Aves Photography | Aves Photography Blog | 4909 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 817-709-7006

{When reading this story, see if it reminds you of the beginnings of your love. It so reminded me of mine…}

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Their Beginnings.

{From Alli’s point of view}

The first time she saw him, she was eleven years old.  “I don’t remember the first time we met, but I will never forget the first time I saw him,” Alli said. “He was playing basketball in the school gymnasium and I instantly developed a crush.”

Fast forward to her Freshman year in high school. Alli and Stephen took a theater class together, and right before getting out for the summer break he asked for her phone number (“so we could ‘keep up over the break’, of course”). She casually gave it to him, her heart jumping inside of her chest as if it were about to explode into a million pieces.

He probably didn’t know her secret, right?

They talked every night that summer. Her feelings built, but she didn’t let on that she liked him because she wasn’t sure if he felt the same way. So they continued the “friends” charade for quite a few months (“He instantly became my greatest friend, the person that I can, to this day, laugh with the most and tell anything”). But despite pretending to be “just friends”, each time she saw his name on the Caller ID her heart did a little dance and she couldn’t keep the smile from erupting all over her face. She maaaay have even jumped around the house and squealed; I’m not sure…

So it was pretty clear to her that he should show up on her doorstep and ask her out. Any day now. But it was several months later before finally, at her sixteenth birthday party, he told her that he liked her.

And that was when it began.

They dated for the next year and three months, and when the time came for Stephen to leave for college, they split up. “We had been praying about what to do for when he left for A&M, since I would only be a junior in high school. As painful as it was, God made it clear within the first week that he was gone, a long distance relationship was not what He had planned for us. It was awful, but we both knew we had to do it, so we called the relationship off together.”

Two and a half years went by. Every day they were apart Alli missed him, and every day she thought about him. Wishing that they could somehow be brought back together.

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{This was where God came into the picture. Well, He had always been there, but this was when it became obvious that He had a larger plan for Alli and Stephen.}

Alli knew she couldn’t help feeling this way about him. He had her heart, and something (or Someone) had kept her thoughts with him the entire time. The strong pull she felt toward him never left her. Never faded. It had always been there. And it wasn’t going away.

They hadn’t talked during that entire time period apart, and seeing him was tough. They each assumed that the other was over it. With all of the sadness that accompanied losing their relationship, she was ready to move on from this stage and knew she needed direction from God. With some of her friends and family, she began praying that either God would bring them back together or change her heart entirely.

Only one month later (“after a chain of different, major “God things”), there was a knock at her dorm’s door. She opened it and was surprised to see Stephen:

“He showed up at my dorm and said he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life without me. We set aside three months to “re-get to know each other,” pray and seek council about exclusively dating again.”

On May 1, 2010, they went on their second first date.

On December 14, 2011, he asked her to be his wife.

Almost exactly one year after that, they were married. As they looked into each other’s eyes up on that altar, they promised with all of their hearts that they would never separate again.

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This was their wedding day. Wrapped up in a package and given to them as one of the biggest gifts they’d ever receive.

Today, a lifetime of prayers would be answered and a lifetime of hopes and dreams would be fulfilled.

Alli and her bridesmaids and parents gathered at the Omni in Fort Worth to get ready for the day. The room was filled with a palpable excitement.

Alli’s Dad watched the surreal moment of his daughter preparing for her wedding.

Alli sat overlooking Downtown and tried not to get too nervous. This day was finally here.

If Alli needed any help getting excited, her bridesmaids were there for that.

She slipped into her dress quietly in the next room.

With the light pouring in behind her, Alli stepped out into the suite to finish putting herself together.

This is one of those times where you can ask your mom to put your shoes on for you and she won’t laugh at you.

Since Alli hadn’t done any bridal portraits before the wedding, we stepped out onto the balcony to take some portraits of her in her dress.

I was very pleased that the model wind behaved :).

Meanwhile, Stephen and his groomsmen gathered at Robert Carr Chapel.

As they finished up their pictures, they got word that the ladies were about to arrive and were quickly ushered inside to be hidden away.

Alli and her ladies in waiting approached the chapel on a mission.

LET’S GET MARRIED.

I must say, these bridesmaids gowns are beautiful! And gorgeous hair, ladies!

A fun, casual snuggle-shot.

As soon as she settled in to the classroom to wait for the wedding to begin, Stephen sent over a wedding gift.

Inside was a sweet note for his bride, something she “hinted” she might like, and “something in case you get cold feet” (foot warmers :).

Stephen received ice cream with sprinkles as part of his wedding gift. An inside joke between the two of them.

Just before it was time to begin, Alli and Stephen wanted to “see each other” without really seeing each other.

Alli laughed that right when it got all serious, he made jokes to break the ice.

Here, her dad put the traditional sixpence in her shoe.

Here, Alli begs for the crying to be kept to a minimum. Haha.

She couldn’t help it.

They held a prayer before it was time to head over to the chapel…

And now for a holiday ceremony full of light and love.

The candles were a huge part of the prettiness of the ceremony.

They also lined the stairs as the guests walked in to the chapel

The girls gathered behind the curtain and listened for the music to change.

When it did, everyone began to get more nervous and excited.

Before she knew it, her bridesmaids began to disappear down the aisle, one-at-a-time.

This was the {YEEEEEEEE!!!} moment.

The doors swung open with the change of the music, and Alli and her dad felt themselves walking.

Into the crowded room. Toward the groom at the end of the aisle.

Stephen’s was the most welcoming face she had ever seen in her life.

Before taking communion together as their first act as husband and wife, Alli and Stephen had a special moment set aside to pray with each other.

Their parents then came up to pray over them as well.

This is the “I’m about to be called Mrs. Haltom” face.

And this is the happiness that comes after your first kiss as husband and wife.

A prayer…

…And an eruption of applause.

The squeal finally made its way out, and it was celebration time.

Best. Moment. Ever.

They hugged so tightly, knowing that they’d never have to be apart again. It was their dream come true, all rolled in to one moment.

Amongst all of the excitement, they just kept looking over at each other and reveling in the moment. It was unreal to them that this was actually happening.

A very quick photo session after the ceremony, and then it was really time to get to the party!

This is the beautiful fur wrap that Alli wore between the church and reception, and during their exit as well.

Beautiful!

The Omni was set up with vintage typography-style numbers on the tables and menus for the guests.

The centerpieces were sand-filled square vases with “icicle” branches (this was a holiday wedding, after all!).

One cute idea I really wanted to be sure and share was the “Meet the Bridesmaids” and “Meet the Groomsmen” tables that were set up outside the ballroom at the Omni. Each framed photograph held a description of how they knew the bride and groom along with what made each wedding party member special to Alli and Stephen.

The guests would find their table assignments here, inscribed on the glass window panes.

Woo hoo!! Husband and wifey!

What is Stephen thinking here? That he’s having the best day of his life? I think so.

Is Alli? I’m pretty sure she is.

He really couldn’t take his eyes off of her all day.

So many toasts with heartfelt messages for the Bride and Groom, and they started with Alli’s parents.

They couldn’t be happier for the person she had chosen as her husband (or really, the person God had chosen for her).

Stephen then proved his awesomeness by taking the microphone himself and saying sweet things about his bride.

Father-Daughter dance.Mother-Son Dance.

Here are some pictures to show how much fun everyone was having. It was pretty instantaneous as soon as the music started.

Running man, or Cupid Shuffle?

Aggie War Hymn? Haha…how did you know?

And now for my FAVORITES part of the entire day, the BEST SONG IN THE ENTIRE WORLD came on, and Santa hats started being passed around. Santa hat pandemonium ensued as everyone (and I do mean everyone!) jumped around and sang along to Mariah.

Like I said, Best. Thing. Ever.

They then kept the Santa hats on. For good reason. I mean, they were awesome.

In fact, I think everyone should get them back out right now and wear them as they read this. Just to remind themselves of what an awesome moment it was.

More amazing and hilarious toasts…..now.

Aww!

Here are some funnies you’ll enjoy. I know I included waaay too many pictures in this post. Yet again.

But you don’t mind, do you? ;)

Victory lap?

Private last dance.

A beautiful sparkler exit at the entrance to the Omni.

They piled in to the car…

…and waved goodbye as they drove away to begin their brand new life together.

When Alli used to hear this song, she’d think of Stephen. But instead of “All I Want For Christmas is You,” it really should have been “All I Want Forever is You.”

Now it was.