Christine and Brett :: Married, Part 1

I can remember driving past the beautiful church on SLU’s campus so many years ago and watching a bride and groom come out the big red doors, preceded by a photographer snapping photos along the way.  We were stopped at a red light, so I let my eyes linger for a while on the scene that was unfolding.  The beautiful couple had just gotten married, and the photographer and his assistant were composing a shot of the wedding party.  I sighed and smiled to myself.  The light turned green and we drove past the bridal scene.  At that time, I had just fallen in love with photography.  I was still trying to wrap my mind about how shutter speed related to aperture and what lenses to use in certain situations.  For all I didn’t know about photography at the time, though, I did know that I wanted nothing more than to spend my days figuring it out.  And one day, I thought to myself, I’ll be that photographer shooting a beautiful wedding party at that beautiful church on Grand.  One day…

From the moment I sat down with Christine, I could tell that working with her was going to be a treat.  She’s a woman with style who knows what she wants, and honestly, I just plain get a kick out of her.  And her organization… I can’t even begin to describe it.  If Christine were to become a wedding planner, she’d be the best in the biz.  For real.  She sent me a copy of her detailed itinerary, complete with maps, photos, and a little of her own humorous commentary, and it was beyond helpful. She and Brett are so well-loved by all and it was incredibly evident by all the people surrounding them during their wedding day.  So many genuine hugs, so many heartfelt words, and so much palpable excitement.

And such a beautiful venue.

I’m going to be honest here.  I cried during their ceremony.  Twice.  Once when Christine’s daddy lovingly gave his daughter’s hand to Brett, and then once again when my mind drifted back to that day so many years ago when I was just a girl with a head full of dreams sitting at a red light on Grand.

Even during the preparation for the event, Christine was such a beauty.

how adorable is this flower girl?

The bridesmaids and ring bearer just before the ceremony.  You read that right.  Ring bearer.  Christine’s good friend joking volunteered to be the ring bearer…. And the ring bearer he was.

I cried here.

Such a beautiful couple.  

Gorgeous bright colors from Tina Barerra.  If you think these are lovely, just wait till you see the reception.  Just you wait…

Christine’s request… and I have to admit that I was quite impressed by the ladies who leaped so gracefully up to the wall. 

I love Christine’s veil and the elegant dimension it added.

After their mid-morning ceremony and time for plenty of photos, Christine and Brett reserved the Moolah Lanes for their wedding party.  This little cutie was a treat to watch.

So much more to come…. a reception filled with beautiful florals, Italian cookies, and a Twist dance-off.