The email that Monica sent me from her honeymoon just a couple of days after I shot her wedding filled my heart with so much happiness. She said that she wished we lived closer together (she’s in the Houston area and I’m of course here in Birmingham) because she felt like we would be such friends and have so much in common. Little did she know that I had *just* found out we were moving to Austin, so I told her we might be seeing each other sooner than she thought! :) I love that I often share so much in common with my couples, but I especially felt that way about Monica and her now-husband Clay. Just a couple of months before the wedding, they posted photos of themselves on Facebook at the Muse concert in Houston that Jamie and I desperately wanted to go to, and then I discovered just a short while later that Monica is a bit of an Anglophile and loves so many other things (in addition to Muse!) that the British produce, from Harry Potter to Doctor Who to C.S. Lewis to Mumford & Sons. And Clay is a huge Formula One racing enthusiast and even drives his own car.
On top of their love for Europe, they also adore all things vintage, things that are old and have a story behind them. On their very first date, they drove down to Galveston, Texas and picked up an old airplane prop from a hilarious old man. They spent those first few months of their relationship hand-sanding and painting it together, and it now hangs on their living room wall as a reminder of where they started out. Their passion for vintage also extended right into their wedding, from Monica’s adorable tea-length dress and killer aqua BHLDN shoes, to the 50′s Ford Fairlane their friend loaned to them as a getaway car, to all of their favorite books and old treasures used as decoration for the ceremony and reception. I always love when couples use their wedding as one of the ultimate forms of self-expression because it allows me to learn so much more about them throughout the day, and Monica and Clay did this to a T.
My second shooter Mary Margaret Smith and I had such a great time capturing this day at the stables at Russell Crossroads, a stunning venue out at Lake Martin. We oohed and ahhed over the views and the scenery, and if only you could’ve heard all the squealing we did over Stargazer, the miniature horse. A huge thank you to the staff there, who were so incredibly kind and helpful to us, and drove us all over creation in a golf cart for photo ops. :) And now, on to the photos!
Seriously obsessed with their style.
What fun bridesmaids dresses!
A wedding day with horses? Well, it’s hard to go wrong…
Love this pre-ceremony shot Mary Margaret captured. So great!
Monica attached a Go Pro camera to her bouquet so she could film the ceremony action from her perspective. I had never seen that done before, but I’m sure it was really awesome to watch after the fact!
This next series of portraits are some of my very favorites. Monica timed the ceremony to end just before the sun set, so we had about 15 minutes of perfect golden light to shoot in. And with a backdrop like this… well, it was pretty much heaven! I think I may have been a little *too* excited, because at one point Clay asked me how much caffeine I drink. haha.
And more portraits of the car… and Stargazer in the background! (It was all I could do not to sing “Byeeeee byeeeee Li’l Sebastian!”)
Monica, you’re stunning.
I’m telling you, this family was a family of DANCERS. They’re from Texas, so they can make their way around a dance floor like nobody’s business. I posted the photo below to my Facebook page last week and said that every so often, I oblige an invitation to dance with a wedding guest. Monica’s dad wouldn’t take no for an answer, so next thing I knew, I found myself being swept around the dance floor. My two left feet didn’t take it very well. ;)
Monica and Clay, congratulations! Next time I see you, maybe it’ll be in Texas. :D
Gail - Sigh. I LURVEEEEEE all your weddings (but you already knew this!) THis one gets special props for that gorgeous pair of pumps, all that beautiful lace and, OF COURSE, a Lil Sebastian reference!!!! You have to love knowing you’ve been to Muncie (aka Gerry’s favorite place to visit), right? ;) hahaha
Lorraine - I. Love. This. Wedding. I’m going to weep. Can I get married again??? (To the same man, of course!)
Love the shot of the bride’s backlit curls while she’s getting ready. And the horses. And the reception space. SWOON! I’m done. :)
Kelly Cummings - These are absolutely gorgeous! I love the shot of her from behind at the barn and walking up to the ceremony with her dad. So Awesome! And I hope you stole those Bhldn shoes and I hope if so that they were size 7.5.