Mr. & Mrs. Gray | Jefferson City, Missouri Wedding

Ashley and John are quite the adorable pairing! Ever since I officially met these two in February for their engagement session, I knew their wedding day would be so beautiful. Ashley is very detail oriented and has a great eye for design. As soon as I arrived to their wedding, it was obvious that Ashley had put her little touch everywhere you looked. From the venue space to the smallest of details, everything looked perfectly put together.

John got ready for the day at the venue with the help of his mom. He and Ashley decided to write letters to each other and give gifts. Both of them outdid themselves. John is a big Hawaiian shirt guy. You’ll see this later! Ashley isn’t much of a fan, but decided to gift John with a new Hawaiian shirt for each day of the week. He was thrilled as he pulled each vibrant shirt from the gift bag. John’s gift seemed never ending as he continued to pull one thing out after another. Ashley and her bridesmaids were getting ready at an airbnb in Jefferson City. The space was adorable and full of the natural light we love!

Before getting into her gown, we took some cute portraits of everyone in their matching pjs. It was finally time for Ashley to get into her gorgeous gown. With the help of her mom, Rhonda and her best friend, Danielle, Ashley was in her dress in no time. She looked stunning and could not stop smiling. Kendra Scott jewelry pieces were added before the veil finished off the look! It was almost time to head downtown for a first look with Ashley, her dad, and her brother. Before heading out, she did a grand reveal with all of her bridesmaids. The home filled with cheering and excitement!

We ventured downtown where Ashley would share a first look with two important guys in her life; her dad and her brother. As she tapped her dad’s shoulder, he was immediately met with emotion, as he witnessed Ashley as a beautiful bride! They embraced and teared up. Ashley has a very special relationship with her dad, Harold! Their father/daughter bond is sweet as can be. She even wore her dad’s wedding band during the ceremony. Her brother was happy as ever to see her as a bride!

We spent a good portion of the afternoon documenting bridal party portraits downtown before heading to Taos for the ceremony. Ashley and John shared in a traditional Catholic Ceremony at St. Francis Xavier. They were married by a deacon and pronounced Mr. & Mrs. Gray! After family formals, we headed out to a nearby park for bride and groom portraits and bridal party portraits. Suddenly, the forecast showed rain, so we worked quickly to document portraits of the happy new couple. Luckily the rain held off and only sprinkled for a bit. Ashley and John have such a wonderful group of friends and they made our Saturday so much fun!

Next, we headed to the Lions Club in Wardsville where Ashley and John would be celebrated! The evening was spent socializing, enjoying an amazing taco bar, and dancing. Lots and lots of dancing! We stole Ashley and John outside for sunset portraits while guests continued through the food buffet line. The golden sun came out just in time for some of those portraits. By this time, John had changed into one of his new Hawaiian shirts! The traditional dances of the evening had me tearing up. Especially when Ashley danced with her dad, Harold. It was such a tender and sweet moment. From beginning to end, Ashley and John had such a perfect day!

Ashley and John, thank you so much for choosing me to be your wedding photographer. It’s been a blast getting to know you both! Congratulations on your marriage. I’m wishing you both a lifetime full of love and happiness. Enjoy this new journey of being newly weds and starting this new chapter together in Texas! Cheers to you both.