Can I tell you a secret about your wedding?  On your wedding day, there will actually be two weddings taking place.  The one you planned for, and the one you may not even notice.

The one you plan for will be easy to spot.  It’s the one that looks like a real live Pinterest board.  Perfection will be everywhere you look.

Time after time, it will feel like you are in a movie and you won’t believe that it’s actually real life.  I mean seriously… did you notice that field just above?

As great as the wedding you planned is, sometimes there is even more fun and life to be had in the wedding you may not notice.

Like…. How adorable the little flower girls are as they wait while watching shows with matching headphones.

How your groom and his aunt photo bomb your formal photos.

That little moment of reflection as you film a message to your husband to be.

How about that time your dad trips while walking you down the aisle, catches himself, and then you share a giggle over it.

It only lasts 5 seconds, but when the minister tells you to turn and look at all the friends and family you have, soak it up.

If it feels like everyone is watching you…. it’s because they are.  Every little girl is kinda dreaming she was you.

And some little boys are trying to figure out what every older girl wants.

Of course you want a photo with your sorority sisters.  You never figured your dad would want to jump in too though.  Right?

Soak up every strange and awkward dance move your new husband has.  (And make sure it gets captured on film.)

Rent the best getaway car you can.  But if it does not crank, don’t sweat it.  You’ve got plenty of muscle standing by.

Plan your day, enjoy your day, just don’t miss the day happening behind the scenes.  You never know when lightning might strike.

(You see what I did there?)

When you get married on the 4th of July and have a family full of service men, you know it’s going to be a great day.  I was giddy that this next image was one of the first I fired off that day.

Sarah & Caleb said their vows at the fantastic Lake Tyler Petroleum Club. (A fantastic venue with lots of options for your wedding day.)

Family, history, legacy.  These are all things that Sarah values.  (It’s part of what attracted her to Caleb.)  Much of her jewelry belonged to her grandparents and her friend even MADE her this frame.  How incredible is that?

Basically every wedding has the same story.  Boy & girl like each other.  Boy & girl get married.  It’s the easiest story to tell, see, and document.

The thing is, sometimes that’s not the most interesting story of the day.

I love getting to know my couples in a way that helps me figure out the part of their story that they value the most.  What’s really important?  Is it the flowers?  Is it the dancing?  Is it the vows?

From my first phone call with Sarah, I was able to pick up on her commitment to Caleb.  But when she spoke of his daughter she spoke with a sense of respect and love that made it very clear:  She is joining both of them in life.  They are becoming a family.  She is aware of the impossible yet very tangible dynamics of becoming a mother.

All throughout the day, I found little moments where Caleb & Sarah gave time, space, and respect for Savannah to soak in the moments.  Not to force the day and union on her like two grown ups in charge.  Instead they welcomed her into their day.  They asked for her to be a part of it.  At times they literally held her hand as she navigated this emotional day.

I love seeing a groom’s reaction to his bride.  The next best thing though is seeing a father look at his baby girl.

Yes please.

Go team America.

Hey you know who La Tee Da is right?  They kinda kick butt at making flowers look fantastic.

I caught Caleb having a little chat with Savannah right before the ceremony.  My heart turned all mushy.  I love it when dads “gets it.” When they realize that no matter how hectic and crazy a moment is, the main thing our kids need is us to connect with them and let them know we are with them.

Then Savannah came out and Caleb went to meet her and walked her down the aisle.  (Because he wanted everyone to tear up a bit.)

Right when Sarah was about to walk out, it hit her.  Sometimes this happens to brides.  And I’ll be honest.  Sometimes it leads to brides just crying all the way down the aisle.  I love everything about these shots.  I love that Sarah is completely overcome with emotion.  She is fully aware of the moment and understands how amazing their story is and that this is happening.

Her father gets it.

Her father knows his daughter enough to know that right now she needs him to look at her and reassure her.  That no matter how hectic and crazy the moment is, the main thing she needs is him to connect with her and let her know he is with her.

Caleb gets it.

He knows his bride so well.  He knows that she is full of emotions and he never once took his eyes off her.  He was locked in, he was steadfast, he was fully present.

When you marry a military man on the 4th of July at the lake, and a boat drives by during your vows with “I’m Proud to be an American” blasting front the speakers, all you do is smile and know you picked the right day.

Sarah’s brother was deployed 2 days before her wedding.  It was a tough break for their families, but it’s also what they do.  They serve.  They answer the call.  They go.

(They also Skype.)

The Fatt Apple makes yummie food.  Need proof?  Look at how happy these kids are.

The rest of the night was filled with people saying wonderful things, lots of dancing, and expositions in the sky.

Thank you two for letting me be a part of your day.  I left with a full heart.

amanda & clayton had the closest thing to a perfect wedding day i have ever seen.  no hiccups, fantastic weather, and just the right mix of family and friends.  if all i did was shoot this wedding over and over i would come home every weekend with a full heart.

can we all agree that la tee da flowers is amazing?

there was so much gorgeous light filling first presbyterian in tyler.  i loved it.

so many many vintage goodies provided by prairie sage vintage rentals.

clayton busted out the biggest face of awe when he saw amanda during their first look.

their daughter was as perfect as a flower girl could be.

i adore this image.

clayton was so kind to give alexis a little necklace.  she felt so so special.

the only thing better than vintage props at a wedding is vintage snacks! :)
they were the first couple ever to have their reception out on the church lawn.  it totally felt like anne of green gables.

thank you guys so much for letting me be a part of your perfect day.

ok people, time to get your vote on. the couple with the winning image will get a fancy big 16×20 print. pick your favorite image. you can only vote once, the voting is open for 2 days. winners will be announced january 21.

vote at the bottom of this post.

ready set. go!

here are the entries.

rachael & daniel’s wedding really was about having fun with all their friends.  i love this shot of them leaving.

christa & jeff were super super flirty flirty and affectionate.  i love this one from their first look.

audrey & cody really seamed to soak up every moment of their day. i love that audrey is laughing even though the horse just ate part of her bouquet.

lindsey & brandon had fun all day.  (this is the part where brandon had extra fun.)

lisa & mike were so so sweet to each other.  mike is a huge guy with such a tender heart.  i loved this moment alone they had.

tiffany & chris had the perfect sunset wedding. chris rarely took his eyes off her.

this shot of stephenie and jared leaving the ceremony is one of my all time favorites.

christen & brandon may have been my most “romantic” couple.  i love this shot peaking through the leaves during their first look at elmwood gardens.

cassie and kinsey may have laughed more together on their wedding day than any couple i ever photographed.  (that is a great sign for their marriage.)
rory is basically the man every father wants his daughter to bring home one day.  during his first look he kept talking about how gorgeous lisa is.
(huge bonus points for him wanting to see every detail of her dress.)

am i allowed to love everything about lisa & rory’s day?  i hope so.  i connected with these two instantly  on their engagement session and knew their wedding day would be super swell.  they did not disappoint.

la tee da flowers doin’ what they do so well.

they met at the hospital where they work.  their hearts beat for each other. (get it?  ha ha!)

a little bit of first look magic.

i love wedding parties that laugh.

cmb djs always make a wedding reception more cooler. :)

thank you two for trusting me with the launch of your marriage.  i had a blast.