Love & Marriage feature
Collin M. Smith Portrait Photography
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Shannon was given away by her grandfather on behalf of her family and JC on behalf of her friends.
Her two dogs, Cooper and Bentley, were also a part of the ceremony, serving as ring bearers alongside Shannon’s brother Landon. “For our reception, my only desire was for it to be beautiful, full of
laughter and epic dance moves, and a time to celebrate God bringing us together. In my mind, we
accomplished our dream.” Shannon can now look back on her special day thanks to the beautiful
work of photographer Collin M. Smith. “Collin was such a pleasure to work with and one of the first
vendors we booked. The pictures were most important to us, as we knew they would sustain the
memories of our day. We chose Collin based on his reputation and work. Prior to our engagement
shoot, he sought to get to know us individually and collectively. Throughout the process, he was of
utmost help from suggestions of ceremony times for the best backdrop (assuming no monsoon) to
always providing a timely reply to my many emailed inquires. What impressed me most with him, his
wife Aron, and Amy Strickland was their attitude throughout our wedding day. They never lost their
patience nor their smiles. Instead, they improvised to give us a most unique shot with umbrellas,
collaborated to capture every angle and, most importantly to us, they rolled up their pants, forgot
about their hair, and waded through the 5-inch standing water! Somehow, he was able to keep up
with me throughout the night as my invisible shadow - never intrusive - but there to capture every
greeting, insane dance move, and smile! His eye for visual detail is like no other.” Jon and Shannon
traveled to Sugar Beach in Saint Lucia for their honeymoon.
Four months later, Shannon is still enjoying her role as wife. “We are learning to view each obstacle
and difference of perspective as a chance for growth. What I treasure most about being Jon’s wife
is the feeling of being loved unconditionally. And, every time I see the band on his finger, I am reassured that God orchestrated it all.”
Shannon Shealy McGurn currently resides in Florence, South Carolina, with her husband Jon. She is an algebra teacher with REACH
(Florence School District 1’s Gifted and Talented Program), where she instructs state-identified gifted and talented students in grades three through six.
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FEBRUARY 2016
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