As Kenton and I neared Arianna’s childhood home, I couldn’t help but smile. Just like her, the neighborhood was dear and friendly, like one you’d see in a remake of Father of the Bride. We pulled up to her house on her wedding day, a sunny Friday morning in January, and were greeted with dusty blue bridesmaid dresses hanging on pretty wire hangers, an abundance of blooming white roses strewn about the house, and the biggest smile from the bride herself. Coffee in hand and red Hunter boots on foot, Arianna was a vision of exploding joy. She couldn’t wait to marry her man later that day! Her thoughtfulness for him glistened all day, down to the small shiny gifts she got for him: a customized tie clip and 2 smart looking cuff links. Arianna’s unique bridal style, expressed in the most whimsical dreamlike dress down to her perfect lavender pumps, made shooting details feel like strolling through an art exhibit of all her favorite things.

And if the details didn’t endear me to Arianna and her childhood home (which they did!), the precious people inside it would have done the trick!

This is why weddings are so special. In a day that is all about Arianna and Justin, the transition into husband and wife they’re about to embark upon, and the beautiful commitment they make to one another, we also get to witness, just as a bonus, countless sweet moments between a daughter and a mom as they walk through a touching transition in their own relationship!
But Mom isn’t the only one processing the feelings of Arianna getting married. Little Sis here did some thinking and processing of her own on this day, too, as you’ll see later. I can imagine her just thinking about what’s going on behind the door where Momma and big sister Arianna are attending to final primping touches…
Little did she know there was just as much emotion on the other side of the door as on hers.

Fitting as Arianna got ready in her childhood home, she also wanted a few moments in her bedroom as well. Imagine all the years she went to bed in there dreaming of her husband!

Mom and Dad were down the stairs waiting on a first look just for them. They had a moment of their own before Arianna came down the stairs on her wedding day.

How many mornings had Arianna sat on her front porch, waiting for carpool to school, and now here she is, stepping onto her porch to be greeted by her best friends and sisters, all waiting to see her in her wedding dress.
And finally the first look her heart has been waiting for, dreaming of in her bedroom with those lavender walls hugging her goodnight, a first look with her Groom!

Justin’s father is a preacher up North, so having their wedding in a church was really important to them. And not only that, but a church that would allow Justin’s father to officiate the wedding. The search for the right church may have taken some time, but it was far worth the effort. My dad is also a pastor, and he also officiated my wedding. That was incredibly special to me and Kenton, and actually each of my siblings, who asked my dad to officiate their weddings, too. I know just how special this was to Arianna and Justin. So as you can imagine, getting to photograph this ceremony was really special to me for a lot of reasons.
Okay, this photo is priceless. Arianna looked back at her mom as she was about to be given away by her dad and just closed her eyes and smiled as if to say, “We made it, and I’m so happy.”
Sweet Little Sis, here she is again, listening intently and soaking in the magnitude of what’s happening to her big sister.

If you’ve followed my blog for a little while, you know that the moments just after a ceremony are some of my favorite of all wedding days!
Arianna and Justin’s reception was held at a brewery in Houston, Texas, called St. Arnold’s Brewery. Maybe your familiar with their beers, which are amazing!
This is one of my favorite Dad-Daughter dance photos I’ve taken so far. They had a really sweet dance planned out, that ended with Arianna resting her head on her dad’s shoulder.
Arianna and Justin’s reception was like a big family hang out. For one, I feel like most of the people in attendance were related to them in one form or another! They have big, huge, happy families on each side, so if you can imagine, the reception atmosphere just felt warm and inviting! And, being at a brewery, their were also fun activities and parting gifts for guests!
Arianna and Justin decided to do several special dances. One was an elimination dance, that started with all couples on the dance floor and ended with the couple who had been married the longest. This couple then got to give some words of marital encouragement to the Bride and Groom. The couple that won, wouldn’t you know, was Arianna’s grandparents!
Arianna’s parents also got their own special dance at the reception, and they definitely showed that this wasn’t their first time on the dance floor!
You gotta love a groom that grooves. 🙂

Vendors:

Bridal Boutique: Princess Bridal

Bride’s Shoes: Target

Groom’s Attire: Generation Tux

Rings: Angara (bride) and Blue Nile (groom’s)

Ceremony Venue: First Methodist Humble

Reception Venue: St. Arnold’s Brewery

Catering: St Arnold Catering

Desserts: Nothing Bundt Cake

Florals: HEB Blooms

HMU: Dusti Rhodes (hair) Ariel Flanery (makeup)

DJ: DJ Gonz

 

Arianna and Justin, congrats again on your beautiful marriage! Kenton and I loved getting to be there! Y’all stay so warm up North in the snow!!

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As usual, we like to try and grab a few behind the scenes shots throughout the day just because it helps me learn more and more about my in the moment choices as a photographer. Sometimes I share a few here if they’re fun, funny, or informative! This first set is informative! Porches were a big theme for this wedding. It was a bright, cold day in early January. This meant brilliant, not a cloud sight, vibrant blue skies and cold air. I have no evidence other than my gut to suggest that cold air impacts light, but I think really it does. I’m not sure how, but I feel like sunny, cold days somehow intensify colors. So this being the case, as I shot details early in the day and portraits around noon or one, these two porches really helped to create a safe spaces for soft light!

Also, yes, my hair is pink. 🙂

Okay, this bts is two fold: Kenton being amazing and helping coordinate bridal party group photos, and Arianna being amazing and being herself 😀

And this last one I include only because Kenton is cute. And that is all. 🙂 Tune in next week for more portfolio posts!