As far as wedding days go, Shane and Emily’s Pampa, Texas wedding day was a perfect reflection of who they are as a couple. It was a whimsical, intimate wedding with their closest family surrounding them with love. More than just being full of artistic details, it was brimming with intentionality, which is the word that always comes to mind when I think of these two love birds.
Before their engagement session, I met Emily and Shane at my favorite Amarillo coffee place, Roasters. I asked how they met, and they told me about growing up in the same town but not really knowing each other until they met as adults.
Within a matter of minutes, they had me in tears, which honestly, isn’t that easy to do. I’m a laugher not a crier! Sometimes the tears of tragedy lead to new growth, however, which is such a reminder to my heart of God’s promise to create beauty from ashes. Soon after Shane and Emily started dating, Shane lost his dad, a tragedy Emily was all too familiar with from her own life. They talked about how maybe that shared understanding of grief and going through that together so soon after they began dating helped deepen their relationship quickly from the beginning.
When Shane was getting ready to propose to Emily, he got her father’s Bible. He prayed with it until he felt sure he had her dad’s blessing to marry his daughter. On the day of the proposal, he took Emily to the place his dad proposed to his mom. It was there, in the place where his parents got engaged, that the love of Shane’s life happily agreed to be his bride!
That’s the kind of thing I mean when I say that Shane and Emily’s relationship and wedding day were defined by intentionality and a deep sense of the sacred act of marriage.
Throughout their wedding day, I noticed how fiercely Emily & Shane and their families displayed their love for one another. It was in the tender look and beaming smile Emily’s grandfather gave her as he walked her down the aisle. There was no question he adores her! It was the way I saw quiet, gentle pats by various family members on the white roses that rested on chairs for Emily & Shane’s fathers. Everyone knew they were watching from an honored seat above. It was in the way Shane’s mom teared up and let him crush her to his chest as she adjusted his boutonniere. She was full of love and pride for her little boy that grew to be a good and Godly man. It was in the way the families laughed, teased, played, and jumped in to help wherever they could. It was in the pride and joy I saw on all those special “front row guests” as they had the privilege of watching Shane and Emily commit their lives to serve God and one another. It was everywhere, and it was perfect.
As sacred and intimate as their wedding ceremony was, their reception was full of delight, whimsical decor, and adorable details, like the cutest coffee cup-shaped cookies!
After the wedding, we got to do one of my absolute favorite things: husband and wife portraits! I love when my clients trust my recommendation to carve out a few minutes for these. The photos in the backyard of their new home were absolutely some of my very favorite from the whole day. And as an added bonus, we got to catch a few shots with the cutest flower-dog ever!
Emily & Shane, you are treasures! We adore you and can’t wait to watch and cheer you on as you follow Jesus and love one another well. Thank you for letting us be part of your wedding day!
Shout out to these fantastic vendors: