A picture taken of a young couple praying fervently moments before they got married has become a huge hit online, drawing countless visitors and inspiring other couples to seek God first before tying the knot.
In the photo taken by wedding photographer Dwayne Schmidt, US Marine Corps Corporal Caleb Earwood and his bride Maggie are seen prior to their marriage holding hands and praying on opposite sides of a corner.
The young couple did not want to see each other's face prior to making their wedding vows as per tradition, so they tried their best to pray together without looking at each other before their big event.
"We were about to take our first steps in life together, and we didn't want to take a step without it being in God's will," Caleb told TODAY.com. "I prayed to God for my beautiful and intelligent wife that he blessed me with and the amazing family I was marrying into."
His bride Maggie said, "When I first grabbed his hand, he was shaking really bad, so I knew he was really nervous. It relieved me to know the person I was getting ready to marry felt the same way about God."
The couple both grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and first became friends in high school. They started dating just two years ago, and they have been inseparable ever since.
"She's so beautiful. I couldn't help myself!" Caleb gushed about his bride. "We're thankful that our picture is able to bless so many people and touch that many hearts."
For his part, Schmidt said that he almost did not make it to Caleb and Maggie's wedding because of an emergency surgery last week to remove a kidney stone, but he considers himself lucky to have been part of their big day.
"I was lucky to witness such a moving moment, let alone capture it. I have been fortunate enough to photograph several weddings, but this is a moment I will remember forever," he said.
