It’s just a fact that SOMETHING will go wrong on your wedding day. For some lucky brides, it’s a late bridesmaid or a bouquet with the wrong type of flowers. For other not so lucky brides, it’s a power failure at the reception site or a best man who ends up in a jail cell with the wedding rings in his pocket. I’ve seen all of these situations firsthand, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the only thing that can truly ruin a wedding is the way the bride and groom react to these situations. If the bride panics and goed into hysterics or the groom goes on an angry rampage, then everyone is on edge, and the day becomes miserable for everyone involved. On the other hand, if the bride and groom allow these troubles to roll off their shoulders and stay focused on the real meaning behind the day, then the wedding becomes that much more special, and not even the worst emergency can ruin it. Zi and Gary are the epitome of the latter type of couple. They were so focused on enjoying their friends and family and loving each other that not even a freak monsoon could keep everyone at their (outdoor) wedding from having a blast.
The day started off smoothly enough..
Both the ceremony and the reception were being held at Gary’s family’s home in Highland Park, near White Rock Lake. Gary’s sister did an amazing job decorating their lovely yard, including both soft spring colors and infusing bits of Zi’s heritage, as well. The ceremony was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, and the seating with guests on both sides of the gazebo made the whole ceremony feel intimate and open.
As Zi changed into her reception dress, the family prepared for the reception, transforming the ceremony area into a party tent. Although it had been sprinkling occasionally, the sun had been peeking through and we thought we might be in the clear.
Then, as is wont to happen during May in Texas, the weather suddenly changed, and things started getting a little… wet……
We all waited and waited for the skies to clear, but the rain only got harder and harder, and the afternoon sky turned almost black. A snap decision was made to move everyone into the living room and continue the festivities!
Finally the rain let up and we all resumed the party outside!
As evidenced by the photos, these two had smiles glued to their faces all day, even when the rain forced all the wedding guests into the living room. These two, and their AWESOME families, made sure that no matter what happened in the skies, they were going to have a great party and start Zi and Gary’s wedding off with a bang. Every bride should take a lesson from these two and remember that it’s possible to have a great wedding day even when the flowers aren’t right, the DJ plays all the wrong songs, the groomsmen get drunk, or the reception ends up happening in someone’s living room!
Special thanks to Scotty Perry for flying all the way out from Louisville to second shoot with me!
Natalie is such a doll to work with! Not only is she beautiful and super nice, but as an NFL cheerleader and a dance teacher, she totally knows how to move her body and get the most out of a pose. Just look at her curves in this session – Natalie knows how to work it! This session was done around the Shops at Legacy in Plano, which is where he and Andy got married a couple of weeks ago and where I spend almost all my free time. Enjoy the photos!
This next set of images were taken at a great store at the shops called The Iron Bed. They specialize in, obviously, iron beds, but they also have great vintage home furnishings. If you’re in Plano and you’re in the mood to redecorate, stop by The Iron Bed and let them design a beautiful room for you!
It’s pretty much common sense for any business person to never do business with their friends and family.. Well, apparently I didn’t get that memo because my favorite weddings to shoot are the ones I do for people I have known for years. It seems like the photos come out so much better when you know so many members of the wedding party and everyone feels comfortable having you around. I already know Lisa and Grant’s wedding is going to be exactly like that – it will practically be a T-Camp reunion! T-Camp was an organization at our alma mater, Texas A&M, that helped incoming transfer students learn about the traditions and culture in Aggieland. One year not too long ago, Lisa and I were counselors in Camp Stratta, and Grant was one of our venerable co-chairs. When you spend so much time together, you’re bound to have a few love connections, and sure enough, Lisa and Grant got hooked on each other! I have so many great memories with these guys, not the least of which was the nickname that plagued me for months – Steakballs – so I’m super excited to be a part of their wedding day!!
I’d been wanting to do a session in Wal-Mart, but I wasn’t sure that I could get a couple to agree to it.. Then along came Grant and Lisa, who are totally chill and fun and always up for anything, so they agreed to be my guinea pigs! I also can’t go in a Wal-Mart without hearing Lisa’s voice in my head yelling “Iiiiiii knoooooow!!” in a thick Southern drawl (part of an old Camp Stratta skit), so it’s somewhat fitting. Lisa and Grant, thanks so much for volunteering to try some new and crazy things out with me, and for being great friends. Can’t wait for the wedding!
I just finished up Courtney and Bucky’s wedding, so I wanted to show off some of her bridal session, along with a sneak peek at some of my new branding! I absolutely worship Courtney’s gorgeous Melissa Sweet dress, and I love that she brought along her dog for the session! Here are a few of my faves:
So excited to finally get this wedding up on the blog, because it is hands down the most colorful wedding I’ve ever shot, which made for some STUNNING photos. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: The number one thing you can do to make your reception pop is to have professional lighting. It completely transforms the room. This is the perfect example.. Susan and Adam’s reception was held at a Chinese restaurant in Richardson, which is suited for more traditional Chinese decor. However, with professional color washing (filling the room with a specific color), gorgeous florals, and incredible decor arranged by Kathie Seeley (one of my absolute favorite coordinators, the QUEEN of great details), it felt like a really classy mix between a nightclub and a ballroom. Kathie definitely outdid herself this time!
Here’s a fun story about Susan and Adam.. When I met with them at their first consultation, I knew that they looked familiar, but I thought that as fellow Aggies I had probably just seen them around on campus while I was a student. Then as we were looking through my sample albums, Adam spotted a photo of himself! He had actually been a groomsman at a wedding I shot a few years ago, and there were photos of him and his friends scattered throughout my sample books. What a small world!
Here are a few (okay, a whole lot) of my favorites from their wedding day:
Susan and Adam, being a brilliantly smart bride and groom who trust their photographer and wedding coordinator, opted to do a First Look. These are some of my favorite photos from the whole day!
See what I mean about the reception?? If only you could see the before photos.. Amazing!
It is so appropriate for Courtney and Marcus to be the very first wedding posted on this new blog. These two first contacted me over a year and a half ago, when I was going through another big change, and they have been with me through a great deal of changes in my business. It’s so fitting that they are beginning their new lives together at the same time that I am beginning my new life in my business!
Their wedding was held at an amazing venue in North Richland Hills called White Chapel Estates. Don’t be fooled by the terrible website, it’s beautiful! It’s definitely suited better to small, intimate weddings, but the soaring white vaulted ceilings and the surrounding forest is great for photos! Here’s some proof:
Courtney’s mom helping her get dressed in the bridal suite
I just love this photo.. Every time a bride gets into her dress, it’s such an ordeal.. It seems that with every bride, her best friends gather around her and carefully hold up the edges of her skirt as her mother and mother-in-law-to-be tuck everything into the right place, ties all the ties, hook all the hooks, and zip all the zips. Then everyone steps back and just stares in awe at how this girl that they have seen countless times in PJs and a ponytail has transformed into a gorgeous, elegant woman. I see it on an almost weekly basis, and it never gets any less special for me.
Courtney and her lovely bridesmaids!
A few more dramatic portraits. Since Courtney is going to school in Iowa, we never got to do a bridal session for her, so I tried to get some extra images of her alone. These are my two favorites!
And then it was time for Marcus.. See what I mean about the beautiful environment around White Chapel?
Marcus specifically asked for a “Resevoir Dogs” photo.. They even brought the sunglasses and cigarettes!
And a bit happier :) We can’t be serious and GQ ALL the time!
Finally it was time to get these two hitched! One really cool thing about White Chapel is that the bride comes out onto this balcony overlooking the chapel, then down a gorgeous spiral staircase to meet her father, who walks her down the aisle. Here is Courtney’s grand entrance, and the smile that Marcus just couldn’t wipe off his face all day!
Married!!
Then is was time for some fun with the wedding party!
And I finally got the lovebirds alone :)
I have been wanting to do a photo like this FOREVER, but I could never find a good white wall.. I’m so glad that I finally got to do this shot with this couple!
Courtney and Marcus’ wedding was as unique as they are.. Instead of just being announced, they were led in by Courtney’s relatives playing the bongo drums and belly dancing!
The first dance was held outside in the gazebo, which I loved because everyone got to gather around and watch, but the couple still had a bit of privacy and intimacy to be able to enjoy this special moment.
Then we moved inside for the Father/Daughter dance, which is always an emotional moment.
I love love LOVE this shot! Sometimes the bride and groom plan out little surprises for the garter toss, but you can clearly see that Courtney did NOT see this coming!!
The DJ at this wedding played a lot of “dance” songs like the Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide, Chicken Dance, Cotton-Eyed Joe, etc., which is usually a great thing because even though it may seem cheesy, it really gets guests out of their chairs and onto the dance floor. No matter how silly you feel doing it, you can’t help but have fun! However, he then proceeded to dust off an ancient classic.. The Macarena!! I think we all needed a little help remembering that one.. And possibly a little help forgetting it, too ;)
Unfortunately every party has to end, and these guys chose to leave in my favorite way – sparklers!
And last, but not least, my favorite part of any wedding.. The RINGS!!!
