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Stephanie & Jessica’s White Oaks on the Bayou Engagement Portraits

It was the first Friday in June and though it was 6:30 in the afternoon, it was HOT! My weather app chirped about a heat advisory all weekend after. Tristan and I met Stephanie and Jessica at the White Oaks venue in Simonton, Tx.

Tristan rode around the property in my little red wagon filled with stuff for the portrait session as well as sunscreen and an umbrella (for Tristan… he’s so pale). He “helped” me by watching YouTube on my phone and occasionally asking the couple some questions, or answering them. One day (I hope) he will actually help me.

We talked about all sorts of things while we meandered around the property (taking our time to get the right angle and shot). I learned that Stephanie and Jessica met while playing/coaching rugby at A&M. Stephanie played soccer, which segued into Rugby in college. They have several nieces and nephews and their family insisted on a wedding reception after they learned the couple eloped in December.

The Proposal Story:

After dating for a year, Stephanie and Jessica moved to London where they lived together. It always felt like their first home. Their favorite date-night activity was to spend the night out at the theater and at dinner. One magical evening, Jessica proposed in London, on the Hungerford Bridge, after an amazing date night.

The couple loves working their land in the country, hiking and riding horses, so taking their engagement portraits at White Oaks on the Bayou was perfect for them.

Check out the photos from the engagement portrait session below.

 

Stop hating your neighbors

I’m going to use my baby soapbox to make this one point. 

There isn’t enough room in this world for all of the HATE that’s currently circulating. 

God says “love thy neighbor.” He doesn’t say love thy neighbor, but only if he’s white or straight or Christian or votes the same way you do. It’s a blanket of love he is asking for. 

Hating people because of the color of their skin, the way they love, the way they pray, or the way they vote is like hating natural redheads for the color of their hair. They don’t have anymore control over the color of their hair than a member of the LGBTQ community does the people they’re attracted to. Sure you can dye your hair, but eventually your roots will show and you’ll tire of hiding who you were born to be. The person God made you to be.

We have the right to disagree with a persons religious belief, political view or life style. We don’t have the right to judge, harm (both physically and mentally), or bully someone because they’re different from us. Not everyone is a square peg, some of of are round and some of us are triangles. We aren’t all going to fit into the same metaphorical square hole.

So let’s all make an effort to stop all of this hate & bulling and bigotry. Make an effort to be a part of the solution and not the problem. If you see someone being bullied online, stand up for them, even if that means standing up for a Democrat or a Republican. If you see someone being pushed around and harassed because they’re different, stand up for them. And for the love of God, stop calling people hateful names.

Stand up for the human race, regardless of our differences, because it’s our differences that make us so amazing and beautiful. It would be a very dull world if we lived in a monochromatic society. 

 

Summer Maternity Portraits at McGovern Centennial Gardens

Maternity Portraits at Houston’s McGovern Centennial Gardens

Liz and Jose contacted me to schedule their maternity portraits. Liz was looking for something with lots of flowers and suggested McGovern Centennial Gardens in the Museum district of Houston. I have walked past the gardens before and considered going in and checking it out, but I never had the time when I was in the area (funny because the area is all about relaxing and taking the time to smell the roses). I absolutely LOVED shooting maternity portraits there. There were so many nooks and crannies to check out and to photograph in. I will say, it is officially too hot to take photos before 5:00pm. Actually, I would say it’s too hot to shoot before 6:30pm. So many people kept telling me a week after that I looked like I got some sun. It didn’t occur to me until later that the “sun” I had gotten was from this beautiful garden.

It takes a strong Texan to have an August baby and Liz is no different.

Congratulations you two!!!

 

Briscoe Manor Wedding Photographer- Vendor Highlight

Briscoe Manor is a country-chic wedding and event venue tucked in the back roads of the Houston suburb of Richmond. They host all sorts of events from weddings to corporate events.

They have a wide variety of ceremony locations to choose from on their 50-acre property. From the gorgeous limestone chapel to rustic outdoor locations, couples are able to choose their ideal backdrop for their dream day.

 

Chapel wedding – walk down the isle in the property’s stunning limestone chapel with it’s rustic chandeliers lighting you from above like haven kissing your brow while 300 of your closest friends and family can watch with kerchief dabbed eyes.

Lake-side wedding – Maybe you prefer the calming chirp of birds and soft moos from the distant herd of cattle? The lakeside wedding location might be just right for you. With the winding path from the back porch to the permanent limestone structure, you’re sure to make an entrance as your 300 guests stand with tears in their eyes.

Courtyard wedding – Maybe you’re more of an outdoor couple? Say ‘I do ‘ to the love of your life under the romantic strung lights across the court yard. Your closest friends and family can gather around and cheer as you and your (now spouse) pump your fists into the air in celebration. Or, you can use the courtyard to host a garden cocktail hour after your chapel wedding.

Grand Ballroom – Up to 350 friends and family can gorge on cake and hors d’oeuvres, bust a move on the dance-floor and trample each other to capture the bouquet in this large space with it’s tall ceilings, rustic chandlers and limestone walls.

Don’t forget about all of the other amenities like the quaint courtyard from the bridal suet for bridal portraits, and to entertain in. The groom’s lounge is equip with a professional pool table and deep leather chairs. And of coarse, the lodge styled bar which can host a happy hour for your guests.

 

Briscoe Manor
801 FM 723
Richmond, TX 77406 
(281) 238-4700
Info@briscoemanor.com

 

Traditions Vs. Non-Traditions — Bridesmaids & Grooms Men

As a wedding photographer in the business for several years now I have seen a lot of tradition at weddings and a lot of non-traditional weddings. First off, every wedding is different. It’s like a snowflake or a fingerprint. Each wedding is entirely unique to its couple.

This is the 3rd part in a series of traditions vs non-traditions

3. The Bridesmaid & Groomsmen

I love the history behind the bridesmaids… it’s a bit hilarious. Apparently, bridesmaids used to wear a similar dress to the bride to confuse the bride’s exes and outsmart evil spirits. I guess men and evil spirits alike had a hard time distinguishing one female face from another… lol

Groomsmen’s history, on the other hand is equally as funny as bridesmaids. Apparently, the best man’s former duty was to make sure the bride didn’t escape during the ceremony… Sometimes, he was even asked to kidnap her when her parents didn’t approve of the marriage. The “Best Man” was picked for his strength and ability to wield a sword. Always the wing-man!

I have been the wedding photographer for weddings that had upwards of 9 bridesmaids and groomsmen and weddings that didn’t have any. It is completely up to you and your fiancé who (if anyone) should stand next to you at your wedding. Sometimes, the simplest rout is the perfect one for you.

  • Houston Oaks wedding photography

What are your thoughts?

Did you/are you having a large, small or non-existent wedding party?

Traditions Vs. Non-Traditions — Bridal Bouquet

Tradition vs. non-traditional

As a wedding photographer in the business for several years now I have seen a lot of tradition at weddings and a lot of non-traditional weddings. First off, every wedding is different. It’s like a snowflake or a fingerprint. Each wedding is entirely unique to its couple.

This is the 2nd part in a series of traditions vs non-traditions

2. The Bridal Bouquet (and bridesmaids bouquet)

In Ancient Greece, brides would carry bundles of herbs and spices to ward off evil spirits at their wedding.  Now, brides carry bundles of fragrant and colorful flowers that helps to complete the wedding style aesthetic.

Some non-traditional ideas for bouquets are silk flowers, edible bouquets decorated to look like flowers (like shaved and rolled carrots and a pizza bouquet). Count me in for a pizza bouquet!!

I think it would be nice to bring back some of the original traditions to wedding bouquets, however. How awesome would it be to have a beautiful bouquet garnished with sprigs of rosemary and chamomile? I’m about this herb bouquet idea!

  • Houston Oaks wedding photography

What are your thoughts?

Are you going to have a bouquet of flowers, or are you going to do something unique? Have you already gotten married? What was your wedding bouquet?

Cody & Ashley’s Country Engagement Portraits in Needville, TX

Growing up in a small town, Cody & Ashley always knew each other, however they didn’t date until they moved away to college and returned home and ended up at a mutual friends party.

The proposal:

On Christmas morning 2018, Cody gave Ashley a note, which ended up being the first of a few notes that sent her on a scavenger hunt around the house. The last note had Ashley looking in the Christmas tree for a certain colored ornament. When she couldn’t find it, she turned around and Cody was down on his knee with the ring, which he had all along!

The best part of the entire engagement story (which is pretty epic!) is that Cody proposed to Ashley in the same house and same date that her step-dad proposed to her mother 24-years ago.

The engagement portraits:

Saturday morning I awoke to a dark sky and some raindrops. I was a bit nervous that the scheduled engagement portrait session would have to be rescheduled. As the day went on the sun slowly came out and dried up the rain. Andy, Tristan and I met Cody & Ashley at a private residence in Needville, owned by a friend of Ashley’s mother. Mojo, the horse greeted us at the gate (and later came down to see what we were up to). The sun was shining, the cows were grazing nearby a copses of oak trees. We started taking pictures under the oak trees and quickly had to fend off the hoard of caterpillars. It almost felt as if they were falling from the trees there were so many.

I was so excited how close the cows let us get and how Mojo, the horse, came right up to us insisting we pet him.

Check out some of the photos from the engagement portrait session below.

Ryan & David’s Houston Memorial Park Arboretum Engagement Portraits

It’s amazing to think that a man from Utah and a man from Mexico can travel hundreds of miles from home and end up finding love. I enjoyed getting to know Ryan & David as we were taking photos. I learned that Ryan came to Houston to work in the medical district while a job opportunity in Victoria brought David to Texas. Growing up in a large city in Mexico, David knew the city life was what he really craved, so he moved to Houston. The two met and immediately hit it off. It wasn’t long before Ryan knew he had found the love of his life and had to make it official.

The Proposal:

Ryan wanted to propose to David like they do in movies. He took David to  the Phantom of the Opera play. Before the play began, Ryan had planned on dropping an engagement ring in David’s drink. Out of the blue, David dropped some gummy-bears into his drink before Ryan could hatch his plan, which threw Ryan off. He went ahead with the plan and dropped the ring into David’s glass. The happy couple will be getting married in May this year.

I showed up to the Arboretum early to scout out a few trails and walked the “inner trail” which was a lot longer than I thought. Eventually, I had to pull up a map of the park on my phone to make sure I didn’t get lost. While I waited for the couple to arrive, I noticed a possum and a cat just hanging out outside the nature center at the park. David and Ryan showed up a little bit later with their adorable puppies. The cloud cover finally cleared and the temperature was chilly, but not uncomfortable. We had a blast chatting and exploring the park during Ryan and David’s engagement portrait session.

Traditions Vs. Non-Traditions — Bad Luck to see the bride before the wedding

As a wedding photographer in the business for several years now I have seen a lot of tradition at weddings and a lot of non-traditional weddings. First off, every wedding is different. It’s like a snowflake or a fingerprint. Each wedding is entirely unique to its couple.

This is the first part in a series of traditions vs non-traditions

  1. It’s bad luck for the groom to see his bride before a wedding.

I didn’t actually know this until I was researching it for this blog. Apparently, this tradition goes back to when it was common for arranged marriages. The idea was that the groom didn’t see his bride until it was too late to back out… I suppose that’s why it was bad luck (for the bride at least) if he saw her before the wedding and decided he didn’t want to be tethered to her for life. Yikes!

Now, it’s just something people do. Maybe they’re superstitious or maybe they’re just a traditionalist. Either way, one of the most exciting parts of a wedding (as a wedding photographer) is capturing the moment when the happy couple sees each other in their finery for the first time.

The non-traditional aspect is the first look, which has sort of become somewhat traditional. I love first looks because of the special intimate nature of it. Generally it happens with just the couple in a small, quiet place before their wedding. It gives the couple a chance to have an intimate moment just between themselves (and their wedding photographer). It can be exciting and funny. Sometimes there’s tears and sometimes the jokes keep me laughing for weeks later.

What are your thoughts?

If you knew this before you were married, would you have changed anything? I know if I knew the reason behind the “bad luck” I probably would have scheduled a first-look myself.

Matt & Cassandra’s Lakeside Wedding at Seven Coves

Wedding Photography from a Whimsical Lake Conroe Wedding.

At 8am on Saturday Andy and I ditched the kiddo with his Grammy and started our journey to the other side of town to photograph an afternoon wedding filled with joy, fun and the largest assortment of cupcakes I have ever seen at a wedding.

The sun was shining (miraculously) and the idea was for the couple to marry on the deck facing Lake Conroe, however, the wind was whipping around and the waves were splashing onto the deck with fervor. So, Matt & Cassandra made an executive decision to hold their wedding inside the Seven Coves clubhouse. The couple was already toying with the idea because the weather had been predicted to rain for their ceremony.

Matt & Cassandra’s ceremony was beautiful and intimate. It was held in a part of the building that was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. You couldn’t hear the birds and waves, but you could see them, and there was a very friendly resident squirrel who desperately wanted to partake in the festivity food. The venue was whimsically decorated in blue and yellow hanging lanterns, vases filled with babies breath and coordinating pinwheels.

The most important people in both Matt & Cassandra’s lives were in attendance. Matt and his two groomsmen lined up against the windows. Because of spacing issues, Matt was told to turn and face away while Cassandra and her bridesmaids and Jr. Bridesmaid made their way to the end of the isle. When Matt was finally able to turn to see his bride, you could see the sun shining from his eyes.

For all of the crazy weather we have had here in the past few days, I was pleased that the sun was shining and the temperature was in the mid 70’s. A perfect day for a white wedding!

**Side Note:  As a wedding photographer, pinwheel exits are my new favorite exit. The photos turned out so cute and colorful!

Vendors

Venue: Seven Coves
Cake: Tier One Cakes
Flowers: The Heartfield Florist

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A Southwest Houston wedding photographer
Richmond, TX
kelly@kellyurbanphotography.comKelly Urban Photography

A Southwest Houston wedding photographer
Richmond, TX

A Southwest Houston wedding photographer
Richmond, TX
kelly@kellyurbanphotography.comKelly Urban Photography

A Houston wedding photographer

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