“What are men to rocks and trees?” -Jane Austen. What a landscape we had to work with during Lexia’s bridals! I think perhaps only a bride could be taken seriously amidst such splendor. For Lexia’s bridals we took 3 gondolas to reach 11,400 feet and thankfully had a perfect evening. I wish I had the words to describe how fortunate I felt to be a part of this time in Lexia’s life. All I can say is that she is a woman who has been given beauty for ashes; to be with her in this time of such great joy is something I will never forget. I am honored and humbled to have heard and witnessed the testimony of God’s faithfulness in her life. Thank you Lex for taking me on this adventure – you are beautiful and a delight to my heart.

I laughed, I cried, I got new boots. Mark and Crystal are cause for anything and everything. I know this because I know them. Close to my heart for so many reasons, this session proved to be my undoing. You see, I have known these two separately from the moment each came to Waco. On the first night, or there abouts, of Mark’s freshman year at Baylor (my sophmore) I remember driving him back to the dorms after a welcome dinner in my ’95 Ford Taurus. They were glamorous times. Back then my speech was still thick with long a’s and Mark may well have thought my name to be Kiaaathryn. Thank you Chicago. Mark was fresh from Minnesota and I remember he smelled like mountains. Crystal. Well, Crystal. She has the voice of an angel if you didn’t know and came to Waco from some far off place called Seattle. It was while engaged in a music program of sorts that we got to know one another and worked the harmonies of my violin in between and all around her lovely melodies. Of course we talked of guys and laughed about the days ahead and one anothers’ most certain wedding days. How wonderful it was when Crystal and Mark first started dating. We all knew it would work out. But then it didn’t. Things ended as quickly as they had begun and we all still wondered at the mystery of Crystal’s wedding day. Of course, the holidays managed to come about and with them came a change of heart for Crystal. With a smile on her lips and wonder in her eyes Crystal stood with me and other gasping, sighing girls around the kitchen island as she proclaimed, “I suddenly realized I could not live without this man.” It was all any of us could do to not faint out of simple romanticism. Then Crystal and Mark fell in love. This is them, in love. I knew each before and I know them both now. Truly, they are better together than apart. Ha! I laugh, because, who knew you could find your beloved in Waco? (female college readers – I make you no promises.) The love, joy, and freedom these two have pours out of them like a great river and every moment I have spent working on their pictures I have been affected by an incurable smile. Mark and Crystal: who knew? Who knew we would be here? What a great delight. I am so glad for all of our past years and overjoyed at the weeks and months ahead. Oh, and the new boots – they were just for safety in the tall grasses. :)

Angela was married this past weekend in Salado, TX in the church her Grandfather designed decades ago. It was a perfect day to be married and she has to date received one of the most glorious sunsets I have ever seen on a wedding day. All of those fine images will be soon to come in the weeks ahead. For now, I have her bridals to share. Ang and I have known one another for what seems ages upon ages. We survived the gauntlet that is undergrad art school together at Baylor. Countless times we stayed up late into the night processing images – hovering over trays of developer and fixer and laughing about all of the wild things that make you crazy in college. This all the while trying to not get caught for locking ourselves in after hours – thank goodness photo labs are such caves. Critique after critique and photo class after class we finally split ways when Ang went on the get her masters in Fine Art Photography and I remained to, well, you know. I ran into Angela at a Coldplay concert a couple of years ago and she looked different – she looked in love. In that giggly, unbelieving way she told me of her boyfriend, her wonderful boyfriend. We both smiled and knew he would be much more than that. It was an honor to be a part of Angela’s wedding day and to take these pictures of her late one summer evening as we moved towards the wedding day. Congratulations Angela!

Many congratulations to Cole and Meg. These two were married in perfect Texas fashion with a Father of the Bride twist thrown into the mix as the reception was hosted at the bride’s home here in Waco. It was a perfect evening full of good friends, great food, hilarious dancing, and the at home charm that little girls dreams of for their wedding. I have so many more amazing details of the food to share come next week. For now, please enjoy this wonderful celebration.

Could Meg be any more stunning? I hardly believe so.

Happy Birthday to Me. I am so very glad that someone dreamed me up and let me loose.

To everyone who has loved me well over the years – I am so grateful for each of you. Thank you.

And thanks to you, Dad, for getting me fireworks for my birthday every year. :)