Photography by Casey Chateauvert from Endless Exposure
Growing up as a native Texan travelling to the East and West coasts, I was never really sure that the state of Wyoming existed. Sure, I had heard tales of cowboy country but I never encountered anyone who travelled beyond Yellowstone National Park much less anyone who actually grew up in Wyoming! That is until I met my (then future) husband 5 years ago. Jordan had moved to Austin from Laramie, Wyoming a few years before I moved to Austin from Houston. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t charmed by his Wyoming native status but I was also charmed by the fact that he was different from most people that I knew. Jordan was a punk rock listening, motocross riding, science-loving, cycling enthusiast, kind hearted, and genuine kind of guy! We instantly bonded over our love of school, wanting to leave our jobs, and exploring Austin.
Over the next 4 years of dating, we grew as individuals and as a couple. We encouraged each other to go back to school for our Masters degrees, we supported each other throughout grad school, we took advantage of all of the fun Austin had to offer together, we travelled, and we started to build a home together. A year after we moved into our house, we were invited to Wyoming for a family members’ wedding. We decided to make a trip of it so we drove to Colorado and stayed at an Airbnb on the lake in Dillon, CO. During a hike up the mountain next to the lake one evening, Jordan proposed. I was floored and nervous and excited and I said, “Yes!”
After a few months of being engaged, we finally decided that we wanted to have a wedding ceremony but we wanted it to be small, quick, and followed by a great meal! After making our guest list comprising 50 of our dearest and cherished friends and family, we started planning the wedding day details. It quickly became glaringly apparent that I hated planning all of the minute details of a wedding! Venue, invitations, bridal gown, bridesmaids dresses, tuxes, groomsman tuxes, officiant, table decorations, flowers, boutonnieres, bouquets, table linens, food, dessert, wedding cake, drinks, dinnerware, favors, gifts for the wedding party……….this fresh-out-of-grad-school-bride was overwhelmed! So we decided to make it super simple: we would have our wedding at a restaurant, we would send out simple “print your own” invitations from Etsy, there would be no bridesmaids/groomsmen, and we would have an awesome photographer. Those were our basics! So we scavenged Austin’s food scene (one of our favorite things to do…) to find the perfect restaurant with the perfect menu, we found spectacular invitations, I scored a beautiful dress from Dillard’s for $150, my husband bought a grey suit that he still wears, and I contacted a friend of mine who had experience with wedding photography.
Of course there were a few more details to set in place (word to the wise – lock down a wedding officiant asap!!) but when May 25th 2014 arrived, we felt like we had planned the perfect wedding. We had a short, 10 minute ceremony followed by a 4 course meal and lots of drinks. Jordan and I were able to intimately visit with almost every guest without rushing around. I adored every aspect of my wedding! Our guests made the day meaningful, the venue made it beautiful, the food made it enjoyable, the photographer made it fun (and less stressful!). And my husband and I made each other happy! Every part of the day was just as we wanted it – everyone had a good time! Our guests went away raving about the food, the atmosphere, the drinks, and my dress and hair. As I write this, our 1 year anniversary is just a few weeks away; it’s not uncommon for me or my husband to randomly say to each other “hey remember when we got married? Yeah…that was a really good day. We should do that again.” If I could do it again, I totally would!
~ Amanda R.
Photography by Casey Chateauvert from Endless Exposure
