OK. It’s time again for that killer blog series: My Favorite Part of A Wedding.

Today’s topic: Bouquet Toss

Ah, yes. That moment in every wedding, where single ladies either get way too excited about it or vomit at the shear thought of it.

Quick history lesson:
Tossing the bouquet is a tradition that stems from England. Women used to try to rip pieces of the bride’s dress and flowers in order to obtain some of her good luck. To escape from the crowd, the bride would toss her bouquet and run away.

First of all, this sounds AMAZING! More like this please.

Somehow, the toss has evolved into this thing that now guarantees that the lucky lady who catches it will be the next one married. Because you know… magic.

So even though it’s a bit corny, I do love this little moment when your girlfriends get a chance to go all Hunger Games during your reception.

I love when there are literally dozens of competitors.

I love when they stretch their arms like NFL wide receivers.

I love when the girl that does NOT catch it is more excited than the girl that does.

I love when the girl you think is going to catch it does not.

I love the taunting that is often performed by the victor.

I love when the girls trip over themselves trying to catch it.

I love it most of all, when a girl falls to the floor, and a bride is willing to meet her down there for their photo together.

I also love when a lady has so much swag and confidence, that she knows she can jump, hold her red solo cup in one hand, and snag the bouquet with the other.

But seriously. Here is the key that I have found after shooting hundreds of weddings: some people love it, some people don’t. But you know your girls better than most. If you think they will enjoy it, then by all means, go for it. If you know they hate the idea… punt it. Sure it’s your wedding, but these are your closest friends. The goal isn’t to embarrass or shame them because they haven’t found someone to file taxes with jointly.

And, sure it’s a glorious moment for the winning lady, but it’s not like catching your flowers actually empowers the girl with the ability to become the next one married.

Or does it?

Because you enjoyed this, I know you’ll want to see more in this series. Click here for more words and pretty pictures.

It’s that time again. It’s time to look back at some of the best photos from 2014. Everyday we’ll be taking a look at a new category. Voting is open till midnight and the winners will be announced Monday. The winning entries will each receive a 16×20 print.

Today’s category: Brides

Take a look at the entries then vote at the bottom of this post.

1. Lindsey

2. Chelsie

3. Kathleen

4. Emily

5. Kayla

6. Shelby

7. Jennifer

8. Talia

9. Kaylan

10. Bekah

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.

If you wanna know how to crush your bridal session look no further than to what Lindsey did at Howell Family Farms in Arlington, TX.

Can’t wait to share her Denver, CO wedding.  It was so so much fun.

So excited to announce the winners of the top 10 contests from last week.  We had over 2,500 votes and some really really close categories.  In the end, these were the winners.  Thanks again to all my couples for letting me tell their story.  If you did not win, be sure and tell everyone good game before you walk off the court.  You couples that did win, make sure you celebrate responsibly.  No looting or rioting.

Engagement Session: This is the classroom where Emily & Lucas met.  This is the very place their story began.

Wedding Rings: Blake works in visual effects, I wanted him to be able to drop his rings into any film he made in the future. ;)

Bridal Session: Krystle crushed her bridal shoot at Marvin United Methodist in Tyler.

Mug Machine: Much like their wedding day, Lauren & Alex’s Mug Machine was off the hook.  (Do people still say “off the hook”?)

Random:  Lindsey & Jim’s reception and dance floor was the place to be.

Wedding:  I honestly could not have picked a better photo to win this category.

Jaime had been fighting serious migraines all day, in fact we almost had to put off the wedding till later in the day. After the ceremony they were just sitting in the kitchen resting and someone asked them if they were ready to make their entrance and have their first dance. Jaime said she didn’t think she was up for all that. Nolan said no problem. About five minutes later while holding and comforting her they broke out into a slow dance. All alone, with no fanfare, no one clapping, no one watching. I took 3 photos and walked out. It was a moment that just belonged to them.

Just the two of them on their wedding day.

It was a beautiful picture of marriage. It’s not the big public moments that get us through life. It’s not the things we say when everyone is watching. Marriage is about what we do when we are alone.

Marriage is about changing the toilet paper roll.
Marriage is about making the bed.
Marriage is about impromptu slow dances in the kitchen.

Thanks again to everyone who voted.  And to all my 2014 couples.  Let’s make some images that make these 2013 ones look like poo. :)