We recently partied like it was 1999!! Okay, maybe that’s a bit of a stretch. Or is it? Seeing as how I was in junior high in 1999, the partying we did at our friends’ North Texas outdoor wedding on Saturday was pretty equivalent to the level of partying I did then. But I suppose all this is just a really long-winded way of saying we had a lot of fun. 😆
We met Erik and Jessica less than a year ago, but they quickly became very dear friends. They came along at a time when I was feeling particularly discouraged about the life choices of some young people I know and wondering if God would ever actually change their hearts. Seeing the work He has done in Erik and Jessica’s lives was a very welcome reminder that, yes, He is still in the business of changing hearts and lives. (However, realizing they were babies when 9/11 happened was a less welcome reminder that I am older than I think.) And those changes in their lives have led to a beautiful family culture where their boys can grow up feeling loved and supported.
When Erik and Jessica decided to get married, our group of friends brought all they had to offer and helped them put together what I thought was a pretty incredible wedding day. Not to brag on my friends too much, but they pretty well make up an all-inclusive wedding package. When I got married, I had so many family members and friends taking care of the details for me, and it made my heart happy to see that outpouring of love for this couple as well.
Seeing as how I am better at taking pictures than putting together a wedding, I became the lead photographer. (On a side note, being the photographer for anything can get you out of a lot of the other responsibilities, so that’s always handy. 😜) I had never shot a wedding before because I had no desire to. My friend Dusty had even less than no desire to shoot a wedding, but he gladly volunteered to be my second-shooter. Things are different when it is for people you care about, you know. So I felt like we showed up to our first wedding looking like legit professionals because we had TWO photographers. Now, whether or not anyone else thought so is debatable, but that’s okay.
Korey officiated the ceremony, and of course he did a great job. Jessica wore her mother’s wedding dress, and she looked absolutely gorgeous. The wind blew, but for the most part it was gentle enough to just give her a lovely model-with-her-hair-blowing-in-the-wind look. She and Erik wrote their own vows to each other, and she was very hesitant to read them out loud for fear of crying. But she did it (no sobbing involved!), and it was a really beautiful part of the ceremony.
For the reception, their families brought a massive potluck of Mexican food, because all celebrations are best with good food, and everyone ate. And then ate, and ate some more. 😉 Then all the children went and played while the adults enjoyed conversation with other adults. (On that note, I highly recommend backyard weddings with a trampoline and playset nearby. My clingy toddler didn’t even miss me during the wedding because he was so busy playing.)
We tried to talk them into doing a send-off of some form, but they wanted to fully enjoy the day and ended up being some of the last to leave. So I think it’s safe to say they had a good time.
The community of people who love Erik and Jessica and their boys extends far beyond those who were there, so I hope these photos help to share a little bit of the day and allow everyone to celebrate with the newly married couple! I am so thankful for them and can’t wait to see all God does through their family!!
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