Sometimes love can happen in an instant. You meet, you know they’re the one, you fall in love and you get married. Like Gabby and Alex, their story has been a short, but incredible love story. The one of a kind love that just happens that I have only witnessed a few times in my life. But if you know you know. Why waste anymore time when you can start planning the rest of your life with the one you love.
If I’ve ever wanted a love, it would be a love like theirs. Full of adventures, laughs, passion and friendship. Now thats the best kind of love. The all encompassing love. The real and true love.
This wedding was hands down the best intimate wedding I have ever photographed and witnessed. I had the great honor to photograph my long time friend, Gabby and her wife, Alex, on their wedding day at the Lake Washington Rowing Club. If you ever want to perfect an intimate wedding for yourself, I’d hire these two ladies to get the job done, they definitely knew what they were doing. All DIY everything, a glorious binder that had pictures of where everything was to be placed, down to the forks and tiny name tags. Boxes labeled and ready to be unpacked in their set spots. A system so precise and so well thought out, that everything went accordingly to plan. Stress free wedding? Hell Yes!
The day began with Gabby and Alex wearing matching nautical boxer shorts and sweatshirts, along side their matching anchor tattoo’s on their ring fingers! Friends and family helped set up. All the sweet, little details were coming together, their wedding day becoming more and more real. The were a cluster of little moments about this wedding day that I will never forget.
But….
My favorite part of their wedding day: The first dances. Hands down. For sure. All three of them. Can I re-watch them all again? They were just your normal first dances, except they weren’t. The brides kicked it off with a very sweet and romantic first dance. Followed by Gabby and her father, who danced to “You’ve Got A Friend In Me.” Then, Alex and her mother, who also walked Alex down the aisle. Alex’s father had unfortunately passed away before they were to be married, so her mother and brother, stepped in and took his place the day of their wedding, (very emotional at times, but I believe he was there for the whole thing, especially when we all took a shot in honor of him ;] )
So why were they my favorite? Out of all the weddings I have photographed and attended, the love that was in that room during the dances was unlike any other first dance segment I have ever witnessed. The absolute best one, honestly. Everyone was gathered, all sitting down where they had been for dinner, facing the stage where the dances took place. And. That. Was. It. I don’t really now how to describe it. The only people moving besides them, was myself just getting all the shots I could. Everyone was just sitting there, no less than a few feet away from the stage, just watching. No one was at the bar filling up their drink, no one was making a bathroom run, no kids ran around, no one decided that this would be a good time to check their phone, no small talked happened, nothing. It was just silent and everyone sat, almost like they were in a classroom and just watched them danced. So. Good. So. Perfectly. Intimate.
Again, I can’t really put it into words, but I almost feel like everyone in that room was just so present and so happy to be witnessing what was going on in front of them, that their love somehow poured into Gabby and Alex and their parents during those dances. It was like, here you go, all my undying love and support to the two of you and to your future together. Again, again, can’t really put it into words, but boy was it magical.
I wish you both a lifetime of happiness and travels, Gabby & Alex! Adventure awaits you both!
Rachel Cantu // Make A Name For Me and You
