seeing you
We’ll be
Granddaughter of
Margaret & James
meet rebecca, owner and photographer
I launched Margaret James in 2019, on what would have been my grandma’s 92nd birthday. My grandparents’ legacy is the invisible string that ties my business together, and wraps it in a love that cannot be confined to one lifetime. Their legacy lives in me now.
It’s in my memories of making blueberry muffins in the kitchen with my grandma. It’s kept safe in the locket my grandfather James gifted her, delicately wrapped around my wedding bouquet as I walked down the aisle, and yes… it lives in the photographs of them that I treasure.
Margaret James’ legacy continues to grow. It’s now shared with my husband, Andy, our two daughters, Palmer and Madelyn, and our energetic pup, Piper. We live in a small town outside Pittsburgh, where spending time outdoors and running around together feels like a breath of fresh air, a welcome pause from the everyday.
The legacy now extends into wedding films, alongside photography. Your wedding video is a living heirloom, capturing your voices, your dance moves, and the small moments that a photograph alone can’t. It’s the spirit of your legacy.
The reason I choose to document weddings is so very simple,
but can be easily overlooked in favor of the fleeting.
This work allows me to create a life that would make Margaret, James, my daughters, and anyone who joins our legacy,
so very proud.
"...it lives in the photographs of them that I treasure"
Like many of my couples, I sometimes struggle with being fully present. There's always a task to be done, or a project to wrap up, but living in the moment and truly connecting with the people around you are far more important. You can’t relive the same moment twice. I give my couples permission to be present in their wedding moments by earning their trust that I’ll capture it all for them to relive afterward.
being fully present
I used to paint. Now, I’d be lucky to draw a stick figure that even my kids would recognize! I've always had a love for art, and photography has become my favorite medium. It allows me to form connections and capture them with my camera—flexing my creative muscle while making a lasting impact for others.
past painter
Family is everything to me. I’m a wife and mother first. Always. These roles are the reason I can calmly guide you through the emotions your wedding day will bring. The couples who also hold their chosen family at the center of their ‘why’ are the ones I do this for. My family is the ‘why’ behind Margaret James Weddings, and I’m honored to be part of your wedding day family.
it's all about family for me
When all the big timeline milestones are over, and my feet start to hurt, and I’m reaching for another Diet Coke (or maybe a cookie), there is nothing that makes me smile more than seeing you and your person, with your tie loose, hair messy, and nearly out of breath, dancing together. Those celebration moments matter just as much to me as the more serious ones.
celebration moments matter
She gave me a crash course on wedding photo and video, and I’ve been shooting weddings—and making sure she doesn’t trip while walking backwards—ever since! My favorite couples to work with are the energetic ones who know how to have a good time. I love chatting with them during portraits and getting to know their families and guests who are there to celebrate.
The best part of my job? Being part of your history. These photos and videos will become a foundational moment in your story, capturing smiles and joy that everyone shared. They’ll last longer than any of us will. Someday, a picture I took will be hanging on a wall or sitting on a desk of someone I’ll never meet, but will always be connected to. I think that’s pretty cool!
I’m so proud to play a part in Rebecca’s natural creativity and talent through Margaret James Weddings. Watching her turn our couples’ dreams into reality never gets old.
Rebecca’s Younger Brother
I’m Jordan,
Margaret and James' Grandson
Assistant Videographer
Photographer
I was pretty much drafted into becoming her second photographer when she handed me a camera during the summer of 2021.
Margaret + James
The Story of
In the summer of 1942, James Roy Burkey met a girl who would forever change his life. Margaret was fearless, genuine, and, in James’ eyes, every bit of beautiful.
Though they grew up just minutes apart in the same town, they had never crossed paths until that fateful summer.
At fifteen, Margaret was still a girl in many ways, but she carried herself with the grace of a lady, a hint of sass, and an unwavering sense of what she wanted out of life. She never imagined she would meet the love of her life at such a young age. James, six years her senior, was a tall, dark, and handsome man—what some might call a gentle giant. It took a while for James to approach Margaret, but when he did, her mind went blank—a rare occurrence for a girl who always knew what to say. They spent every moment together after that, each new second deepening their bond, and eventually, they fell in love.
a love that set an example for the kind of bond everyone dreams of having.
Six months after their summer romance, the attack on Pearl Harbor changed the world. With no end to the war in sight, James enlisted. Though his love for Margaret was deep, his sense of duty called him overseas. He carried Margaret’s picture with him through those years, never losing faith in their love, no matter the distance. Margaret, too, kept him close, wearing a locket he gave her, holding their photos inside. James often relied on the thought of her to keep him going through the war, finding strength in her image amid the tragedy and devastation he witnessed.
In September 1945, when World War II ended, James was finally able to return home. He had feared that after three long years of separation, Margaret might have forgotten him, but when he arrived, she was there, waiting as she had always promised. Less than a year later, they were married. Soon, their daughter Linda was born, and the couple spent the next two decades raising their family and growing even closer.
When Margaret and James thought they were finished raising children, life surprised them with a second daughter, Roiann, when Margaret was thirty-nine and James was forty-five. Though older, they welcomed her with open arms and gave her all the love and energy they had. Margaret’s strong-willed nature would sometimes get the best of her, but James was always there to listen and love her through it. Their daughters grew up in a home filled with the unwavering love between their parents—a love that set an example for the kind of bond everyone dreams of having.
Just after celebrating Roiann’s tenth birthday, James suffered what Margaret initially thought was a mild stroke. But when they went to the doctor, the news was worse than they imagined: James was diagnosed with cancer. The disease quickly spread to his brain, and three months later, on his fifty-sixth birthday, Margaret lost her beloved James.
Though their time together was tragically short, Margaret carried on with the love and strength she knew he would want. Their thirty-five years together—filled with memories, laughter, and love—would remain in her heart forever. Margaret knew, as they had once been separated by war, they would one day be reunited. And that, as she believed, they did.
