Best. Stone Oak Ranch Wedding. Ever.
Best. Stone Oak Ranch Wedding. Ever.

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I don’t even know where to start when it comes to Kayla and Trent. I can honestly say I have never had a couple that was as full of life as these two. Constant laughter, constant energy, constant joy.

Before we get started… there is one detail you should know about Kayla: her mother owns a wedding venue. Not one of those “we have a big house, so we let people have weddings here at times” wedding venues. But, a straight up, legit, killer wedding venue. It’s called Stone Oak Ranch and it’s amazing. I love shooting there and I will link to it like 10 times in this post in hopes of giving them a little extra SEO goodness. Also, when your mom owns a venue and your coordinate weddings out there, you probably have seen and worked with over a thousand photographers. It was a HUGE honor when they asked me to shoot their wedding. Thanks for making me feel good about myself.

On to the day.
Step One: Party Animals.

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Look at all the shiny, shiny-pretty, pretty at Stone Oak Ranch.

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Check out their custom made, super fun invitations made by the Rifle paper Co.

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2 weeks ago I shot a wedding with a tattoo station.  I demanded more brides do this.  BOOM!  I show up and Kayan and Trent have this.  Well played.

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Someone stopped bride-ing and started coordinating as she put her topper on her yummy Chez Bazan cake.

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Hello, my name is Kaylan, and Von Criswell did a killer job with my makeup.

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You know a wedding is good when they have a First Look….

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and they loved it so much they decided to do ANOTHER FIRST LOOK!!!!
(they blew my mind.)

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That super sweet, tender moment, every outdoor bride shares with her groom as he picks bugs out from her dress.

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Wait what….?  This seems out of place…. Why would anyone have a random carnival cut out at their wedding???

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A Touch of Nature did a fantastic job with all the flowers.
(I just love the shot of Kaylan blowing her bang back into place.)

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These two are not only super full of life, but their siblings are as well.  Trent’s sister kept pretending it was her big day, while Kaylan’s brothers made the most of their “formal” photos with her.

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Licking your finger and wiping things off.  Such a baller move from Trent’s Grandmother.

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Is it ok if I think this is my most favorite photo ever?
This is how you Flower Girl. Maximum extension. Petals high. Feet off the ground. Clear eyes. Full heart. Can’t lose.

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Their ceremony at Stone Oak Ranch was full of laugher, stories, and joy.  As every ceremony should be.

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Of course they exited to “Come and Get Your Love” and had an impromptu dance party.

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I adore moments like this one.
No one around them.
No one posing them.
No one coordinating them.

Just two people who have been married 15 minutes.

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That carnival cut out makes a whole lot more sense when you realize that they had A FULL BLOWN CARNIVAL for their cocktail hour.  (Like you do.)

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Everyone does the mamba for their first dance, right?

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I don’t even know where to start for this reception. It was perfect.

Let’s do this… Let’s start with Otis and the Metro Band. They sang, played, and kept everyone dancing at Stone Oak Ranch for 4 hours.

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Everyone loves tattoos.  Buff brides, couples, super cool Grandparents.

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What’s left…. Oh yeah… a clown.  Give it up for Kornpop and his perfect balloon animals, hats, and mistletoe.

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You know a reception is great when the flower girl grabs on to a post and holds on tight as she is being carried out.

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There are no words.

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Who doesn’t love a face full of lavender?

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Thank you guys for a perfect evening at a perfect venue.  Let’s give it up one last time for Stone Oak Ranch and for Kaylan and Trent.

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Kim The Super Bride: The One Year Interview
Kim The Super Bride: The One Year Interview

Kim & Josh were one of my favorite couples I’ve been able to shoot.  You may recognize them from my promo video on my About page.
I had a chance to catch up with Kim about 1 year after her wedding.
She shared her thoughts on picking vendors, what to look for in a photographer, and a few budget tips.

Also, here is a list of some of her wedding vendors which she loved so much as well as a few favorites of mine from each of her sessions. :)

Cakes: Chez Bazan
DJ: CMB DJs
Flowers: Michele’s Flowers by Ela
Venue: Villa di Felicita
Videography : Vanessa McKellar Productions

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Gina & Kevin | Wedding Photography Longview, TX
Gina & Kevin | Wedding Photography Longview, TX

Gina & Kevin had an incredible wedding at Metro Church in Longview, TX. Here are a some of my favorite shots from the day.

The more weddings I work, the more I realize a bride’s shoes are almost as important to her as the groom. :)

These two had a killer First Look.

Casa Flora Flowers did an amazing job with the arrangements. You should book them.

Casa Flora Flowers
903-753-4492
314 Magnolia Lane
Longview, Texas 75605
http://www.casafloraflowers.com/

Carrie Alexander did Gina’s make-up. (auntharry@hotmail.com | 903-261-2428)

This is Kevin’s daughter. I let her sneak into the balcony to watch their First Look. She started tearing up. Then I started crying. Then my photos were out of focus. It’s OK though. Right? :)

Tasty and delicious cakes from Chez Bazan. You should also book them. :)

Chez Bazan
(903) 561-9644
5930 Old Bullard
Tyler, TX 75703
http://www.chezbazan.com

You can’t really see her in this shot, but Lydia Covey was also at the wedding rockin’ her harp. If you are looking for a harp at your wedding, she is your girl. :)
903-261-3097 | Web | lydiaharpist@gmail.com

The whole family.

Gina & her dad had a great father daughter dance.

The Chad Evans Band did an AMAZING job at the reception. If you are in need of band you should really check them out. (903.736.6868)

The Mug Machine was also there. Those will be posted later this week.

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