What I am trying to say is that the experience and connection are important. Weddings are not an easy thing to photograph. There are many, many things to consider over the course of the day not to mention the hours upon hours of editing and album designing that goes on behind the scenes. If I didn’t thrive on the challenges and enjoy working with people I would have given up shooting them years ago but I am drawn to documenting these love stories which brings me to Cindy and Jim.

I recently photographed the wedding of Jim and Cindy. They are not my typical wedding client. The beautiful bride, Cindy, is 73. When we first met she proudly boasted that she is older than Jim and I teased her that she was robbing the cradle. These two are the inspiration for this post. They are in their golden years. A time when some may have already lost a spouse and given up on love but these two found it again and it is absolutely apparent when they look at each other.

If you have lost your faith in love and relationships you need to come work with me for a while. You will see that relationships are complicated and sometimes trying but ultimately love, friendship and family is most the meaningful part of our lives. As a photographer I am honored that so many people trust me to document these meaningful moments! So here’s to love, the romantic kind and the love shared between family and friends. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

That’s the look of love! This image was captured during Cindy & Jim’s ceremony. Its just one candid moment but it speaks volumes!

Allison & Jake chose The Reserve in Longview, TX for their special day. The Reserve has a rustic, charming atmosphere and Allison & Jake’s Wedding was the perfect fit. Family and friends gathered for the outdoor ceremony timed with the setting sun. The resulting images were absolutely breath taking. Following the ceremony was the reception, aka the party, held in the beautiful hall. The decorations were superb and the complimenting colors made the captured images extra special. Thank you Allison & Jake for allowing us to be a part of your special day!

Dana & Thor’s special day was held at The Filter Building at White Rock Lake in Dallas Texas.  It was a beautiful setting for this wedding ceremony and reception.  The bride and groom were easy to work with and their wedding party was game for a few fun photos.  When I suggested the groomsmen do something silly they had fun ‘beating’ the groom.  This was  beautiful, fun, lighthearted  event and these images are a small sample of some of my favorites.

I very much enjoyed shooting Valerie and Wade’s wedding recently but struggled designing this album for them. The struggle was only due to the fact that I was trying to stay within the confines of the page capacity of their 40 page wedding book. Try as I might to make this design work inside of 40 pages this wedding album screamed to be 50 pages so I just went with it. Once they saw the design they agreed that it had to be 50 pages. I gave them a good deal on the upgrade in page count and this custom design is current in Italy at our book maker being custom bound and printed.

The images from this wedding are a beautiful  testament to the love between these two.  Valerie and Wade were super easy to photograph.   Valerie’s very large family was well organized and Wade’s clan was a joy to work with as well.  The resulting images speak for themselves.  Thanks Val & Wade for inviting us along on this beautiful occasion. It was a pleasure to be part of the merriment!

Wedding Details:
Ceremony: St Jude’s Catholic Church
Reception: Cedar Creek Country Club
Florist: Capt B’s

The day started at one of the Maids of Honour’s house where the Bride was getting ready.  This wedding had not just 1 but 4 Maids of Honour as well as 4 Best Men.  They were all such good friends, no one was slighted a ‘prime position’.  We arrived to the normal activity of Maids of Honour, Bride & Flower Girl all in various states of primping.  The dress was on display in the front room and the dress maker was on hand for last minute alterations.  It was a fun atmosphere with everyone trying to make the bride laugh to expel some of her nervous energy.  She told everyone, “I feel like I could run 5 miles…… and I’m not even a runner!”.  That got a round of laughs.

When the limo arrived to transport the Bride to the ceremony, it was not the usual limo.  It was a large bus, stretch-style limo with room for the Bride to stand up!  She really liked that part.  Once the Bridal party was ready they all piled into the very tall limo and off to the ceremony they went.

The Bride & Groom chose to have their wedding and reception at the Heard Museum in McKinney, TX.  The skies had been threatening with grey clouds all morning but as time for the ceremony approached the weather was perfect.  The garden were beautiful as the wedding party made their way to where the officiant was standing.   It was an intimate gathering full of close friends and family.  The love in the air was very apparent.  There were tears of joy and hearty pats on the back once the ceremony was complete.  Mr. & Mrs. Prater were simply beaming!

The reception following was an elegant affair overlooking the city of McKinney with Dallas in the distance.  The wedding party arrived to hoots and hollers as they were introduced and made their way into the reception.  Food was served, toasts were made and dances were danced.  The Bride and Groom chose a choreographed dance (which we got to see a sneak peek of as the Bride coached the Groom a bit before being transported to the reception) as they stepped onto the dance floor for the first time as a married couple.  It was a flawless entry into couple-dom.

The toasts were plenty as each Maid of Honour and each Best Man toasted the Bride and Groom and the good times flowed like the frozen margaritas and champagne.  The DJ played a variety of music, most suitable to shake your booty to which everyone was doing by the dozens.  It is truly a pleasure to be able to capture special moments like these with people so obviously in love and surrounded by wonderful friends and family.  Enjoy the images, they were a joy to capture.  Congratulations Meredith and Chris!

To view all the images from Meredith and Chris’ Wedding please go to Pictage – Meredith & Chris