Last year I started doing recaps of all of my weddings and sessions, and thought it would be fun to do it again this year! Out of 11 weddings last year, I was the main shooter for 9 of them (two I assisted/2nd shot), which means I have 9 couples to share with you today! These are just of the couples from their wedding for the most part. Stay tuned in a week or two for 2017 Wedding Details- Dresses, Rings, Flowers. Then Wedding Parties, Cakes, and Sessions from 2017. So excited to share them with you soon! 🙂

Here are my 9 JP Wedding Couples of 2017 in order to date:

1. Dillon & Melanie Moseley Wedding 1.7.17

So, true story! I met Melanie and Dillon in the parking lot of an auto parts store. Haha! 🙂
My family traveled with me to a wedding and hung out at the lake and hotel while I covered a wonderful wedding the night before. We were on our way back, and had stopped at the auto parts store. My husband saw their jet ski and we had ours on the back of our Tahoe and started talking to Dillon. I think we had the same brand jet ski and Dillon mentioned they were getting married. My husband is such a proud hubby and had me give them my card, ha. 🙂

Melanie told me how they met and I thought it was the funniest and cutest story. Her vehicle was broken down on the side of the road and Dillon stopped to help her. And the rest is history for these two love birds. She told me some funny parts of that story that had me laughing away, with my two boys entertaining us as well. Melanie contacted me a few months later and booked me for her wedding! I was so excited to be working with them.

What I really love about this couple is that they can have fun together and really compliment each other. Their wedding was held at the Texas Agricultural Chapel and Center just past Austin, TX in Seguin, TX. I love that chapel!!! Whether it is summer, winter, fall, or spring the lighting is PERFECT. I loved Melanie’s choice in colors and her decision to make it classy in a simple chapel setting and a rustic reception area. It really made her choice of classy really pop. Loved it!

Melanie chose the first look with her grandfather and her grandmother. She used the same jewelry as her grandma and same penny her grandfather gave to her grandmother to put in her shoe on her wedding day. Super special moment right there! The judge doing the ceremony had everyone listening closely. She was so entertaining and professional at the same time. The bridal party was funny and excited for Melanie and Dillon on their wedding day. Melanie and Dillon’s first dance had a funny twist. The dance floor was open the rest of the evening to the pleasure of her family and friends who enjoyed the variety of music and awesome food!

2. Daniel & Shelby Mowry Wedding 3.25.17

I enjoyed meeting Shelby and Daniel, their friends, and family! They planned a perfect wedding at the Rabb House in Round Rock. They have a gorgeous venue there and the weather was perfect! I found out from some of the guests/family that they were from Pittsburgh, PA, which is where I grew up.It was fun to see everyone who had traveled to see these two tie the knot. 🙂 Shelby was a gorgeous red haired gal, and her laugh was contagious! You will see more details and wedding party pictures in another post that I love as well! Here are my favorites from their portrait time. Thank you again, Daniel and Shelby. I had so much fun at your wedding! 🙂

3. Nathan & Elizabeth Gallegos Wedding 4.08.17

I met Liz and Nathan a few months before their wedding with their family at Starbucks! They were so nice and I got to hear their story of how they met in college. They were so sweet! I just knew I wanted to work with them and the feeling seemed mutual as they asked me at the end to book with me! 🙂 Their wedding day came and I entered a gorgeous reception area. Detail upon detail and I was so excited to start their day. Liz was a natural at her bridal session at the Abilene Country Club, so I knew their wedding day would be fun. She even golfed in her bridals, haha! See below! 🙂 I had a blast at their wedding, which was at the Willow Creek Chapel and Events. Nathan was all eyes for Liz and they did a first look, so their portrait time was so awesome and special! Thank you two for trusting me with your day! Congrats again, Liz and Nate 🙂

4. Randy & Cynthia Hackney Wedding 5.20.17

Randy and Cynthia’s story of how they met always gives me a good chuckle. They both were on match.com about 3 years ago now. Randy had went to delete Cynthia’s profile, because he thought she was too classy to love and live with a country guy like him. But then he accidentally WINKED at her!! 😉 She responded back. He told her, “I’m so sorry, don’t waste your time on me.” She kept messaging him back at every reply he sent her.  And the rest is history, y’all. 🙂 Last year, they stood at his beautiful country home and said, “I do.” It was the sweetest ceremony with family and friends gathered together. I loved meeting all of their family and friends and even their cute fur babies! 🙂

5. Joel & Emily Childers Wedding 8.05.17

I was so excited to meet Emily last spring about her upcoming wedding and marriage to Joel. I found out a few things we had in common: We both LOVE all things Jane Austen, and we are both tall. Ha! I started working with a talented up and coming photographer, Josephine, as my 2nd shooter and assistant at this wedding last year. I found out just how wonderful it is to add someone to your team that compliments you so well! 🙂 Emily and Joel met through one of her bridesmaids. I love how they look at each other. Their love, patience, kindness to each other and to others are so easy to see. Friends and family gathered together on their special day at their church to watch them join together in marriage and it was a beautiful wedding. Congrats again, Emily and Joel! 🙂

6. Tyler & Caroline Poteet Wedding 9.30.17

So, true story! Caroline and her mother met me at Starbucks to talk wedding details, and I had just finished with a tooth extraction gone wrong. I didn’t know I would need to see the dentist again, until the swelling came back the day I was supposed to meet them. Ha! I was a swollen, but happy mess. They were able to see past the temporary swelling, and went ahead and booked with me on the spot. 😛 Caroline and Tyler met at Hardin Simmons University through their maid of honor! Their friends and family celebrated their big day with them at the Logsdon Chapel- which is beautiful, by the way with all the stained glass windows! And then they held their reception at the Abilene Country Club! It was so much fun and I loved so much about this wedding. Congrats again, you two!

7. Cody & Taylor Byrne Wedding 10.05.17

Cody and Taylor’s wedding couldn’t have been more perfect. From beautiful centerpieces, her gorgeous hair and dress, to fancy cars from Tangled Hearts to use during formal photos, it was a hit. I loved how easily they just fell into poses I directed them into and how wonderful their family and wedding party were all day! Taylor and Cody opted to pray together before the wedding and got some sweet memories to look back on. You couldn’t ask for more on one of the most important days you have. I loved their cakes, food (yum), breakout song by Queen “We Are the Champions”, and break dancing at the end between the groom and his friend. It was pretty awesome! 🙂

8. James and Nicole Huyck Wedding 11.10.17

Nicole and James’ wedding was so beautiful! They had their wedding at Willow Creek Chapel and Events here in Abilene. Nicole and James did their engagement session and bridal session at Abilene State Park, a place they both love to visit often. I’ve spent some time getting to know their family through an extended family session, family session, and engagement and bridal sessions. It has been bittersweet to come to their wedding after spending so much time together. Nicole and James opted for a first look, but with a twist- James was blindfolded. I think this was one of my favorite parts of their wedding. It got a good laugh out of the two of them, and some photos they will look back on with fondness!! 🙂 I loved getting to work with them and this year I will be announcing something super exciting that Nicole and her family get to be a part of with me on a photo feature level from her bridals. Stay tuned for the announcement in a month or so! 🙂

9. Jordan and Alyssa Plank Wedding 12.16.17

When Alyssa contacted me about her wedding and asked me to photograph it, I was super excited! I loved her color palette ideas and her idea of taking some beautiful photos of them together outside the bed and breakfast in Hamlin, TX, called Henrietta’s Heritage House. Jordan and Alyssa opted to say a prayer together before they got married at their church and they got some sweet photos to remember that moment forever. They were so sweet together. I love how calm both of them were before the wedding started. Their reception was held at Central Place in Hamlin and it was a perfect venue for their reception! 🙂