The sky was absolutely planning to ruin everything. It did not. Good call, sky.
Cassandra and Manny are super party fun people and I mean that as the highest possible compliment. The kind of couple where you pull up to the venue and just know. It is going to be one of those days.
I walked into the bridal suite and Cass was in full Beyonce mode. Not trying to be. Just was. She did not lift a single finger while her team worked around her and Crystel Does Hair had her looking so effortlessly beautiful that I almost forgot I was supposed to be taking pictures. Her bridesmaids all wore different colors and somehow it was exactly right. Not matchy, not chaotic, just pretty. The whole room was just pretty.
They are the last of their friend group to get married which means we had a genuinely professional bridal party on our hands. These people have done this before. They knew exactly what to do and when to do it and they did it in coordinating chaos and it was perfect.
Then we got to the party and holy hell.
Their entire family lined the balcony upstairs to watch the first dance. Every single one of them leaning over the railing looking down at Cass and Manny on the floor below. I looked up and my heart just about fell out of my chest. That is not a moment you choreograph. That is just what happens when people love you that much.
And then grandma hit the dance floor. In her wheelchair. Spinning. Hands up. The whole family losing their minds around her. If you need me I will be thinking about that moment for the rest of my life.
Okay we need to talk about the dress.
The bustle broke. Which if you have never experienced a broken bustle on a heavy full glitter train in the middle of a packed reception, let me paint you a picture. That train was not light. That train had opinions. So I did what any reasonable wedding photographer would do and spent the beginning of the night stuffing it down Cassandra’s bodice every chance I got so she did not have to hold seventeen pounds of glitter while she danced, until I finally figured out how to zip tie the whole situation back together.
Hold my beer Vera Wang.
She never stopped dancing. Never stopped smiling. Did not care even a little. That is exactly who she is.
They ran through the sparkler exit three times. Three. Because they were having so much fun they just kept going and the crowd ROARED every single time like it was the first time every single time. Southern Gentlemen Entertainment never lost the room for even one second all night. 2 Girls and a Soiree kept the whole day running without a single hiccup. Little Lemon Shots had the photo booth packed. Patty Lujan’s cake was incredible. The whole dream team showed up and showed out for these two.
Cassandra and Manny, being last means you got to watch everyone you love find their person first. And then they all showed up for you. They lined the balcony. They roared through three sparkler exits. Grandma wheelie’d in her chair. That is not a wedding. That is a whole community saying we have been waiting for this and it was worth it. You were the grand finale and you made everyone feel like the best was absolutely saved for last. I hope every anniversary is exactly this loud and this fun and this full of the people who were there that night. You deserved every single sparkler. All three times.
If you want a photographer who will zip tie your gown back together in the middle of a reception and not put the camera down once, hi. That is me. Come find me at xoxochelsea.com. I would love to be there for your party.
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