It has been exactly two weeks since my husband and I left for Austin, Texas. One of our good friends was getting married, and we wanted to be there to support him at the beginning of this new stage of life.

The wedding was beautiful in it's simplicity (the entire celebration probably cost less than $1000 - a minuscule amount compared to the $20,000 spent on the average wedding). They held the ceremony in their back yard, with only a small number of friends and family. They had legally gotten married a few weeks earlier, and dispensed with many of the formalities of a formal wedding, like a wedding party, ordained minister (opting instead for their youth minister), and lavish flower arrangements. Instead they focused on celebrating their union with friends and family.

When I found out that they hadn't hired a photographer I stepped in to make sure that their special day was captured for posterity. I know that they don't put the same emphasis on the wedding as many couples, but I also know that wedding memories are special, inspirational glimpses into the past. My own wedding pictures put a smile on my face on even the darkest of days. I tried my best to get truly beautiful shots that captured the spirit of the day. I feel that a few of my shots were able to do that.