Taylor and I have known each other since the 7th grade, so when she told me she was getting married in a month, there was no doubt in my mind that I would be there, 10-hour drive to South Dakota notwithstanding. When she asked me if I would take photos, I was honored.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/a2e89630-a2ee-4453-b7ec-4f734001662f_rw_3840.jpg?h=cae987d20c00b813c3520075091423ac)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/46e26d37-2247-4874-a45a-b1baf67ddcb1_rw_3840.jpg?h=ccc73d1db9cd4304a2d1688bb64adfa2)
Well, I was honored and terrified. I had never shot a wedding before. But when your oldest and dearest friend is getting hitched to your newest and dearest friend, what else is there to do?
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/01b62c4b-476e-4bb0-842d-92c565eba0b3_rw_3840.jpg?h=832ccabd851247105ac8ba8fa74d5820)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/b16923ed-afc1-4886-8787-15ebb962fd44_rw_3840.jpg?h=eaf6e84a7696c808da6901cac14ed851)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/cfa8ce5a-3f3e-4aab-8275-6bf33d983376_rw_3840.jpg?h=e9363896edc5813fb4ff692e71290bf4)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/e03266a9-ea05-46a9-b060-af27ec7f2a15_rw_3840.jpg?h=8a651bda997fab39d199d35d8cf54e5d)
Zachary started to get impatient with me as I directed Taylor to start and stop, start and stop again. He couldn't wait to see his bride!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/84e0bf58-f5fd-4c6d-8169-0ed6ab330f60_rw_3840.jpg?h=a367e94d2f28d0722080a6ce61b6490a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/e1743bf0-50a6-4ddd-be9d-9d7df6b826ca_rw_3840.jpg?h=230e2d24d334790388018dbf97882471)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/92765b16-4e2f-4d71-83b4-fb1e2a207eb4_rw_3840.jpg?h=99866adc9ba3102019b2a2ff50aee248)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/c0d2f26b-3756-4bfd-8799-e103803c2e99_rw_3840.jpg?h=be325bc25302e3171c1e661e43f833a5)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/66bdcdbe-ec12-4df2-bea4-9262440ade86_rw_3840.jpg?h=055619773c5eb1d18717cb950eaf0383)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/4d04fafe-1313-4b0a-b625-0c2bfdc2c39b_rw_3840.jpg?h=66330d78012ee161f635406550b866fc)
Everything about this wedding was intimate and unconventional. It was outside in December, to start. The immediate families of the bride and groom gathered in a gazebo on an island in Canyon Lake Park, along with a few close friends. The ceremony was short, the vows were traditional, and the love was palpable.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/02a52591-43b5-4731-9775-478db4d729a3_rw_3840.jpg?h=e7d34251ba908c0d7d30b6f6876492cb)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/29f386d4-2724-4650-9d38-a2699f4a9028_rw_3840.jpg?h=09132127d1188a88f7908eea85569269)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/2305fb20-6669-417e-8bea-0f4c43e79d12_rw_3840.jpg?h=516f2794531de4f807eacb1bfc28fc3b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/1fd35712-3686-44e1-b310-2061bfc04c17_rw_3840.jpg?h=7e4e03e390177c1440d3d3bfd44c0fec)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/9b44bab6-65ec-4e0d-8f03-03dee7c34526_rw_1920.jpg?h=db08300b25aa6fde3670a6a049a704bd)
Taylor and Zachary both have beautifully photogenic families, and in the sweet spot of afternoon light my job did itself.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/10c81f06-3f1f-4d9f-9407-c901431a8517_rw_3840.jpg?h=564af36904956d11ce630056653ea69f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/feb95f8a-a185-4b7e-96d0-2441b974295b_rw_3840.jpg?h=2b03b91faa13db680d59ef34eb076586)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/579d84ff-7518-47ed-8fae-29eab00e14f6_rw_3840.jpg?h=34f0ed3cd591e456b3e0112b9630b95f)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/4374cda4-3a09-471c-b4da-d40c6618131e_rw_3840.jpg?h=eb4a6704b0a20d9dd5e4271b8c36af49)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/28dca707-a0b1-481b-acba-09a099733e98_rw_3840.jpg?h=959622059722fc611c5967de21edc272)
It wouldn't be proper documentation without a few good goofs.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/9cffa3ef-1738-4da3-b354-a655222360c5_rw_3840.jpg?h=731ce28432bbe5295ffb0ed863502e07)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/f124e44a-3e06-4114-aee4-0226d9a24353_rw_3840.jpg?h=8c2abef5bc556916434fbd21504b9190)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/a51585cb-9660-4746-b63c-e9018cfb4db2_rw_3840.jpg?h=eaf1078eb0ebbf28d7a6baac377d45de)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/7d5f22a8-209d-49a5-bc60-25207190a087_rw_3840.jpg?h=d81d9055a71cda2f0b6d09199543a4c7)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/fc0573c7-be57-4de7-9729-bdad60cf244f_rw_3840.jpg?h=15427c082689fc1375d9f871b86ed016)
While traditionally it's the bride who shows off her ring, Zachary was so excited to wear it that I had to get a photo that featured his.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/8348a2f3-e9aa-4e09-b72b-08066ee4bebf_rw_3840.jpg?h=86a80a18a5b780df318801ed7b20dab3)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/0491acd3-d4d6-4026-872b-a33c68d33389_rw_3840.jpg?h=3688bddba4fe5e02fc3804fbe929a8f1)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/3a6a7adf-2ce6-4bcc-948e-d21e03c1b602_rw_3840.jpg?h=ed8ab93061b354959366ae95de9a5591)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ff5d2ff36d26569e9f311743b2a87c69/38e14f31-fda6-4f34-88ba-cd9a21dfc1a3_rw_1920.jpg?h=497c8908c4ff76012fe6ce9391d2155b)
I love happy endings, but I love happy beginnings even more.