“WE’VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR 10 YEARS, BUT WE STILL MISS EACH OTHER EVERYDAY.”

After years of a relationship built on mutual love and respect, and the challenges of postponement that the pandemic has asserted on so many couples, it was finally time for Lauren and Brad to say, “I do.”  With a beautiful welcome sign, Lauren & Brad beckoned guests to join the festivities of their much-awaited wedding day at the elegantly rustic Magnolia Bells.

Despite the postponement and the eventual cancellation of their destination wedding, they found Magnolia Bells to be the perfect alternate location in their home state of Texas. In Lauren’s words:

“It was rustic, but not too rustic, and the chapel was so beautiful. I always pictured us getting married outside, but once we went into the chapel we changed our minds about that. In addition to being a gorgeous venue, the staff were incredible. Everyone was so nice, helpful, and genuinely wanted to make our day special. After everything was over, we both realized that we didn't feel like we missed out on our original destination plans because everything was so perfect and we had the time of our lives.”

And indeed, it was an amazing day. Impressed by the stately Austin stone chapel and elegant chandeliers amid a rustically elegant paneling in the reception area, I also felt the tranquility of nature as I walked up the steps on the morning of Lauren & Brad’s wedding. Flanked by towering trees bursting with lush, emerald-green leaves trembling with the warm summer breeze, I settled my breath and prepared to document this most important day for them.

“Having that time where it was just us, where we could express ourselves without everyone else's eyes on us was really special to me.”

I found Lauren joyfully getting ready in the bride’s cottage, surrounded by her closest friends and family. The wedding dress, lush with a full skirt of undulating tulle fabric, hung expectantly on a wooden hanger, and Lauren’s smile lit up the room as she prepared for her big day, her excitement and joy palpable.

Meanwhile, Brad was also getting ready at the groom’s quarters, straightening his jacket and tying his shoes while keeping a pensive, thoughtful look on his face. Even he couldn’t contain his joy, however, breaking into a boyish grin as he put the finishing touches on his suit, ready for the first day of his adventure in matrimony to begin.

Breaking with tradition, Lauren and Brad decided to share a private moment before the ceremony commenced, meeting with each other in a tucked-away garden behind the chapel to exchange their vows. Alternating between giddy smiles and eyes filled with tears, the two read to each other from their personalized vow books, the feeling of this personal and tender moment radiated all around us and our accompanying forest. Lauren later expressed to me that it was her most cherished memory of the entire day.

“Having that time where it was just us, where we could express ourselves without everyone else's eyes on us was really special to me.”

What an honor I felt to stand with them in such a special moment.

Lauren and Brad are blessed to have a bevy of devoted friends and family, evidenced by the bridesmaids’ beaming, radiant looks, and Ben’s groomsmen, who looked stoic and proud as they lined up for duty. Of course, who could forget Lauren’s father who nearly broke down in tears at seeing his daughter ready to walk down the isle.

As the polished, mahogany floors gleamed with light and the guests in attendance gazed on fondly, Lauren and Brad slipped their rings onto each other’s fingers, solidifying their union and beginning their life as husband and wife.

Following the ceremony, the three of us we were escorted on golfcart around the property for couple’s portraits. Lauren and Brand enjoyed moments of laughter and tenderness alike, caressed by the late-afternoon sunlight that streamed beneath the canopy of trees, their happiness impossibly infectious.

The reception area followed the same stately tradition as the chapel, its’ dark wood paneling somehow making the room appear lighter instead of darker. The crowd looked on in glee and excitement as Lauren and Brad entered and shared their first dance. Lauren’s father took the stage to congratulate the couple, then shared another embrace, this time with his new son-in-law. Seeing the pure joy and pride on his face as he reached out to Brad tugged at my heart strings, as events often do on a wedding day.

The newly minted Drakes celebrated into the night, cutting their cake and sharing laughs, dances, and memories with friends and family members alike. The number of genuine smiles, heartfelt expressions, and loving looks made for an emotional set of images to look back on. Lauren and Brad’s special day will be cherished by so many, not just by the happy couple themselves. Every person lucky enough to be in attendance, myself included, got the distinct pleasure of watching two people who truly love each other become one.