Lake Travis | Austin Wedding Photographer
After this wedding day, I was fully convinced that the most appropriate way to have a Texas wedding in the middle of summer is on a boat. Chris and Bianca made that vision happen. Their day felt like spending time at the beach with friends with no strict plans or rules. Their day was, in absolutely every way, spent celebrating their love with their closest family and friends. When I arrived to the dock, I walked up to the couple’s friends setting up stringed letters that read, “let joy reign supreme.” It reminded me of decorating a Christmas tree with my family. Community, happiness, and intention were at the center of each part of their day.
Bianca and Chris decided to have their wedding completely their way. It was a day all about them, and their beautiful love. They started with a first look that involved Bianca literally running into Chris's arms. The only staging I did was making sure Chris was in the right spot. Bianca decided the timing of the rest. It was such a sweet moment and everyone was so happy to witness it.
The timeline for this day was unlike any other weddings I’ve photographed in Austin. After photographing for weddings for four years, I can typically tell you the sequence of how the day goes. This one was different. Rather than starting with ceremony, they started with toasts and a dance party. After meeting Chris and Bianca, this made so much sense for them. There was no big tension or nervous energy leading up to the aisle. It really set an upbeat and positive tone before their ceremony. It was so much fun and there was so much joy. Bianca was the life of the party from the very beginning and loved to dance. They were surrounded by the best family and friends, and Chris was so incredibly happy to have his kids and his grandson around.
Chris and Bianca walked down the “aisle” (they walked from the lower deck of the boat to the upper deck) together. They were beaming and so were their guests. After the ceremony, we danced a lot more. Dancing never seemed to stop in the best way. We docked and jumped in the water, grilled hot dogs and burgers, and spent so much time lounging around the boat. It was so casual, yet so special.
Bianca and Chris told me they were thinking of not having a wedding photographer at all. Bianca worked in the wedding industry and didn’t want to deal with spending too much time posing for photos. When she saw my work, she told me she knew she could trust me to capture the true candid moments with their closest friends and family. I felt so honored. Any time someone tells me they weren’t thinking of hiring a photographer until they saw my style, I’m always beaming with joy. Of course, I believe everyone deserves beautiful wedding photos. However, I also believe it’s important to celebrate your day your way, even if it’s against all tradition that has been set before. If that means having zero shot list like this day, I’m all for it. I left Lake Travis feeling like I just left a pool party. And it was just so fitting for this couple in every way.
Here’s what Bianca had to say about working with me:
“"Jess was amazing! Her professionalism and easy-going nature made her incredibly easy to work with. I loved the movement and spontaneity of the pictures she took. Jess is extremely talented at capturing both the big events and small, special moments. I couldn't be happier with my wedding pictures!"
Dreaming Of A Lake Travis Wedding?
These candid and truly authentic moments celebrating Bianca and Chris’s Lake Travis wedding are my favorite. We truly had zero shot list and spend no time posing for photos. Everything was candid this day. I’d pop over here and there to groups asking if they wanted a photo, but that was it.
Your wedding day should be exactly what you want. Is it a big pool party with your closest family and friends? Or maybe an intimate outdoor ceremony by your favorite tree? Whatever it is, make it you. You deserve a wedding day you’ll want to relive over and over again.
This day was photographed on digital and 35mm film.
