We bonded over our shared love of the show Friends and Fixer Upper, and I can't say enough about how welcoming and fun Texans are!
I had been chatting with Jessica and her Mom since last February, and I may have squealed when I got her text saying I was hired! It's been on my bucket list to photograph a wedding in Texas ever since Tim and I started watching Fixer Upper. But let me tell you, while Waco was definitely a highlight, this wedding at
Rustic Grace Estate was well worth the trip!
So many fun moments leading up to the wedding as well-
Tim rented his dream car, a Dodge Challenger, for our stay. You guys, this thing was NO JOKE...we left the airport and as we passed one of the male security guards, he gave Tim a thumbs up. I joked that he would have a hard time giving it up to drive my Mom car home! lol. Every time he turned it on, heads turned. Oh, and did a mention it was BRIGHT RED??We also got to have dinner with some friends that Tim had met on Facebook through the radio station, but had never met in real life. We can't wait to get together again!
And then it was time to visit Waco!
We stayed at a hotel right across the street from
Magnolia Table, but it was a crazy roundabout intersection, so we had to literally drive over (Tim didn't mind lol). The hype is worth it- the food is AMAZING! I am not a huge fan of orange juice but decided to try it anyways- holy wow it was so good! I had the french toast, scrambled eggs, and tater tots. It came with strawberry butter- guys, you HAVE to try it! I am not a fancy food fan, but I couldn't get over it! The staff was so friendly, there were greeters everywhere, and we even had a nice chat with the couple sitting next to us! Truly, worth the wait! (although we went on a Friday morning at 8 am and had no wait at all, I felt super fortunate.)Then it was on to the
Silos, the bakery, and
Clint Harps Design studio. I wish I had brought an extra suitcase! No Chip or Jo sightings, but it was great to finally see everything in person!
Ok, now back to the wedding!
This venue!! The chapel was built to look aged but timeless, and let me tell you- the moment I walked in I was floored...the light streaming in, and the space itself was just breathtaking! Other than the cross (which was built by a family friend from old wood on the family property!), the room was very clean and simple, and it really didn't need much else!The Silos were added recently, which I was so excited to see! The bridal suite was incredible!! I loved walking in and seeing so many amazing spots!Something different and fun was Jessica decided to have a first look with her brother and her Dad as well as with Levi. The tears flowed, it was so sweet to see this families excitement!A few very short and sweet ceremony, followed by an amazing sunset, and then we ate the best food and listened to some hilarious and moving toasts. I loved when Jessica was dancing with her Dad and she put his cowboy hat on :)Last year, I had the pleasure of working with 12 families from Texas who came to California on vacation...so I am happy to make my mark in the great state of Texas! Here's hoping for more visits in the future!
