. Love is a choice. When times are challenging, your days feel long, or when you simply don’t feel up to it, you have a choice. A choice that is up to you to make not just once, but every single day. Choose wisely!”
photographer & designer: Yasmin Roohi / venue: San Francisco Legion of Honor & San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts / dress: Morning Lavender / hair & makeup: Susan Talamantes of Jireh Artistry / men’s formalwear: Bar III / film lab: The Find Lab
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