Just Married | Claire & Matthew || Texas Discovery Gardens wedding

I often feel like I get some of the best clients in the world, and I'm beyond grateful for that. I just feel so lucky to get these couples who are simply gracious, kind, beautiful and full of love. Like Claire and Matthew. A couple of amazing people who are so much in love. While photographing them, I could actually feel their loving energy for each other so much that it often gave me chills. Goosebumps. Or as my boyfriend and I like to call this skin phenomenon -- body braille. I'm just sensitive like that (well I am a Cancer). Anyways, adventure is a great word to express this couple. They have traveled and explored many a-places together. Including a trip to Paris, where Matthew proposed! Just before he asked for Claire's hand in marriage, he gently whispered into her ear a beautiful poem by EE Cummings (that he totally memorized)! What a good man, dude.

 

i carry your heart with me
i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

 

I'm super happy to finally share this gorgeous April wedding. Enjoy!

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Since we took Claire's bridals in advance, we didn't spend too much time on them on the actual wedding day, so check out her bridal session here.

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Introducing...a ridiculously cute, little ring bearer.

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Enjoying a little drink break before they begin all the family photos!

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Reception time!

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Winners of the "anniversary dance". I melt.

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After the first part of their reception, they transitioned into a high-energy, outrageously fun hour called La Hora Loca, a tradition at Latin weddings. Thank goodness American weddings are beginning to incorporate it, because it was a total blast. It truly got everybody up to dance! It gives people a chance to hide behind a pair of silly glasses/wig/etc and be ridiculous. And why yes, I did join in by wearing an LED wig! Sometimes a photographer just has to blend in with the crowd to get those really good shots.

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I wish you all the best, Claire and Matthew, you amazing married couple you!

 

PS I asked them if there was ANYTHING they would have changed from their wedding day and I absolutely love Claire's response:

"Not a thing. Was it perfect by technical standards? No. Was it perfect to us? YES! I broke the top hook on my dress about an hour before the ceremony...by breathing! My veil was going crazy in the wind and was ripped out of my head as we walked back down the aisle! All of these things aside, I had the best day of my life. From the ceremony to crazy hour, I smiled from ear to ear the entire day. We were so lucky to have all of our loved ones in one room to celebrate with us! I also loved seeing everyone let go and really get into crazy hour. Can anything be bad when you've got LED maracas."

vendors || venue - Texas Discovery Gardens | cake - Party in My Pantry | dj - Mike Vieira from LeForce Entertainment | catering - Tejano Brothers | dress - Lazaro found at preownedweddingdresses.com | veil - Stardust Celebrations | florals - Central Market | hair + makeup - La Bichette | coordinator - Carron Short + Sonja Foster of Sugar City Sweets & Celebrations | string quartet - Gyros Quartet | light + sound - Dallas Light and Sound || DIY - menus, programs, giant chalkboard, cones for lavender toss (the sheet music from our their dance song, I've just seen a face), mother was the organizer of La Hora Loca and procured all of the LED items for everyone ||

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Texas Old Town Austin Bridals | Erica