The first time I photographed Alison and Christian, I was sitting in a fire ant bed.
I didn’t realize it immediately. I had found what I thought was the perfect spot at Brackenridge Park, settled in, got my camera up, and it was right around the time Christian dropped to one knee that I felt it. Every photographer has a moment that tests their professionalism. That was mine. I did not move. I did not flinch. I just kept shooting while fire ants had their way with me, because some moments you do not miss.
I knew then that these two were going to be worth every bite.
I watched them get engaged. I followed them to Austin for their Capitol engagement session. And on May 3rd in Dripping Springs, I stood inside Allegro TX and watched Christian see his bride for the very first time and absolutely fall apart in the best way possible. Full tears. No apologies. Just a man completely undone by the woman he loves.
That’s a forever couple. And I get to have proof.
The ceremony at Allegro TX was exactly what you’d hope for in a spring wedding in the Texas Hill Country. Soft florals, warm light, the kind of setting that makes everyone feel like they’re inside a movie.
And then, right before Alison walked down the aisle, someone kicked over a glass vase full of lit candles.
It crashed. Everyone in the vicinity held their breath. Nobody caught on fire. And Alison, already waiting to make her entrance, never heard a thing.
She walked down that aisle completely unbothered, completely radiant, completely unaware that her wedding had already survived its first dramatic plot twist. And when Christian saw her, whatever composure he had been holding onto for the entire morning just dissolved. He cried. Openly, fully, without any attempt to hold it together. I love when they cry. It means they get it. It means they understand exactly what is happening and they are not too proud to let it show.
Allegro TX held this whole day so beautifully. The space has this quality where it feels intimate and grand at the same time, and for a couple like Alison and Christian who bring that same energy, it was a perfect match. If you are looking for a wedding venue in Dripping Springs or anywhere in the Texas Hill Country, put it on your list. I have a soft spot for this part of Texas that I cannot explain. You can see what I mean over at Lynn and Kyle’s Hill Country wedding at Sisterdale Dance Hall or Emily and Isaiah’s Hill Country celebration.
The reception was everything a spring wedding should be and then some things it absolutely did not have to be and chose to be anyway. We started soft. Florals everywhere, the kind of light that makes everyone look like they’re glowing from the inside, a room full of people who clearly adore these two. Romantic. Dreamy. Exactly right.
And then the DJ turned it up and Christian hit the floor and did the worm.
I am not exaggerating. The man who cried watching his bride walk toward him, the same man who stood in that gazebo trying to hold himself together and completely failed in the most beautiful way possible, that man got on the floor at his own wedding reception and did the worm. Alison married him anyway. She always was going to.
That is what I mean when I say forever couple. Not the perfectly posed portraits, not the soft light through the venue windows, not even the vows. It is the fact that you already know. You can see it. The way they move through a whole day of chaos and candle crashes and happy tears and absolute dance floor mayhem and still end up just completely in each other at the end of it. That is the thing I get to keep a copy of. That is the whole reason I do this.
Alison and Christian, I have been there since Brackenridge Park. I sat in a fire ant bed for you and I would do it again without hesitation. Thank you for letting me be part of your whole story. I love you both and I love your family and I am so honored that this one was mine to document.
If you are looking for a San Antonio wedding photographer who will show up for every single moment, from the proposal to the party, I would love to be your person. Allegro TX in Dripping Springs is one of my favorite venues I have ever had the privilege of shooting and I would go back in a heartbeat. Reach out at xoxochelsea.com and let’s talk about your day.
VENDOR CREDITS
Venue: Allegro TX | Planner: Effortless Events SA | Florals: HEB | Cake: Cake Shop SA and Costco | DJ: Aaron Lopez | Hair: Hair and Makeup SMH | Makeup: RML Beauty | Barber: Macheo Hill | Second Shooter: Aerostar Weddings | Dress: Blue Bridal Austin | Photography: Love, Chelsea Photography
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