morgan & austin’s rehearsal dinner

While sorting through pictures from Morgan & Austin’s wedding weekend, I decided that their rehearsal dinner deserved a post of its own.

Now, we don’t always get to attend the rehearsals before our weddings, due to scheduling and budgeting and all that. Most of the time, it’s not a big deal. But in venues with strict rules, and tricky lighting, it’s really a benefit to us to get the same “run through” as the bridal party, so that nothing’s a surprise on the big night.

One of the best benefits to attending, though, is getting to know the entire bridal party. After all, Mack and I are going to be a pretty constant presence on the wedding day. Everyone’s more comfortable if we’re not strangers!

In this case, we never for a second felt like strangers. I’d met Morgan, her mother, and her MOH before, but Mack was totally new. You’d never have known. They welcomed us in with hugs and smiles, and we immediately felt like we’d known this couple’s friends and family our whole lives. In fact, I’m definitely going to miss a few of them now that we won’t be working on a wedding anymore!

After getting the ceremony down pat, we headed to the rehearsal dinner, held at the Wildwood Inn in Denton. SUCH a beautiful location! I know they do weddings there, and I really hope we get to shoot one someday. (Brides looking for an intimate location for a guest list of 120 or so, be sure to check it out!)

The venue itself was really enhanced by some fantastic decor. I was in hog heaven with all the orange and blue details.

And so, while you’re still waiting for the giant wedding post, feast your eyes on the yumminess from Morgan & Austin’s rehearsal dinner.

See how sweet they were to include us? All the paper goods included this hand-drawn rendering of the location!

Morgan’s mom was a bubble of joy all weekend… always a smile!

Austin kept looking at his bride-to-be with the sweetest face… I <3 Love!!

The wedding party took part in an English tradition, wherein everyone grabs a ribbon coming out of the cake and pulls out a charm with a wish for the couple. So fun!

The couple pulled charms standing for a Contented Life, and Wishes Coming True… quite fitting!

I’ll get back to the grindstone now… stay tuned for the big day!