Anna Caroline & Scott met while in college.  He was a working at Pine Cove (Crash & Burn) and a mutual friend made sure they both went on a spring break trip together.  Soon after that, they started dating while they were finishing up school. They spent so much time studying in coffee shops that the Strada Cafe seemed like the perfect place to start their session. (Shout out to Strada for being super nice and accommodating and letting us shoot there.)

Scott said the thing he likes most about Anna Caroline is how laid back and chill she is.  How she just goes with the flow and is so transparent.  I saw that right away and I loved seeing the two of them interact. My Bride also possesses these traits, and trust me, they are great traits to have in someone you plan to share your life with.

I always try to get a photo of my couples just walking and chilling.  Getting a nice clean background can sometimes be a problem.  At first glance that red car is ruining the photo.  That shows how little you know.  The red car is actually MAKING the photo better.

Meet Wally.

Wally is the car Scott has had the past few years.  They have been through a lot together.

One time Scott hit a deer.  When he went back to check on it, it had gone back into the woods.  Totally to run back to it’s family to live a long and happy life.  (Definitely not to die cold and alone.)

One time one of the hubcaps fell off.  So Scott pulled the other three off because he wanted Wally to look symmetrical.

They have gone on trips, adventures and best of all, Wally is how Scott would go from Fayetteville to Little Rock every weekend to visit Anna Caroline. (3 hours one way.)

Yes, the windows still go up and down.  (Although the buttons sometimes fall down into the door.)

I think it took both of them by surprise when I insisted that we feature Wally in their photos. But to me, he is central to who they are.  He is a part of their story.  I loved working him into the session.

You know what else Anna Caroline likes besides Scott?  PLANTS!
Breedlove Nursery & Landscape was super generous for allowing us to crash their place.

These two fit together so perfectly.  I think it’s Scott’s magical hair.  I wanted to run my fingers through it, but I felt that might be inappropriate.  Maybe I’ll work up the nerve to ask about it on their wedding day.  (Totally normal right?)

Anna Caroline told me her favorite thing about Scott is how thoughtful and considerate he is.  How he is always thinking of others and looking for a way to meet their needs.  This jumped out at me right away as every time we were going somewhere, he would rush around to open the door for her.  He kept checking on me to see if I needed help with any of my camera gear and had enough room in the back of Wally.  (Riding in Wally was a joy and may have been the highlight of my day.)

Seriously though, this girl is nuts about flowers and such.  I can’t wait to see what La Tee Da Flowers does for her day.

I can’t tell you how much I loved hanging out with you two.  I loved your personalities and sense of humor.  I love that Scott drives a car that looks like it should be on fire, and I love that you, Anna Caroline, are ok with it. I love it because you two already seem to value the things that are worth valuing.  People.  Relationships. Community. Experiences.

What’s funny to me is that you two spent time thinking and planning what to wear and where we would go take photos, but didn’t once even consider Wally as part of the day.  Instantly I knew though that he would MAKE the session.  Because in 2067 when you have been married for half a decade and have piles of grandkids running around your house hunting eggs on Easter, one of them may ask about your story and how you fell in love.  I don’t know all the details you’ll tell ,and all the stories that you’ll remember, but I bet you’ll talk about how generous Scott was even as a young man. And I know Scott will tell of your gentle spirit and how attracted he was to it.

And I wonder if just maybe, you’ll pull down a picture off your shelf where the two of you are sitting in front of a beat up red car. And you’ll talk about how Scott drove for hours every weekend in a car that didn’t look like it could go 10 minutes, just to win your heart.

And right then in that moment, your kids will smile because they’ve heard the tales for years. And your grandkids’ eyes will be filled with wonder at how magical your story is and how a little car named Wally played a big part in it.

One of the best parts of my job is getting to work with other delightful wedding peeps.  Rather than hog them all to myself, I thought I would introduce you to a few of them. Give them a chance to tell a part of their story and why they do what they do.  I could not think of a better way to kick off this series than with the Villa di Felicita located just outside of Tyler, TX. (7891 Hwy 110 North Tyler, TX 75704) You should stop reading this and call and book them for your wedding now! 903-597-0002.

OK, now that you’ve done that, why not learn a bit more about them. :)

How did you get started and long have you guys been in business?

This is kind of a long story but I will give you the short version… My dad’s previous company sold, and he retired early in life. He’s a workaholic and wasn’t quite ready to retire. My mom and I had always enjoyed helping friends and family with their weddings, and my mom got the idea to build a wedding venue after going to a friend’s wedding in Dripping Springs, TX. We knew it was something Tyler needed, and there was no other wedding venues in Tyler at the time. We found the land, and started the building process in the beginning of 2005. We officially had our first event in April of 2006. This April will be 11 years in the business!

What’s your favorite part about hosting weddings every weekend?

I personally love to see how they all come together! I love the flower arrangements, dress colors, the amazing cakes, and just how they are all decorated. It’s such a long process for a bride to plan their big day, and I feel very lucky to get to see the final product of all their hard work! It’s just a great feeling when you see them smile when they walk in, and see how it all came together! I also love to be part of such a happy day in people’s lives! It’s very rewarding!

OK, let’s get some of the details knocked out. Tell me about your spaces, places, and all the options brides can pick from.
Villa di Felicita translates to “mansion of happiness” in Italian. We are the only Italian inspired venue in East Texas. We have a very large reception room that was designed to resemble an outdoor Italian Piazza. We gave it this feel by having fiber optic stars in the 20 ft ceilings to make you feel like you are sitting under the night sky!

We can accommodate about 350 in the reception room. We have 2 ceremony locations, but most known for our outdoor garden area. Tall cypress trees, manicured gardens, stunning backdrop views and a 120 foot stone-stamped aisle leading to the ceremony pergola arches is the best way to describe our outdoor ceremony location. We also have a nice indoor ceremony chapel that is a perfect setting for those who do not want to get married outside, or if inclement weather takes place.

Our venue sits on 50 private and picturesque acres. We made some changes to how we operate in 2016 and have had great success with it. We currently operate as a site rental only venue. This means we charge a flat fee (no mater how many guests you have) and include amenities such as tables, chairs, linens, set and clean up, etc. We allow outside catering and alcohol. Clients are given a preferred vendor list, and a welcome packet full of information from us, that makes their planning experience much easier for them! They are able to bring in what they want and we help them along the way.

What Disney princess is the most likely to choose your place for her wedding?
I think Cinderella would love to get married here. I feel like every bride feels like Cinderella on her wedding day – getting to go to the ball all dressed up and feeling beautiful. Then finally getting to marry her Prince Charming! Plus we also have some furry friends like rabbits and sweet birds who love to live in our gardens, so I think she would love that feature!

What’s your favorite “feature” about your venue?
My favorite feature about the Villa are our large cypress tress that surround the grounds. Every time I drive up, I am reminded of the beauty of this place by those large amazing trees! They just really give you the feel that you are in the Italian country. I feel it is a big part of what makes our venue unique and magical.

Tell me one story that stands out from the hundreds of weddings you guys have hosted.
We had a military wedding and my mom wanted to give those who had served a shot from the bar to say “thank you”. This became kind of a tradition for awhile when we had military weddings here. At one specific wedding, after giving them a shot, my mom told one of the young men, “Thank you for your service, and I know that shot isn’t much, but it’s just something I like to do to say thank you.” The young man looked at her with a tear rolling down his cheek and said, “Ma’am, it’s not what you did. It’s the recognition of saying “thank you” that means the most!” That night, my mom knew she wanted to do something and began working on a project to give back to those who served in our community. We started a 4013c non-profit fundraiser called Country for our Country and hosted that event for 4 years here at Villa di Felicita. That event helped so many veterans who came back and wanted to get back into civilian life and go to collage. It truly was created because of that young man at that wedding, and the impact he had on my mom. It gets us choked up every time we think about it or talk about it.

What is one piece of advice you would give a couple regardless of where they get married?
To be happy! Marriage and love isn’t always easy. You have to both work at it to be happy. Planning a wedding is hard. But in the end, when you finally get to be together on the wedding day and enjoy all your loved ones together, it makes it all worth it. Stay connected. And communication is huge in a strong relationship!

Anything else you wanna say?
We love Alex M and his amazing pictures that he takes at the Villa!! He truly captures weddings and couples with his heart and passion!

And, in case you guys are not convinced that this place is legit.  This wedding happened at the Villa di Felicita.

So yeah…. Go book your wedding. www.villadifelicita.com

Wanna see more Villa di Felicita goodness?
Here is every post ever on my site with images from their venue.
Here are a couple of my favorite weddings I’ve done there.
Lauren & Brent | Erin & Brett

When it came time to decide where to do their engagement photos, Rachael & Briley knew the perfect spot.  The spot where their story started, and they have shared so many moments along the way.  Let’s go to the movie theater!

Their first movie together was a friend outing to see one of the 82 Twilight movies that were made.  They were not a couple at the time, but it’s fitting that their story began watching two people also on their journey towards eternal love.

Fast forward a couple years (and hopefully improved taste in movies), Briley started to take notice of Rachael.  She worked at UT Tyler gym and he was working out “2-3 times per day”. (That’s what she said.)  I’m thinking part of him wanted to get swole and the other part of him wanted to get noticed; he figured the getting swole would help the getting noticed.  That’s what us dudes call a win-win.

A few months ago, they went back to their theater to see another movie.  They arrived a bit late and it was already dark and they ended up sitting on the front row. Because they had not had a chance to eat, Rachael began stuffing her face with popcorn. Commercials were pre-rolling and when the commercials ended, a video came on telling their story together and ending with “will you marry me?”

Then the lights came up and the theater started cheering and when Rachael turned to look, she saw that Briley had invited their friends and family to be there.  They all went out to eat and Rachael never got to finish her popcorn.  The end.

These two both have such a tender spirit and personality to them.  I LOVED Rachael’s big giant laughs.

Rachael said she is so attracted to how committed Briley is to his faith.  She “loves that he is a leader and knows that will give them a strong foundation in our marriage.”

Briley said that at first he thought that Rachael was just like a “super-basic, white girl”.

Full stop.  He said that.  Swoon.

Anyway.

Once he got to know her, he realized she is “goofy as all get out” and she has been surprising him ever since.

“Body and soul, I am marvelously made!” I think Briley would agree.

Thank you guys for spending your morning with me.  Can’t wait for your super-basic, white girl wedding.

The best thing about my job is the people.  I love how different and unique each couple is.  Sure some of them get married at the same place and others have dresses that look similar.  Most of the dudes wear black but the reality is those “details” make up so little of the day, I rarely even think about them when I’m remembering a couple.

Lauren & Brent had flair.
Angela & Spencer were super lovey-dovey.
Jennifer & Brian were determined.
Ashley & Blake loved to laugh.

That is what I remember.  Not the tiny details that you picked out and I photographed.  Not the dress that someone spent an hour steaming right before you walked down the aisle.  Can I be super honest?  Sometimes I even forget what your “colors” were. (GASP!)

When I think back on Krystle & Kevin’s day, I know the only thing I’ll be able to remember is how much fun they had at their reception.   The whole day was pretty “normal”.  Girl gets fancy, walks down aisle, boy says yes, people clap, off to reception, people eat…. But then… POW!  Like a punch in the face, their reception took off and there was no stopping it.  I should have seen it coming…

Sometime during “dinner,” this couple just decided to jump out onto the dance floor.  All alone.  51 years of marriage strong.

People mingled and talked for a little bit longer then… around 9:21 CMB DJs started and didn’t stop until their 11:30 getaway.  Casey was a machine and the crowd loved it & kept wanting more.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  CMB DJs are the best around.  It’s not even close.  In honor of the best reception I’ve been to in a long time, I’m only posting dance floor photos.  Give it up for Krystle, Kevin, & their amazing group of family and friends.

Some of you are wondering… How do you keep the dance floor packed for 2 solid hours?  It’s easy…

I Gotta Feeling Sexy And I Know It Love Shack Twist and Shout Stayin’ Alive Lose Yourself To Dance When the Right One Comes Along One More Night The Humpty Dance Yeah Walk This Way Jump Around Blurred Lines Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough Get Lucky Ice Ice Baby Hollaback Girl Don’t Stop Believin’ Friends In Low Places One Woman Just Dance I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) Paper Planes Teach Me How To Dougie In Da Club Thrift Shop Funky Cold Medina Knockin On Heaven’s Door Cheese Burger Paradise Shout Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Another One Bites The Dust Aggie War Hymn Stanky Legg We Can’t Stop Baby Got Back When the Right One Comes Along Goodnight Moon

This is how you photo bomb.

Aggie War Hymn.

So technically this next image was not on the dance floor.  But come on… How could I not include it. ;)

Thank you guys for a great day and a heck of a party.

One more thing… If you don’t call and book CMB DJs right now, you’ll only have yourself to blame. 903-724-3192

This is a post I’ve waited close to 5 years to write. As long and as hard as the wait has been, the end result is that much more rewarding.

When I first started shooting weddings it didn’t take me long to realize 2 things:

1. I loved shooting weddings.
2. I hated shooting weddings.

It seemed like every other week I would bounce from one end of the spectrum to the other. Little by little I was able to pinpoint my feelings and figure out exactly what was causing me to love or hate each particular weekend. The more the day was about THE WEDDING, the less I seemed to enjoy it. The more the day was about the marriage, the more I left with a full heart. Little by little, year by year, I’ve been able to find my voice, and find the type of couples that I want to work with. This site is the culmination of that process.

There are 3.6 billion wedding photographers in Texas alone. 3.5 billion of them take fantastic images so taking a great photo is not enough. I’m not looking for couples who only want great images. I’m looking for couples who want an honest portrayal of who they are. I’m looking for couples who are authentic and real about what their wedding day can be. I’m looking for couples who want great marriages. The best way for me to find those couples is by modeling that behavior. So finally, after all this time, I have a site that is an honest reflection of myself and what working with me is like. You are not going to find another site like this anywhere. Second Street Creative did an AMAZING job building it and I can’t say enough good things about Ryan. Thank you so much for making this idea a reality.

This is who I am. If you think you might want me at your wedding, spend 10 minutes on this site and you’ll know. And, if you decide we are not a great fit that’s ok. I’ll even help you find a photographer that is. ;)

So go on, take a look around.  There are fun little surprises and things to be found.  It looks different on a computer, tablet, or phone so why not try all three? My favorite part may be the Mug Machine section under Info or the super cute kids on the Bio page.

One last note. The past 2 weeks leading up to this site launch have been packed full of 17 hour days. You would not be viewing it were it not for the limitless hours Danielle invests in our family. Thank you so much for your love and support. You are more amazing today than the day we were married and I’ll never feel like I deserve you.

 
P.S. If you want a chance to win a 2 night stay at a bed & breakfast, here’s what you gotta do.

1. Leave a comment below.
AND
2. Post something on your Facebook telling folks to come take a look around the site.
(You must do both things to be entered to win.)

Here’s a little suggestion on what you could say:

AlexM, my best internet friend and killer photographer, just launched a new site. You should go take a look at it’s amazingness.
http://www.alexmphotography.com

I’ll be selecting the winner at random by the end of the week.