Sam Houston Park Wedding: Randi & Curtis

The instant we landed, I turned on my phone for the first time in 10 days. Our honeymoon was over, and we could finally have contact with the outside world without paying $20 a minute for phone and internet use. And needless to say, I’mma fish out of water without my phone and internet use. Word? Word. One new email stuck out. From a Randi-Michelle Cowin. She was getting married and needed a photographer. But only one who’d want to shoot a gorgeously vintage and intimate wedding for only their sweetest and closest family and friends, and then spend the rest of that beautiful October day shooting portraits of the bride and groom with the downtown Houston skyline as their backdrop. This? This was a sentence I embellished with my own fancy shmancy adjectives. This was a photographer’s dream. And I was alllll over it.

This past Monday, Randi and Curtis gave their vows in front of 35 guests. Randi was radiant. Curtis was handsome. And their love was palpable. To say it was an honor to document would be an understatement. And I am so thankful.

R & C – Thank you for including me in such an intimate and meaningful day in your lives. Thank you for humoring my talking too fast, and all the crazy sounds I make when I’m excited. Thank you for trusting me. And thank you for being my friends. :) I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

The ladies over at Empire Faces are PHENOM. And their studio is straight out of Hollywood.

You know you’ve booked a great hairstylist when at any point during your appointment, you could stop and get married with your hair as is. Still, this bride’s 1940’s ‘do just kept getting better and better.Isn’t she classic?Legit, Randi.. This lower left picture may as well be my wallpaper, because I just can’t get enough of you! Maggie Gyllenhaal anybody?And because guys always and only take 15 minutes to get ready, I quickly headed over to grab some shots of Curtis and his best man.Meet the groom. Looking darn right schnazzy already.Randi snagged a ton of sweet wedding details from Etsy. Feather boutonnieres? Check. Adorable compass necklace? Checkity check check.The second I laid eyes on THESE shoes and THIS bouquet, I became eternally smitten.Randi and Curtis decided to have a First Look. And I absolutely melted at Curtis’s reaction.I can’t quite describe why I love this next set of images so much. I guess they just make me smile. :)A few bridal portraits were captured, and then it was ceremony time!I love love love this church. Like, LOVE. So many gorgeous details and pieces of history inside. And the white-washed walls and ceilings were INSANE natural reflectors.Randi worked so hard to create these aisle decorations. And girl, it shows!These two did something at their wedding I’d never seen done before.. They had written each other love letters, which they’d sealed and placed in the most beautiful antique wooden box, along with wine and vintage wine glasses. Should they ever need a reminder of the commitment they made on this day, then and only then will they read each other’s words… Powerful stuff here, people.MARRIED!St. John Church sits in the center of downtown Houston. And Curtis and Randi rang the wedding bell to let the whole city know it. :)While the reception lasted all but an hour, there were still plenty of chic details.
And then there were three. :) The gorgeous October sky left us with about two full hours to capture as many portraits as we could handle!
Randi and Curtis planned to have their first dance in private for me to photograph. But when their portable CD player went MIA, we resorted to playing it on my iPod Touch and sticking it in Curtis’s suit pocket for the two to sway to. I had the song because Randi admitted to first discovering it on my blog. Love Never Fails by Brandon Heath. Such a sweet, sweet moment. :)The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park offered a myriad of lovely backdrops. Myriad. I like that word.. Myriad…

I call this kind of light Hallelujah LIIIGHT.Curtis wondered why I gave him Randi’s bouquet to hold. This is why. :) Thanks for being a sport!Striking.
Both Curtis and Randi really enjoy photography. So we couldn’t resist whipping out some props for good measure.Until next time, this is a bride who knows how to get her edge on. Randi the Fierce.

Happy Thursday everyone!