I probably shouldn’t post this many pictures from one wedding…But I’m gonna. Be ready for tons of gorgeousness in the form of wedding fabulosity.
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This was a day Will and I were particularly excited about. For one thing, we’d gotten to know Tracey and Josh and their friends and family really well. And they. Are. Awesome. Like, we literally love them more than photographers should love their subjects. But not in a scary/obsessive sort of way. We are definitely cool by association when we’re with them. And this, in turn, makes us awesome as well. We planned it that way.
From the first day in our studio as we excitedly talked about the wedding plans with Tracey and her mom, to the Engagement-Session-in-the-middle-of-nowhere in which Tracey and Josh followed us to some ridiculous swampy area we found on the side of the road and totally let us do whatever we wanted for the pictures, including dragging them and their cute pup Olive through the mud and making them sit on a boat full-o-bugs that looked like it had been there since 1955 (WOW, that was a run-on sentence. But I’m going to let it slide). In their fabulous clothes. Let me rephrase that: In Tracey’s fabulous shoes. {Aside: I also have to give Will props here for carrying that heavy gold chair down the side of a huge hill. And across a reeeeally long road. And past a pond. To a muddy area covered in cattails and spiderwebs.}
And yes. It was worth it.
Fast-forward a few months past the wedding planning marathons and the bridal showers. The drives up and down I-35 as Tracey and Josh visited each other in Oklahoma and Fort Worth each weekend. The nightly calls they wished they could’ve had face to face. And constant thinking about how it was going to feel when they’d finally be married. And together. For-real together, not just in theory.
The day was suddenly here. And it felt like a dream.
But the best part was, it was real.
Dun da da DAAAHN! An ode to the pretties…
OHHHH, The Valentinos. The Valentinos. Wait. I must stop here. Hold on.
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{…fifteen minutes later…}
And now, a poem set to the tune of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “How do I love thee?” Sonnet.
Valentinos, How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee with the depth and breadth and heeeight
The heels can bring, When feeling out of siiight
For hidden under a dress they’re being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level that they’re not everyday’s
Most quiet heels, by sun or candlelight.
I love thee freely, as ladies strive to own outright;
I love thee purely, as they deserve praise.
I love thee with a passion and would put to use
In my old griefs, and with my satin-loving faith.
I love thee with a love I’ll never lose
With my other lost shoes-I love thy sparkles and thy bows,
The tiny peep of toes- and, if God chose,
I shall but wear them even after death, bare-legged. Without pantyhose.
ThankyouI’llbehereallweek.
I would write another sonnet for the earrings and the hang-ey sparklies that served as ties at the back of Tracey’s gorgeous dress, but I’d like to still be considered a professional after this. So I’ll refrain. And I’ll just sing to myself.
The house was filled with a rush of excitement, from the minute the door opened to us. We made our way straight upstairs to the rooms full of pretty ladies (Will liked this because he’s usually stuck with boring ol’ boys. Now do you see how much more fun it is with the girls, Will? And no, I’m not switching you).
Faaahbulous lashes, Tracey.
One closed door away from the Backstreet Boys Karaoke, Tracey finished up a card to her mom and dad. It was hard to think of the words to express how thankful and happy she was at this very moment. But they knew.
Ian Lobreto from Vagaro was responsible for this amazingness. So couture.
The gorgeousness that day wasn’t just limited to Tracey.
Why, look at that fabulous hair. Gorg.
Here, Tracey’s hair and makeup are perfected.
Her makeup was done by the fabulous Makeup by Courtney DiLynne.
Courtney was also one of Tracey’s bridesmaids, which made the morning of getting ready even more meaningful.
At the church, Tracey slipped into her wedding gown.
I think that she absolutely looks fierce here. Like a Hollywood starlet. Hair and makeup, gooood. Eyelashes, gooood. Dress, gooood.
Tracey did wear these beauties all night. Just so you know.
Upstairs, Josh paced around the Sanctuary until he was stopped by people who love him. He was so ready to see Tracey, he could barely stand it.
Back downstairs, her MOH Lauren helped her put on the finishing touches, these gorgeous sapphire earrings.
Everyone quietly slipped out of the room so that she could be in her own little world of Joshness as she wrote him a card about her feelings that day. It was sweetly titled, “Will You Love Me Forever? Check Yes or No.”
She sat at the table, pouring her heart out in the card. At the same time, Josh was only steps away outside. He stood at the end of the sidewalk, positioned for the First Look and waiting for her to come out of that door. He had no idea what she’d look like, but he knew she’d be beautiful.
As soon as she came out the door and rounded the corner, he gasped, “She’s so beautiful.” {Side note: everyone who was in earshot of this started crying because it was so sincere.}
And it was true. Never could a woman be more beautiful than at this moment, when she walked toward her husband for the first time on their wedding day. She felt like she was floating on a cloud as her dress carried her to her love. When you feel this happy and right with the world, it shows.
It was a moment they’ll never ever forget.
A smile broke out all over his entire being and his eyes sparkled as she swooshed toward him.
Tears filled both of their eyes before they even neared each other.
It was the most meaningful of embraces.
The first few moments they got to be together that day were surreal to both of them. But they did feel every ounce of happiness they’d imagined they would.
I love this.
As we set up for a shot, Josh and Tracey quietly talked in disbelief. That the day was actually happening, and that it was finally happening to them was unreal. The way Josh leaned into her and the way Tracey clenched up her fists showed their excitement for what was about to happen.
He makes her feel pretty. She makes him feel dapper.
A close nuzzle.
As we were finishing up the “Bride and Groom” portraits, Tracey’s dad showed up. This exchange between them was priceless.
This is an example of how fabulous girls can be. And yes, they are as awesome as they look.
PS-The Enchanted Florist did the florals at this wedding. Ah. Ma. Zing. Every one of their arrangements and bouquets are ALWAYS lush and beautiful. Always. I’m telling you, Enchanted all the way.
Josh and his group of guys.
The clock was ticking down. The guests were in their seats. And Tracey and her best friends were in the side room at the church, right outside the sanctuary. They could hear the wedding music wafting through the cracks in the door and reverberating through the walls. They were the songs she had picked just for this day, and there she was, listening to them in her wedding dress.
This was one of my most favorite images from the whole day. I love the candid nature of it. Tracey will love how awesome her hair looks and how tan she is in it. And she’ll also love that it takes her back to those moments inside the room with her dad, right before walking down the aisle.
A squinched-up smile and a blurry walk as they elegantly made their way into the church. If you can’t feel her heart in this one, you’re not looking directly at it.
Josh’s face as she walked down the aisle was equally beaming.
Finally, they were up at the front of the church. Saying the vows they’d always remember.
The kiss had just happened. The Pastor announced them as husband and wife. And they turned to face the crowd. Tracey looked up at Josh to see his proud and excited smile. Her new husband.
This one just makes me excited for them.
The room they huddled in after the ceremony was full. Warmth, joy, and beauty filled it. This is why I love weddings so much. Right here.
Tracey’s dad immediately came up and embraced her as soon as he came through that doorway.
Terry hugged her new Son-in-Law and they stood there for a moment, taking it all in.
Not even moments later, she looked over at her daughter and beamed. And so did Josh. He shared her sentiment.
Amongst all of the excitement you could see Terry watching her too.
Josh and his grandmother had a moment. Times like these really bring out the best feelings, don’t they?
The pretty sparkly lights of Sundance Square awaited outside.
Next to their Horse and Carriage.
Which would take them to the Petroleum Club.
More Enchanted pretties below.
There were so many sweet moments during their First Dance. I couldn’t just pick one. Like I said, I included WAAAY too many pictures this time. But I didn’t think you’d mind.
Terry’s toast to his daughter and her new husband was completely heartfelt.
To be able to stand there with your new husband as your dad tells everyone in the room that he’s proud of your choice and the person you have picked is a really good feeling.
Tracey agreed: Josh is a pretty great guy.
At the end of the dance, she hugged him. For all that he’s done for her. Tonight. This year. And her whole life.
Nice beret, Josh. Very husbandly.
Yay! They like our props! Haha.
This was actually a test shot taken by Will that I deemed okay enough to include in the post (only because it is one of the better ones out of the hundreds of bad test shots. See? I am just as vain as you).
If you can’t tell, I’m trying to look cute and/or funny but it’s not really working. Instead, I look annoyed even though I’m not. But that’s okay, there’s pretty sparkly light behind me! Haha.
Back to the reception. These are some of the great dance moves we witnessed.
Yes. Best bouquet toss ever.
Don’t Stop Believing.
Hold on to that FEEL-A-EA-EAN.
Okay, I’ll stop.
The Last-Dance-Embrace. One of my favorite moments that I hope will happen at every wedding. I wait for it. And it is awesome.
Every time.
Leaving amongst a flurry of bubbles, and they were off to Bora Bora!
Tracey and Josh (and family/friends who we’ve also come to know), you guys know how much we love you. Now we just need to go back in time and do that again. Except with…well, no except-withs. We need to do that again EXACTLY as it was. Because it was perfect.
XOXO, Lauren and Will
PS-They didn’t pay me to post this. No one ever does because we don’t do fake advertising in the form of pretending to like someone (although that’s an idea….j/k…until someone actually does, in which case I will accept it. Haha. Well…as long as they’re good ;) Anyway, I am totally joking so don’t take that the wrong way. Should I stop talking now? Okay).
by Lauren Aves
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