Hope
It was a few days before Hope and Josh's wedding. I checked the weather forecast and my heart immediately sank. It was highly possible that rain was coming and going to stay for the entire weekend. When I texted Hope (Bride) and asked if they had seen what I'd seen and if they had a rain plan, I was pleasantly surprised. The plans and the venue were pretty much completely changing, but she simply said, "It's all in God's hands, just glad to be able to have the experience with all our friends and family there!!"
I believe our bride was named perfectly because hope is exactly what she radiated from the moment we met until the end of their pouring down stormy wedding day.
The Firestation
The original wedding was meant to be held outdoors, so when the rain came they needed an indoor space. Muenster, TX is a small town but sometimes it's the small towns that care for each other the most. The local volunteer fire station was offered up and so this is where it all would take place. The team did their best to spice up the metal walls with fairy lights and flowers. They decorated the tables with colorful vases and frames. And the candles. The candles changed the entire atmosphere. Everything felt so intimate when the big lights were switched off and only the orange glow was there to light up the faces of their guests.
It's weddings like this that can change your entire perspective. As a photographer, you make the most out of what you're given. As a documentary photographer, you find the beauty in the moments rather than just the place. In a way, I was so happy to have the experience of being able to be present and observe without the distraction of elaborate decor and architecture. (Though I absolutely love capturing those things as well) Hope and Josh's day was about the people more than anything else. And that was beautiful.
A Perfectly Imperfect Day
Hope and Josh are incredibly down-to-earth and humble people. Even in the pouring rain they decided they wanted to go outside and get a few portraits together. You expect with all the changes that they might be upset or stressed, but throughout the day I only saw peace, joy, and love. Their friends and family still gathered around them through the storm. At the end of the day, all was well and memories were made. A perfectly imperfect day.
