The first full blown wedding I’ve photographed in the AfterTimes was a week ago and it was truly *magical*. Angela and Cody are wonderful, bright, fun, and loving people and their whole day reflected that perfectly. It felt comfortable. Like being around old friends. The love and warmth that was radiating out of these two and their family and friends was definitely felt. Truly a perfect welcome back.
Custom Wedding Invitations with Basic Invite!
Hey-o Friend-o! Long time no see! SO much has happened in the past month! I turned 30, shot lots of film, Austin saw one of the biggest snow/ice storms in it’s history, made some sourdough… you know… the USUAL.
Just kidding… but IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW— Am I right??
In the face of it ALL— I still have some lovely, beautiful, wonderful clients trying to plan out their big days for later this year. Struggling to keep their gatherings small enough to be COVID safe, find flowers, and send out INVITATIONS! But I’ve found a new product that I LOVE and wanted to share with you, just in case you’re in that same boat and need a little help. And I don’t boost products I don’t actually love to use. Those of you who know me well, know that I love paper products. I work as a printing technician (on the side of my photo biz) and I know quality paper products when I see them. I was helping a client of mine find some easy-to-design, beautifully crafted wedding invitations and Basic Invite is the TICKET.
Basic Invite is a custom wedding invite (and other paper products as well!) company located in Utah. They are one of the few wedding invitation websites I’ve visited that you can actually order full sized samples before placing a large order with them so you can make * absolutely sure * that you are receiving a product that you love. While browsing their site and selecting samples for my clients, I was blown away at #1: how EASY the templates are to customize and #2: at just how many color, paper, texture YOU NAME IT options they had. It is an absolute treat to be able to browse through the color combinations. And if you’re more design savvy than I am, you can also upload your own designs on the site and customize which papers and textures you want!
(my favorite are the clear invitations, they’re just so delicate and beautiful!)
Honestly though, www.basicinvite.com can provide you with everything you need to make sure that sending out your invitations is quick, easy, and stress free.
(** psssst** AND their customer service people are TOP NOTCH in case you do happen to have any questions about the process… but it is very very easy to navigate, I promise)
Be sure to check them out for your wedding (or any other!!!) invitation needs!
I solemnly swear to post more blogs in the coming days!
Until next time, friends.
Stay safe,
Austin Wedding Photographer-- Last Minute Elopement
There is almost nothing I love more than a sweet, quiet, small elopement. This couple contacted me about a week before they tied the knot. They were married outside on the back porch of their officiant’s house overlooking the hill country and it was almost too good to be true.
Austin Wedding Photographer-- Anna and Mik's Pandemic Wedding!
Anna and Mik had planned a *MUCH* larger event before the pandemic. But they upended their original plans and adapted them to fit the current times. They did so with such grace and humility and a “oh well, can do!” kind of attitude. It made everything all the more magical and fun. With only their closest friends and family present they said “I Do” and had day to remember.
Austin Wedding Photographer--Elopement in the backyard
They got married at home. The Groom’s mother officiated the ceremony. All of the decorations were hand made. The couple’s precious kitties also got to attend. Shooting weddings during a global pandemic has been such a wild ride!
Austin Wedding Photographer--Elopement in Central Austin
Elopements are just so magical. No fuss. No hassle. Just pure love and happiness. And this elopement was just that. Plain and simple. The Covid-19 pandemic has postponed so many weddings this year, and so many of my clients have had to roll with it and have done so with such grace. This ceremony was so so sweet
Austin Wedding Photographer-- The Social Distance Wedding
Love. Cannot. Be. Postponed. Y’all already know that I LIVE for small weddings and elopements. They just feel so sweet. This backyard, Zoom meeting, socially distant, cute AF, chill and happy wedding was EXACTLY what I needed. Full of Taylor Swift tunes and sweet friends celebrating the love and happiness. There was also a freakin’ drive by parade <3 you GUYS!!!!! It doesn’t get more perfect.
Austin Engagement Photographer--Anna and Mik at Home
*SIGH * In-home sessions are so dreamy. This pre-quarantine session with Anna and Mik was so fun. They are so relaxed and down to earth and such a joy to be around. They had just purchased a new home together and wanted to commemorate their very first living space/grab some casual engagement photos as well. This place was so special for them, but looking forward was exciting as well.
Austin Wedding Photographer-- At home engagement session on Film
Rocky and Jimmy asked me some months ago to come and take their engagement photos. There was one catch though—they wanted me to pull out my ol’ crown graphic 4x5 film camera. And naturally— I jumped at the chance. <3 Shooting with film is such a dreamy process, and these two are perfect subjects. I left a few dust specks and scratches on the scans. Give ‘em that old record feel.
Austin Wedding Photographer-- Cora and Gabe's Elopement
Boy. I didn’t things could get crazier. But then they did. Cora and Gabe had originally wanted to get married in April but had to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They made a quick decision to be married in a park with only their very closest friends and family present. It was beautiful. Everyone was so joyous and amazing. The ceremony was quick and amazingly heartwarming. Love cannot be postponed.
Austin Wedding Photographer--Michellee and Vincente at Coyote Garden Hall in Buda, Texas
Even though it was windy— I was SO pleased when the sun came out for this couple’s wedding day. We had a bout of rainy cold days and I was a little bit worried. But the sunshine came and the hairspray was plenty and the night was crisp and totally perfect. I’m a sucker for a sunset wedding and this one was textbook perfect.
Austin Wedding Photographer--Shelva and Ron's living room wedding
Small weddings are amazing. I wasn’t sure what to expect when Shelva originally contacted me about photographing her wedding. She said that she’d be getting married at home with just a few of her closest friends and that the reception would be next door afterward.
When I arrived, I was FLOORED at how amazingly adorable and perfect everything was. A living room wedding, all dolled up with some beautiful flowers and one of their very closefriends making boudain in the kitchen while everyone sipped champagne and waited for the ceremony began. Her mother gave her away and the whole thing was more beautiful than I could have imagined.
I cry at weddings. Even when I’ve just met the couple. I cry at weddings. Love is great.
Austin Wedding Photographer--Engagement in Georgetown, Texas
Saturday was rainy and drippy and warm and yuck but we lucked the heck out for this Sunday shoot. A little bit chilly in the shade but beautifully dry and warm in the sun. Cora and Gabe are one cute couple, and I’m insanely excited that they picked me to shoot their engagement photos as well as their wedding day <3 Growing up in Austin, I never really had a reason to go exploring Georgetown, but Cora grew up there and showed me around a bit. What a sweet little town square! And really good coffee shops as well. I will definitely be back for a visit!
Austin Wedding Photographer--Cantu Wedding Welcome Party 2019
Sometime last week I was asked to photograph this lovely couple’s Welcome Party. It was an opener to their wedding weekend and I am so grateful to have been there. Malverde is the event space at La Condessa in the 2nd Street District of Austin. What an amazing venue and what a wonderful group of people. The air before a wedding always feels so electric. So much love and hope for the future and I just cannot get enough of it!
Congratulations Diana and Rob! Cheers to a lifetime of happiness <3
Serendipity: A Surprise Summer Wedding- Austin Wedding Photographer
I just love love. This summer I had the opportunity to photograph a wedding in the woods under the strangest of circumstances.
You see, it all started with a small, scared dog. A longhaired dachshund to be exact. Named Lambo. He had escaped from his family’s group campsite and gone on quite an adventure in the woods before running out in front of the car as if to say “Excuse me, have you seen my mom and dad?”. Before too long (and before it got too dark) we returned him to the camp where he came from and were offered a spot to set up the tent in exchange for bringing Lambo home. We gladly accepted because we were running out of daylight to find a good spot and the people were so warm and gracious.
While setting up camp a few people came over (we learned later were the Groom, his brother and sister in law) to check in on us and see if we needed any help, and also to thank us again for bringing their baby home. I know personally how crushing it can be when a pet gets lost and we were just so happy we came across him as well! Like I said, it was getting dark pretty quickly and he would have been in a real pickle had we not come along and picked him up. Serendipity. They mentioned that there was a wedding happening the next day. To which we quipped “Ya got a wedding photographer for this wedding?”
“Actually…. no! Do you want to do it!?” An opportunity we couldn’t really turn down, right?! DUH!
The wedding the next day was meant to start around 2pm but ended up starting around 5:30 or so— much to our photographic benefit because by that point the lighting had gone golden and warm and shimmery just the way I like it. We spent some time milling around talking to the guests who all had beers in their hands and were ready to celebrate. By that time the story of how a wedding photographer just happened upon an impromptu wedding in the woods by way of a little brown dog. It was a good story. For both us and the wedding party. Everyone was so incredibly warm and welcoming and happy to have us there. And we in turn were so grateful to be there and to have a nice place to camp and wonderful people to converse with.
The Bride finally emerged from the trailer and approached the hill where everyone had set up their camping chairs and some ribbon and flowers had been set up for the ceremony. She was just glowing. A simple lace dress with a purple under slip and her hair and makeup beautifully done. Now the glow may have been that golden light I mentioned….but I think it was more just the pure joy radiating out. She was escorted up the hill toward her father who was waiting at the top to walk her down the isle by her many many dogs. (oh yes, the dogs were a big part of the ceremony and that is one of my favorite things every about weddings—- when people make a point to include their furry family members too).
The ceremony was officiated by a good friend of the bride and groom (and the officient’s dog Cosmo who was very handsome in his little tuxedo). It was short— but so so so very sweet. We spenT about half an hour afterward taking the standard family photos for keepsakes and then were welcomed to have some dinner with their family and friends. They had a big cookout. Everyone had made the quick trip up to the mountains and into the forest to see their good friends get married— but the party was not lacking in any way. Music and laughter filled the air and everyone was just grateful to have been a part of it.
I can say that I was also so very grateful. We had just met them the night before—total strangers— but felt like we were a part of their story now and couldn’t have been more moved and amazed by the kindness, acceptance and graciousness of other humans.
I am generally a fairly shy and introverted person… behind the camera… always observing… rarely participating. But they made me feel comfortable and able to come out of my shell a little— that was pretty special.
Thank you again so very much to Kaycee and James and congratulations again!
I had no idea I would be shooting a wedding on vacation… but it’s the most memorable and special one so far.
Pesoli Wedding 2018--Austin Wedding Photographer
Catching up on blogs and remembering this backyard wedding. Backyard weddings are wonderful— more people should have them. I photographed a book release party for Christina a few years prior and then a few months before her wedding, I received an email from a mutual friend because Christina was asking if I might be interested in photographing her wedding day as well. It was wonderfully relaxed and a true celebration of their love and the life they have built together. Also, their cat, Dulce, was the best man and if that’s not enough to melt your heart then I don’t know what is.
{{Wedding}}: Kate and Sam tie the knot-- Austin Wedding Photographer
Was it a cold, wet day? Yes. My hands felt like both fire and ice. Was it one of the best most beautiful and loving ceremonies I’ve ever been to? Also yes. I only cried a lot. Kate and Sam tied the knot one month and 6 days ago and I’m still swooning over how pretty it all was. The ceremony was officiated by one of their very good friends under an arbor that Sam built. It was in a quiet wooded area and they were surrounded by those closest to them. It was an honor to be invited.
