Anna & Billy's August Wedding at The Nest

On August 15th, 2020, Anna & Billy tied the knot here at The Nest at Ruth Farms! It was such a beautiful day full of joy and anticipation! One of our favorite photographers, Sami Kathryn was there to capture every moment. We wanted to hear from her perspective what their day was like and even leading up to their wedding day! Read further to hear more from Sami!

N | What was one thing about Anna & Billy’s relationship that stood out to you in the process of getting to know them amongst other clients?

S | “As I’ve gotten to know Billy & Anna, one of the things about their relationship that is so special is that they are truly best friends. They love being together, and just enjoy one another so well. I loved watching them laugh together in their engagement session, seeing how strong their teamwork is as they navigated wedding planning during a pandemic, and on their wedding day, witnessing how deep their love is as they exchanged their vows with such intentionality and purpose. They are truly on one another’s team, and to have such a deep friendship and shared confidence in the Lord as the foundation for a marriage is such a sweet gift!“

N | How do you work to cultivate trust and build friendships with your clients so that on their wedding day they know they are in good hands? What did that look like with Anna & Billy?

S | “As a wedding photographer, my role is to help my clients celebrate their marriages, make them feel like themselves in front of the camera, and ensure that they are taken care of every step of the way – from helping them build their wedding day timeline & shot list to connecting them with vendors who will bring their vision to life to surprising them with intentional gifts to delivering high-quality galleries full of timeless images.

From our first consultation, I absolutely loved Anna & Billy. We talked about their vision for their wedding, how they were feeling as they prepared for their marriage, and I heard the sweet story of their proposal (I won’t share it all here, but there was a book full of love letters involved – does it get more romantic & thoughtful!?). I think it was helpful for all of us to see that we shared the same heart for meaningful marriages that are even more beautiful than wedding days, and gave us confidence that my business was a good fit for their wedding photography needs. All of my wedding collections include an engagement session because it’s such a great time for me to get to know couples deeper, see their relationship up-close, and teach them how to be comfortable in front of the camera. It’s almost like a practice session for the wedding day! I always hope that during engagement sessions, my couples gain confidence in seeing that I have their back – I’ll never leave them wondering “where do I put my hands?!”, but instead will be sure that they are feeling great and looking their best! I pose my couples during portraits, guiding them into positions that will help them look beautiful while also feeling natural. Anna & Billy’s engagement session at Prairie Creek Park was so much fun – we captured some beautiful images that celebrate their time as an engaged couple, and I got to hear more about their relationship, their lives together, and the plans they’d made for the start of their marriage.In the emails and FaceTime meetings between their engagement session and wedding, we got to continue to get to know one another, and by the time their wedding day arrived, I felt like I was celebrating the marriage of dear friends (because I was!!), and it was so sweet to capture each moment. Plus, after our engagement session practice, they were absolute pros at photos, and seemed so very comfortable and confident in front of the camera on their wedding day!“

N | How did building a foundation of trust with Anna & Billy prior to their wedding translate into your work on their wedding day?

S | “Anna & Billy’s wedding day was absolutely beautiful – each detail was so well thought out, and the Nest was such a stunning canvas for their wedding vision to come to life! But, in true Texas fashion, their wedding day arrived with an unexpected heat wave, the hottest day of the summer, and temperatures well over 100 degrees. Our original plan was to take quite a few of the pre-ceremony photos outdoors. But, I knew that Anna would be more comfortable if we were in the air conditioning, and that her hair & makeup would look best for her ceremony if she stayed out of the heat. When I asked Anna if she would be okay with moving the photo location, she was quick to say – “whatever you think is best!”I was so grateful that she trusted my guidance, the indoor photos turned out beautifully, and she looked absolutely stunning (with hair & makeup perfectly intact) as she and Billy exchanged their vows! After the ceremony (near sunset, when the temperatures were much cooler!), we took the bridal party outside for a few more photos and some lovely, sunlit husband & wife portraits. We were able to have the best of both worlds – a joyful and air conditioned filled morning with beautiful photos in the Nest’s loft and by the gorgeous indoor barn doors, and golden hour images with sunlight streaming through the trees behind the lake.“

N| For you as a photographer, what was a moment about their wedding you will never forget?

S| “Anna opted to do three different first looks on her wedding day – one with her bridesmaids, one with her dad, and one with Billy. We did all three first looks in the loft, and each one of them had me tearing up behind the camera! Anna’s bridesmaids had the sweetest reaction to seeing their girl ready to start her marriage – so much joy, love, and doting on their dear friend! The photos of the girls as the see her gown, adjust her train, and ooh & ahh at what a beautiful bride Anna was are some of my favorites from the entire day. Anna’s first look with her dad was just as sweet – full of giant smiles, big hugs, and Anna’s mom peeking up from the bottom of the stairs to see the special moment.Of course, Anna’s first look with Billy was incredibly special. From the moment he looked at her, it just seemed like he couldn’t get enough. The joy that these two best friends had as they embraced was so evident and contagious. As Anna showed her groom the dress she’d chosen for their special day, the way she’d had her hair pinned, and the earrings she had selected, he just couldn’t look away. It was both so sweet and so full of the weight that is the commitment of marriage that it reminded me of my own marriage, and how holy & lovely it is to commit to one another always. Billy looked at her the same way through the entire day – full of a loving amazement that he gets to look at Anna for the rest of their lives!!“

Congratulations Anna & Billy!!

Vendor Team

Anna & Billy’s August Wedding at The Nest

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