Jennings Trace Wedding // Sarah & Chris

Sarah & Chris, an incredibly genuine and lovely couple to be around, had a glorious wedding just outside of Houston, Texas in the spring of this year. Their wedding day was so special to me because I’ve known Sarah for many years and we’ve stayed in touch on social media. Being asked to capture their engagement session and wedding day meant a lot to me. Chris & Sarah’s Houston wedding day was gorgeous from start to finish, mostly because their incredible venue was BUILT to host wedding days. You can tell that every detail was painstakingly chosen so that wedding days are an effortless affair for couples. When we arrived at their venue, I was surprised to learn it was super close to the location of the Texas Renaissance Faire, which happens to be one of my favorite events! I love when things like that happen.

Getting Ready and First Look

Sarah’s wedding day look pulled inspiration from Wonder Woman {YEAH IT DID}. From her hairdo to the incredible cape that she wore, I was obsessed with this look for her! After prepping, Sarah met Chris for a first look outside Jennings Trace.

Most memorable moment from your wedding day?

The most memorable moment was the first look. Taking that moment to enjoy time with each other before the ceremony was one of the best decisions we made. It was definitely the calm before the blur of the reception.

Houston Wedding Portraits

Jennings Trace has such an amazing blend of worlds: clean and modern buildings with little pockets of wild woods off to the sides. It gave us TONS to play with! While I’m always up for photo walks or popping to other places for portraits, it was nice to stay in one location and capture an incredible variety of images for Sarah & Chris.

What did you love about your venue/wedding location?

The architectural style was modern yet nestled in a gorgeous wooded area. The venue felt like the perfect representation of our aesthetic and who we are as a couple.

Any tips for future couples on how to prepare for their wedding photos?

Pick a photographer that fits your style and personality. The photographer will be with you more than anyone else. If you are not comfortable, or do not have faith in their skill, that will be reflected and memorialized forever.

Wedding Ceremony

Like I said, Jennings Trace was meant to be a wedding venue and you can tell. One of the things I loved the most about this space was the care they took creating a space that was well-lit. The lights and windows were carefully placed to create lots of natural light during the ceremony setup! It’s absolutely gorgeous. Sarah & Chris had Chris’ kids participate throughout their wedding day and it was so sweet to watch them all become one family.

What were you most anxious or nervous about regarding your wedding day and how did it turn out?

Sarah was worried she would cry during her vows and then no one would be able to hear her while she spoke. Chris was worried their first dance would end up with one of them injured, as he had never fully learned the Viennese waltz. In the end, Sarah held her emotions together and our family and friends were crying instead. The first dance went off without a hitch and we received many compliments on the unique presentation and were asked where we took dance lessons.

Wedding Reception

After their ceremony – and more portraits around the grounds – it was time for their reception. We moved to the space at Jennings Trace and I fell in love. They have a gorgeous lighting display on the ceiling of this space to simulate the night starts. It was actually one of the reasons Sarah & Chris loved this venue, and I don’t blame them. Because of that, I wanted to incorporate it in as many shots as I could for them. It was stunning!! Sarah & Chris are amazing dancers, so they spent most of the night on the dance floor together. I did managed to steal them away for some nighttime portraits but otherwise, you could find them dancing. Definitely the perfect ending for their wedding day!

What advice would you give to other couples planning their wedding?

1. No one is going to remember the details so don’t stress about the little things. 2. Farm out as much as you can. Do not take on every aspect of the wedding unless you know you have the time and energy. We chose an inclusive package with our venue because it took the majority of planning and coordination stress away from us. 3. Give yourself time to get everything done. Expect wedding related tasks to take twice as long as you anticipate. Overestimating the time needed will save you from being more stressed and rushing to get things done.

If you could do it all over, would you change anything?

Yes, Sarah would have opted for a sword instead of a bouquet (unfortunately, she didn’t think of doing that until the day of the wedding.) Other than that, nope. Everything was what we hoped it would be.

Congratulations again, Sarah & Chris. I’m so happy for you both and I’m thrilled I could be with you on your special day!!

Houston TX Vendors

Venue: Jennings Trace

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Raven is an Atlanta Wedding Photographer who captures real people on their totally unique and awesome wedding day, specializing in people who feel awkward in front of the camera. She travels throughout Georgia, including Athens, North Georgia, and beyond.

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