Tristan & Shane Married - Austin Country Club

Some people have it all!

Beauty, promising careers, a loving family, great friends and a spouse that loves them dearly. That is Tristan and Shane. On March 4, they surrounded themselves with friends and family to witness their union of marriage. Tristan's closest eight friends (yes, I said 8) dressed in delicate pink, matched by Shane's eight buddies in formal black tuxedos, accompanied the couple to the alter. All together they created a human wall that extended from one side of the patio to the other.

It has been said that it is good luck to have rain on your wedding day. I think that expression was made up by a wedding coordinator trying to pacify a bride. However, this time the misty, mossy green, soft light impact of an overcast sky was beautiful. We moved the ceremony from the lawn to a covered patio and all of the wedding party and family pictures were done under a covered portachere. Use of this indirect light source was perfect. I was wet, they were dry and I was totally happy.

My favorite part of this wedding was the "First Look Session" where the bride and groom spent 30 minutes with each other prior to the ceremony. I like to recommend a pre- ceremonial meeting between a bride and groom for two reasons. I find it calms their nerves allowing them to be more in the moment for the rest of the day. And, it gives me a chance to photograph them with favorable lighting - especially during the winter or early spring when the sun sets so early. Some couples resist this concept because they want the first time that they see each other to be when the bride is walking down the aisle. I always say: "There will always be a first time that you see each other on your wedding day. The question is, do you want it to be a private moment or public one?" When you put it that way, they frequently see the merits to the advanced meeting. With Tristan and Shane, I could tell they were both nervous that morning and seeing each other was exactly what they needed. I set them up back to back and told them to turn around. When they did, I witnessed their amazing love. They just lit up. I could tell they were both in love and best friends at the same time. They beamed. Capturing this moment was a privileged and I felt honored to be apart of such an intimate moment in their lives.

Thank you Tristan and Shane for allowing me to be apart of your most special day.