Duck calls, minnows, ford broncos and hay bales are not the normal things you would think of when you think of weddings.. but these are just a FEW of the many details that made up Crystal and Bronson’s gorgeous wedding! The day kicked off with some the girls getting their hair done at Tanglz. Then about 2:00 we headed out to the wedding site for Crystal to get dressed! The wedding took place at the lake.. but they had a “tiki changing room” waiting on Crystal. However.. this didn’t go as planned seeing as how it was completely see through!!! But they doubled it up and it worked just fine! :)

My favorite part of the day was the first look! This was the first time I’ve gotten to do this and if I had it my way, this is the only way I would do it from now on. It was even better than we expected. I don’t believe in this superstition, I know plenty of people who have seen one another before the ceremony and are still happily married, including myself!!! I can also vouch for Crystal and Bronson and gladly say that they were thrilled with it as well as the fact that we got so many great photos out of it. After the ceremony there is little time to get in all of the group formals and family photos before having to rush off to the reception. Your guests get impatient and everything gets delayed.. but with the first look we are able to go right into the reception with the guests! (After a lot of research, I found out that the most believed reason for the whole superstition was years ago- when arranged marriages still took place.. this was done so that if the groom thought the bride was ugly (or vice versa) they couldn’t run away!) This is ALSO where the WEDDING VEIL came from! Years ago, wedding veils were completely opaque and stayed in place over the face until the minister pronounced them man and wife… because by then it was TOO late to run! :)

Normally I would have the groom waiting at the alter and have the bride meet him there, but in our case, everything was still being set up and since the reception area was right by the ceremony site, we decided to find another location, more private.

Bronson waited patiently while Crystal walked up behind him. When she was ready, she told Bronson he could turn around… and there he saw his beautiful bride for the first time. Walking toward him just as if she were walking down the isle to him. But now, there weren’t 200 people staring at him for his reaction. He walked up to her, grabbed her and kissed her. They were able to talk.. hug and just be excited to see one another finally! There was no more stress. They had seen one another.. they were together.. and that’s all that mattered. No more playing hide and seek. For the next hour, we were able to walk around without any worries of time limits and get some very memorable images.. that we would not have been able to get without the first look.

[I want to thank Crystal and Bronson again for being such an awesome couple.. I had an amazing time working with you guys!]

OKAY- so on with the wedding!!!! After the first look we were able to get the wedding party formals in- which were completely IN formal.. which I LOVE. :) The wedding site was stunning. The ceremony took place at the edge of the late. Crystals father build a beautiful setting for the alter.. which i would call a “hitching post!” :) There were chairs and hay bales set out for the guests. Next to the ceremony site was a huge tree huge with green and white tiki lanterns. Underneath it was the gift table and sign in table witch were all covered with antique table cloths. They were decorated with candles, antique buttons strown around and several of their engagements portraits in tiny frames. They also had a large basket with wedding programs, extra wedding invitations and pieces of paper with love quotes to take home as keep sakes! The reception took place underneath an awning. Picnic tables were covered with more antique table cloths, vases of dried flowers, tiny origami cranes, more frames with Crystal and Bronon’s engagement pictures, and glass vases which held minnows!

I may never see another groom and groomsman entrance like this again, so I HAVE to tell you about this. When it was time for the groomsman to enter, the theme song to the dukes of hazzard began to play. Then all of a sudden from out of no where you where a truck crank and then rev up! Then from the left side of the ceremony site you see a muddy white ford bronco, driven by Bronson, fly over the embankment (taking down a few small trees in its path) and driving over to the isle. Bronson and his 3 grooms men, then hop out and walk down the isle. I’ve never seen wedding guests applaud for the groom and his groomsmen to enter, but the crowd went wild!!! :) I honestly could not have gone better! After the brides maids entered (normally!) the song, “you can let go,” began to play and Crystal and her father rode up in a horse drawn buggy.. (the horse did go under a branch and almost scrape Crystal out of the buggy.. but it only made it that much more memorable!!! :) ) The rest of the ceremony and wedding was beautiful as well, ofcourse! I won’t go into detail on everything else because you would be here all day reading this… I will just let the pictures speak for themselves. Congrats again to Crystal and Bronson and enjoy!!!

[If your still wondering where the duck calls come in… the grooms family blew them as they were announced man and wife and walked back down the isle together! :)]

Here are a few collages of just some of the many beautiful details that made up this gorgeous wedding.

Crystal changing in her “tiki changing hut.”

Bronson patiently.. and NERVOUSLY waiting for Crystal to come meet him.

Here she comes!!

Apparently he does this all the time.

Ya gotta love the Dukes of Hazzard orange!!!

MY favorite!!

All the guys!!! (The green suit is the MAN/MAID of Honor aka Crystals little brother!) :)

YES, that is the groom lying on the ground… and believe it or not, NO that was NOT my idea! :)

The GROOM’S ENTRANCE!!!

Crystal entering in her horse and buggy…

Crystal’s horse and buggy running her into the low tree limb!!!!

DISCO!

Crystal dancing with one of the ring bearers. (The money in the ribbon around her waist is from the “money dance.”) This is the first time I have heard of this, but Jo Kyle Varner, the DJ, designated a couple of songs for the “money dance,” which is where people pay to dance with the bride and groom. I thought it was a neat idea and apparently they made out like bandits!!!

I loved this shot!