We just l-o-v-e shooting weddings for fellow photographers! And this one was extra fun for us because we had already spent time with Vanessa last summer when she traveled out from Texas to Arizona for an all-day coaching session with us. We knew we liked her the moment we met her. One, because she brought cupcakes. On the plane. All. The. Way. From. Houston! Two, because she’s got the sweetest, most encouraging heart and loves loving people. We just love that about her. So, when she contacted us earlier this year to let us now that she and Matthew, the love of her life, settled on a spring wedding date on a private ranch in Houston, Texas, we couldn’t have been more excited! We LOVE photographing in new places, because it simulates our creativity! For this one, we were dreaming of tall tress, overgrown grass, and romantic walking paths, and you know what, friends? It was even better than we pictured!
Since Vanessa is a photographer herself, she had so many great ideas for their wedding. They decided to have an intimate ranch wedding with family and close friends, they encouraged their guests to join in the color palette of the wedding by wearing neutrals. Everyone did, and it looked so cohesive and classy! We even played along and wore our favorite neutral wedding attire! Vanessa got her dress through an organization called Bride’s Against Breast Cancer, where the proceeds of the wedding dress purchased are donated to charity. Even better, many of the brides then donate the dresses BACK to the charity so they can re-sell the dresses AGAIN and make even more money to help people who really need. How cool is that?!
Here are a few other things we learned about ourselves and loved about this wedding:
1. Amy needs to swim in a pool of bug repellent and then take a bath in sunscreen before she goes into open fields. She got bit by a Texas fire ant during portrait time and, by the end of the night, her foot had swollen up like Eddie Murphy in the Nutty Professor. We ended up going to urgent care the next night in Dallas for an antibiotic and steroid shot to the tooshie. Jordan laughed through the whole thing.
2. People in the South are just nicer. Straight up. Everyone couldn’t have been more warm and welcoming to us everywhere we turned. Even the McDonald’s drive-though attendant seemed like she’d eaten happy-nuggets with a side of polite sauce. It was incredible!
3. Vanessa has the cutest giggle-to-camera ever. EVER.
4. There was Mexican food AND Italian for dinner. We thought we’d died and gone to Wedding Meal Heaven! This was LEGIT cuisine from their favorite neighborhood joints. Since they couldn’t agree on one or the other, they decided to have both. We never thought we’d say this, but enchiladas with a piece of garlic bread over a bed of chicken fettuccine alfredo and a side of chips and guac just about put us in a food coma. Well played, you two. Well played.
5. Texas longhorns are even cooler and more beautiful in person than we’d ever imagined! And these ones even matched the neutral color palette of the wedding. Clever little longhorns…
Vanessa and Matthew, thank you from the bottom of our heart for bringing us to your hometown of Baytown for a wedding day that we’ll never forget. We think the world of you two and are so excited to share some highlights of your wedding with you! Big Texas-sized hugs from us to you all the way from Arizona!
If you like this southern ranch wedding, you might also like this Nashville country wedding!
the WEDDING TEAM…
Planners: Tina + Kim | A Style Collective
Lead Photographers: Amy & Jordan
Second Shooter: Meggie Burr
Bride’s Dress: Vera Wang | Bride’s Against Breast Cancer
Catering: El Toro + Antonio’s
Ceremony Calligraphy: Bride
Ceremony Location: The Barn at Four Pines Ranch
Dessert: Bride’s Sister
DJ: Mike Valdez
Floral Design: A Style Collective
Furniture: Aztec Events + Tents
Getting Ready Location: Private Ranch
Hair Stylist: Brandy | Tease Color + Style Bar
Invitations/Paper Products: Bride | ProDPI
Linens: Aztec Events + Tents
Makeup Artist: Jentry Kelly | Makeup by Jentry
Officiant: Roger Harp
Reception Location: Private Ranch
Videographer: Jeff Richards
the GEAR USED for this WEDDING…
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 50 1.2
Canon 70-200 2.8
Canon 100 2.8
Canon 24-70 2.8
Canon Speedlite 600 EX-RT
Entire Gear List