Emily & Lucas has a killer Aggie wedding day.  She got ready at the MSC, they were married under the Century Tree, then they headed to Christopher’s World Grille for the reception.
(See all the photos here.)

There was only one logical way for the day to end.  At the Dixie Chicken.

These two carved their initials here a few years back.  Of course we took photos by them.

My favorite moment of the night was when Emily was drinking, Lucas wanted a sip and Emily would not allow it.  Welcome to your new life Lucas. :)

So in the previous post we learned how to get married under the Century Tree.  This one is a bit easier.  You don’t have to make plans or call.  You just walk in to the Chicken.  And… bonus points to you because people will probably buy you a pitcher. :)

Congrats to you guys.  You had an amazing day.  Thanks so much for letting me share in all of it. WHOOP!

Lucas & Emily had an incredible first day as husband & wife.  They were surrounded by family and their closest friends and it happened right where their story began.  A little university in College Station called Texas A&M.  (You may have heard of it.)

The thread of family was so, so evident in their wedding.  From the very beginning it was easy to see how valuable it was to them.  Emily & her sisters must have spent thousands of mornings like this; laughing, music blaring, and getting ready together.  Well… minus the champagne.

Shout out to Emily’s mother who made this.  Out of string.  All of it.

Game.  Set.  Match.

Lucas did what many guys do.  He wrote Emily a letter for her to read on their wedding day.  Then he trumped all men everywhere by also giving her a letter he wrote to his future wife when he was 16.

A little spot on campus called The Century Tree.

Basically everyone was crying when Emily came out.

Well, everyone but this guy.  He was all like: “Why are all you humans up in my tree?”

I love veil mishaps during ceremonies.  They are the best.

Emily’s sisters responded by cheering like wild banshees.  Her brother responded by tearing up and hugging her for about 30 seconds.

The flower girls giggled and snuck a peak at all the kissing and hugging.

This image is becoming harder and harder to get at weddings.

A groom, his bride, and their parents.

It always fills my heart with joy when I get to capture one.  I know life happens, times are hard.  Sometimes tragedy strikes.  But there is something incredibly Holy and sacred about seeing 2 couples with over 25+ years of marriage joining their children in that covenant.  It always gives me that much more hope for the bride and groom.

You HAVE to take one “normal” photo of siblings.  But after that one is knocked out…  We get to the good stuff.

Speaking of “the good stuff”…

After the ceremony we all headed over to Christopher’s World Grille.  They spent the evening  Whooping, cheering, and saying wonderful things about each other.

The older I get… the more I love these moments.

Speaking of moments I love.  I LOVE when brides pull off a photo bomb.

Normally the getaway is where the night ends.  These two had other plans in mind.  If you are an Aggie, you’ll recognize the location.  If you are not an Aggie, you’ll have to wait till Monday to know where we went. :)

Oh… and for all you Aggies out there who are dying to know how they pulled off a ceremony under the Century Tree…

You can’t “reserve it”, but you can “show up”.  Other things may even be going on at your “time”.  Who knows.  Your best bet is to contact the University Events Coordinator.  Best of luck.  (WHOOP!)

Amanda & Dale had the perfect wedding day at The Vineyards at Chappel Lodge.  But it didn’t just happen.  They had to fight for it.

Coby Neal and The Flower Studio in Austin CRUSHED it.  So so nice to look at.

This next photo is one of my favorites.  These two had planned to be married last year but some date conflicts and a medical emergency caused them to postpone the date.  They were able to find a date early this year that worked and even then they had the threat of rain all day long.  They stuck with it though and had a fantastic day.  They were willing to keep pushing forward to get what they wanted.  Just like this image.  Amanda wanted photos in a field of bluebonnets.  They were far away.  She made the hike and never once complained.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and stories told by the fire.  It ended like every wedding should.

This is the story of how I met Justine & Karl.  He lived in Dallas and she lived in North Carolina, and when she was in town visiting, they were trying to also get some engagement photos done.  She found me online and contacted me about the engagement session.  They were still not sure who they were going to get for the wedding since it would be back in North Carolina, but I knew 5 minutes into their session I needed to be there.  I was thrilled when they invited me to come out there for the weekend of their wedding. It really was an honor to be there.

These two are amazing.  (You should read their story here.)

In brief though… everything you need to know about them can be found in this photo.  When I asked for her jewelry, Justine went on and on about how her bracelet contained a ring Karl’s grandmother had given her.

She was beaming.

Not in an “I’m getting married and these are the fancy new shoes I just bought” kinda way.  It was more of an “I’m joining this man and family and we can’t wait to do life together for a long, long time” kinda way.  It was the reason I fell in love with them during their engagement session and that approach burst through the whole day.

The more excited your friends are when you are getting ready… the more likely they are to tear up when you ARE ready. :)

Nephews make the best ring bearers.

Nieces make the best flower girls.

Every bit of training that Karl underwent in the Army and medical school applied here.  The man was completely focused and aware during every detail throughout the day.  Especially this moment. :)

I LOVE when kids sit by their great grand parents.  I also love it when couples trade little comments during their ceremony.

The Raleigh Little Theater was the perfect setting for their day.

Here is what I know.  Wedding trends come and go.  Dresses don’t have pockets, then they do, then they don’t.  Mason jars are tacky, then they are trendy, then they are tacky.  If Pinterest is around in 5 years, wedding boards will look very different.

But THESE images never get old.

Images of parents with their daughter are forever.

Photos of your family.  Your tribe.  Your people.  They are the ones you frame.  They are the ones you look back on in 15 years.

These are the photos we pull out and say….

“I can’t believe she was 2 years old.”
“Mom was so beautiful.”
“Oh that’s right, she had just been born.”

These photos never go out of style.

I was so disappointed in this runner guy.  I saw him in the distance and could not wait for him to jog by.  He came down the hill, and once he spotted us turned around to not be in the photo.  I wanted him closer.  I wanted him bigger.  He didn’t want to ruin the photo.  Little did he know, the photo was about him.

Of course Justine’s cake had an X-wing, Millennium Falcon, and the Death Star on it.  Why wouldn’t it?

I love these next shots.  Great speech by their friend, which led to hugs, which led to Karl spilling drink.

(So much for my theory about Karl being an on-point, hyper aware army doctor.)

I love Karl’s expression after he spilled the drink on the table.

I also love Justine reacting before either of them could and placing the glass upright again.

Because that’s what marriage is.  Marriage is cleaning up the mess your spouse just made. :)

Karl’s best man was out of the country and could not make it, but he still delivered a killer speech that had everyone laughing.

Justine and Karl met at Harvard.  They wanted a photo of all their college friends.

Most Expensive. Photo. Ever.

The reception was full of dancing, and other random things.

I loved seeing them all gathered around the table.  Sharing new stories and remembering old ones.

Eventually everyone got tired and we all went home.

It was a full day.  Thank you two so much for trusting me and sharing your day with me.

Weddings are great.  Sure.  I like them.  Let me tell you a secret though.  Even more than I like being there when a couple starts their life together…. I love creeping on them as they journey together those first few years.  That’s when it starts to get really good.  That’s when they start to realize that had no idea how much they could love each other.  They had no idea how fun it would be.  They had no idea how hard it would be.  Ashley & Blake were married a little over  year ago and they were kind enough to pull back the curtain and fill us in on what their first year together has been like.

What do you miss most about the single life?

The freedom to do whatever YOU want.

What was the the thing you stressed out most about in planning your wedding that now you look back on and laugh about?

We kind of put a lot of effort into figuring out which Bible verses we wanted read during the ceremony and who would read them, but then our pastor completely skipped that part.

Give us your best cheapo/fun married date idea.

Well, we LOVE ice cream. So to make us feel okay with it, we’ll go on a hike, grab some lunch, go check out the local succulent/gardening shops, and then discover one of the many amazing ice cream places of Los Angeles. And then spend 40 minutes trying to find the best free movie online. P.S. It’s LA, so cheap is relative.

What have you liked most about your first year being married?

A: Being in the same city/apartment as Blake. (2.5 years long distance before)

B: Practical jokes are way easier to do when she lives with me and not 1,500 miles away.

What’s been the hardest part about being married?

A: Realizing how selfish we both are.

B: Samesies. Marriage isn’t about MY wants and needs. You have to be willing to serve your spouse on a daily basis.

What surprised you the most? (Either good or bad.)

A: Blake leaves used paper towels everywhere he goes. Bedroom, Bathroom, Living Room, Dining Room…. Literally everywhere.

B: Apparently women don’t poop rose petals. But seriously, you think you have figured her out and everything’s going great — then BLAMMO — back to the drawing board.

What have you fought about most and why?

Trying to find time for guy-time/girl-time while still making quality time for each other – especially since Blake has really long work hours during the week.

Do you have any advice for couples about to take the plunge?

A: Marry someone you have complete trust in and can really open up to when you have something you want to talk about. It’s very difficult to make yourself vulnerable enough to speak your heart even when you do trust that person. Also, be honest and genuine, while still loving, when you talk about the hard things.

B: You HAVE to discuss the important issues in life before tying the knot: religion, family/kids, money, politics, moral issues, etc. It’s terrible to see married people get a divorce over issues that should have been discussed while dating or engaged. Also, remember that love is not just a feeling, it’s a daily decision.