Janine, a bride-to-be whose fiance, Johnny, died unexpectedly only 52 days before their wedding, has become a beautiful example of human emotional resilience and hope. As part of her effort to cope with her loss, she scheduled a bittersweet memorial photoshoot in Mexico's Riviera Maya to both remember her love and to move on from her loss.
“This day was very emotional,” explained Janine in an interview with Matt Adcock of Del Sol Photography, who took the pictures with her. “At the end of the day I felt so accomplished and I felt more alive than I have ever felt since May 1st. I really felt that Johnny was smiling down at me and finally giving me closure that I can live my life in a positive way, but never forgetting why I was here. I want to move on and explore the world. I want to meet people who I can share that with. After the shoot I felt like all this was possible.”
Janine's fiance Johnny tragically died just 52 days before their wedding
To remember him, Janine decided to have a photo shoot in her wedding dress, which she never got to wear on her big day
Janine wanted to be photographed jumping into the sea at Mexico's Riviera Maya because, to her, water is a purifying element
Her wedding dress was no longer a symbol of joy and anticipation, so she had no problem diving into the sea with it
"I really felt that Johnny was smiling down at me and finally giving me closure that I can live my life in a positive way, but never forgetting why I was here," wrote Janine
"I want to move on and explore the world. I want to meet people who I can share that with. After the shoot I felt like all this was possible"
"The images and video story we created together were an incredibly cathartic and emotional experience for us both," writes photographer Matt Adcock
"This is the first time I’ve been inspired to do anything like this in my 10 year career as a destination wedding photographer..."
"I was brought to tears when I started to bring the story to life in the editing room"
