WEDDING VOW RENEWAL
at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano, TX
It is never too soon to renew your vows.
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Maybe you didn't write your own vows for your wedding, but instead used the traditional ones your officiant provided, or maybe as your marriage has developed, you've realized that the vows you did write could use some updating. Either way, renewing your vows is a very special moment with just as much meaning as your wedding day. You get to remind yourself why it is you married your spouse in the first place, and promise to them once more to always be by their side through the good, the bad, and the ugly.
This sweet couple renewed their vows after 5 years of marriage, and it was such a blessing to help
them capture it. I took family portraits for them the year prior, so when my inbox read "Katelyn Weatherford" my face lit up!
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I was so excited to get to catch up with them and see what was new in their lives. Turns out, their five-year wedding anniversary wasn't the only big thing going on. They were also both getting ready to embark on new career opportunities that they had dreamt of for years. All that to say, Katelyn and Dayton were not only celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary, but also their successes in the workplace as their dream jobs had finally become a reality.
Katelyn and Dayton chose Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano, TX for their vow renewal because it meant a lot to their marriage. They visit the preserve often, for a nice morning jog while enjoying the gorgeous scenery it has to offer.
However, regardless of how beautiful the preserve is, on a hot Texas summer day, taking photos outside is almost impossible without breaking a sweat. Thankfully, this couple was brave enough to wake up before the birds and have a sunrise session at 6:30AM! The weather was absolutely perfect, and with these gorgeous hills, it felt like we weren't in Texas anymore.
My favorite part of being a photographer is getting to be present in people's most important days. No matter what it is they're celebrating, being there capturing the moment allows me to share in their excitement and it makes me so happy getting to witness and experience such joy alongside them.
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I wouldn't describe myself as an emotional person, but during the vows at weddings, my eyes tear up every.single.time. The exchanging of vows is a beautiful, emotional time in which promises are made that will bind the couple together for the rest of their lives. I also get emotional because I am reminded of my own wedding and how I felt standing in front of the man of my dreams, promising to spend the rest of my life by his side.
"...So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate." -Mark 10: 8-9
Something I thought was really cool were the accessories that Katelyn and Dayton were wearing. She had a Hunger Games bracelet on, while he wore a Captain America pin on his lapel. It's things like this that speak so much character about a couple and the things that bind them together.
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Katelyn said it best: "I'm just a girl on fire, married to my Captain America, hustling to accomplish our dreams, travel to all the places, and love all the people."
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"I'm just
a girl on fire, married
to my
Captain America"
Other than the scenic hilltops, Arbor Hills Nature Preserve also has this really cool bridge that you can walk under and it makes for a great background! Katelyn and Dayton were naturally photogenic and made my job so easy - I mean just look at how cute they are together!