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Landon & Stephanie’s Mercer Botanic Garden Engagement

Landon & Stephanie’s Mercer Botanic Garden Engagement photos

It was a gorgeous day (though I was recovering from the Flu… thanks Andy) when I met Landon and Stephanie at Mercer Botanic Gardens in Humble, TX.

Several years ago, my mother introduced me to this amazing place. She’s a Fort Bend Master Gardener and they had been volunteering out there for an event. If you haven’t seen the garden, it’s amazing. Each section is so unique and I am so excited for the renovations they are doing right now.

We walked around in some of my favorite parts of the garden, trying to avoid the zillions of Quinceanera portraits. The one thing I really love about the north side of Houston is the amazing pine trees. The engagement portraits I took of Landon & Stephanie with the pine trees in the background were one of my favorite. That and the ones with the purple flowers.

Check out the photos below!

 

Ansen & Kacy’s Houston Zoo Engagement Portraits

Ansen & Kacy’s Houston Zoo Engagement Portraits

If there’s one thing my family and I LOVE, it’s the zoo. My kid has been to the zoo so many times, he could give a tour. In fact, he’s given me a tour before. When I found out that Ansen & Kacey are going to have their wedding reception at the zoo next year, I knew exactly where they should take their engagement photos.

We met in the early afternoon at the front gate and proceeded to wonder around. Ansen and Kacy showed me where they were going to have their cocktail hour, at the elephant’s pool. We joked about how we’ve never seen the elephants swim in their pool. One day (fingers crossed).

The zoo was preparing for ZooBoo when we got there so some of their decorations were up. They had hanging bats in the cave near the chimpanzies and hanging orange, green, black and purple umbrellas. It was a lot of fun to incorporate those elements that are only there a short while.

My favorite place for Ansen & Kacy’s portraits was the Pantheon. It was gorgeous. Check out their photos below!

 

Russell & Amanda’s Bowling Alley Engagement Photos

When I say I like to step outside the norm for engagement photos… I mean it. I would love to say “Sky’s the limit,” however I’m not about that skydiving life & sometimes there are limits when it comes to who would let you take photos or not.

Russell & Amanda are big bowling enthusiasts. When they told me this, I thought, why not take their photos in a bowling alley. Their photos were scheduled during summer, and since it is so hot outside, it’s nice to do things inside for a change.

They showed up to our engagement portrait session with a whole rolling bag filled with their balls, shoes and so much more. Bowl & Barrel was so amazing to let us take photos in their industrial styled alley.

Though the alley was not a place the couple would usually go to bowl, they loved the look and even had a Red-Bull at the bar before the couple headed off to celebrate Russell’s birthday later that day.

 

Santos & Ana’s Backyard Wedding

Santos & Ana’s small backyard summer Houston wedding photography.

As a fellow backyard wedding bride, I really felt drawn to Santos and Ana’s wedding. They enlisted friends and family to make their wedding truly special.

After going through such a hot, dry July it was crazy that the sky finally opened up and started raining, just before Santos and Anna’s wedding. This happens. Mother nature has her own plans. I tell all of my couples getting married on rainy days that rain is good luck on your wedding day. I actually have a whole blog about it. The couple bounced back and forth with the location of the ceremony, but the rain cased just before their wedding and they were able to hold the ceremony and reception outside.

I was in awe at the full island charcuterie spread, the adorable decorations and the floor seating style. The cute coffee table seating was so unique to experience at a wedding. It felt like everyone sitting on the floor had a closer connection to each other because of it. Those who didn’t want to sit on the floor or couldn’t, walked around or sat outside by the bar.

Probably my favorite decoration from this wedding was the golden retriever with cake in it’s mouth by the wedding cake. The couple had pictures of their golden retriever all over including as table numbers. I just love it when couples can incorporate their fur-babies into their wedding, whether they bring them along or they are there in spirit as a cocktail name or place cards.

Also, the bubble gun was an amazing trick for a wedding photographer. I’ll have to get one to use in the future.

See all the photos from Santos & Anna’s wedding below.

 

 

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Kelly Urban Photography — Houston wedding photography

Ponderosa Walking Park Engagement Portraits

Earlier this spring, I met up with Tanner & Olivia to take their engagement photos at the Ponderosa walking park on the north side of Houston.

A lot of times, I pick an engagement portrait location virtually (meaning I don’t always visit it until the day of). This location was one of those virtual picks. It looked good from google maps, and my google image search. I realized, as I drove up to the park that it was in Shirley Acres back yard. It’s crazy to me how I find new locations right next to places I’ve been before.

I love how lush and green everything looked in these engagement photos. Tanner & Olivia looked amazing and had fun goofing off and dancing to the cicadas for their engagement portraits.

Check out Tanner & Olivia’s engagement photos here:

 

My Favorite Wedding DJ’s

Vendor Highlight!

Music is an important part of your wedding day. Whether you are only using music only for your reception, or plan on having a string quartet play Bridgerton style music all day long, music sets the tone.

As a former marching band nerd, I’m a little partial to music. Over my years as a wedding photographer, I’ve worked with all sorts of DJ’s and bands. Today, I wanted to talk about my favorite DJ’s.

It’s important to first figure out what you want and need before you choose a DJ. Are you looking for someone with extensive knowledge in music from your culture? Are you looking for someone who will help to get the dance floor hoppin’? Maybe you’re looking for something a little softer, like delicate background noise for your wedding.

DJ’s who get the party started (Dance & interact with the guests)

What are your thoughts? Have you worked with an amazing DJ or know an amazing DJ? Leave a comment below with their information!

Brendan & Christina’s Theater Engagement

Brendan & Christina’s thespian stage engagement portraits on the Sam Houston State University campus.

It was a blisteringly hot day near the end of spring when I met up with Brendan and Christina on their old stomping grounds, the SHSU campus. While waiting for the temperatures to drop a little outside, we started our portraits on the campus’s theater stage.

I always enjoy doing things a little different and hadn’t taken any engagement photos of a couple on a stage or in a theater. It was fun being the only people in the theater and getting to recreate theater lights with my lighting.

After taking photos inside, Brendan and Christina took me on a tour of the campus (I’d never been there before). It was interesting taking photos in places that held such rich history and memories to the couple.

 

Downtown Houston Engagement Photos

Nick & Jennifer’s Engagement photos in and around the Post building in Downtown Houston.

I met Nick and Jennifer on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the park just across from the Post building downtown. This was my first time exploring the park in that part of town. We started on a cute hill overlooking the city skyline then explored the lower parts of the park where bikers zoomed past us every few minutes. I was pleasantly surprised to find a man-made waterfall there just by a cute wooden bridge.

After walking around in the lower parts of the park, we made our way to the top of the Post building to get some more of the skyline then we took photos on the different types of staircases (there’s such a variety!) Check out Nick and Jennifer’s Houston engagement photos below

 

Downtown Houston Engagement Portraits

James & Chelsea’s showed me the hidden haunts and gem’s of Houston during their engagement portraits this April. I love this city. It’s crazy that you can live here your whole life and still learn new things. I am slightly obsessed with learning about haunted sites and (though I knew of some of them) loved hearing the details about the haunted places downtown.

Our second stop (just after the “Houston is Inspired” mural) was the La Carafe Bar, one of the most haunted bars in Houston. As we made our way to the second floor to take some balcony photos, Chelsea was telling me about the ghost who likes to push women down the stairs. Needless to say, I was white-knuckling the handrails & still managed to slip on something at the top of the stairs.

After the bar, I took James and Chelsea to a little baby waterfall I discovered hiding under the street level along the Buffalo Bayou, then we headed to the place James & Chelsea had their first date. Unfortunately, COVID took it down, so we were only able to take photos around the building.

We ended up back along the waters edge where the haunted Spaghetti Warehouse is located (which is now replaced with a bar). We walked along the water then up to the Sunset Coffee Building and lastly to a colorful bar across the street.

I must tell you, as I was writing about the haunted spaghetti Warehouse building, something pushed over Andy’s golf clubs upstairs (everyone was downstairs at the time). Everyone freaked out. I told Andy the ghosts must have read my blog and decided to let me know they’re watching…

 

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