Summer night drives + a wedding

 

This was another busy but fun and (somewhat) unexpected weekend. My parents and I had a pretty chill Saturday. We had a lazy morning, then decided to go eat at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in town, then went to Walmart to get some things and I wanted to look at their clothes. I got a few things, as well as a couple books and magazines. Gotta love new reading material! 

 

It was a laid back afternoon at home just flipping through my magazines and being inspired. Then, that night, we drove through In-N-Out. It became a thing during the pandemic and we've just kept the tradition. It's fun because it's usually around the time the sun is setting. When we were done, we went for a drive around town. It's one of my favorite things and also cheap entertainment when there's nothing else to do. I get so inspired just zoning out on the sky as we drive by. 

We drove out near the airport to watch one of the planes come in just as the sun was fading out in the distance, from orange to blue. It's one of the best moments to witness. There's a stillness in the sky that you feel during the summer. Or maybe we all just take a few extra minutes to look and take it in.

 

 

The next day, I was scheduled to work my first wedding as a content creator. I've done a couple other weddings in different capacities - As a bridesmaid and as a photographer assistant. I took a very light, easy morning - Read some, drank coffee, eased into the day. Sometimes on a day out of the norm, I get more anxious and just don't know what to expect, so I tense up and get a bad migraine at the end of it all. I was trying to prevent that as much as possible. My parents brought me lunch, so I ate, then spent a lot of the afternoon making sure I had all of my gear, knew where I was going and getting ready. I was going to do a red tank, then decided on a black tank to blend in better.

 

Even though I've known the bride and her family, for as long as I can remember, I was still so nervous. I also knew the other photographer I'd be working more closely with. I listened to more of the newer country vibe since that was going to be the playlist style going into the evening just to get in the mood. I got to the hotel where they were getting ready, and got a feel for all the things. I took some quick cell phone pics and grabbed b-roll of them getting ready and the details for Megan's wedding dress. It was also fun catching up with the photographer, Perla, who I did Bible study with a few years back. We talked about photography and some of our experience, and she told me about getting into the wedding industry. 

We also did a fun little video of Megan walking out of her hotel room to the elevator like the Morgan Wallen "concert walkout" trend on social media. That was fun. Then, we all gathered in the lobby for some family photos with the bride. It was such a beautiful, special moment. 

Then, it was off to the venue. It's so hot in Bakersfield so just transporting from one spot down the street to another felt like such a process, ha. 

It was at a newer event venue in town, The Collective, that can be transformed into just about anything, whether that's a wedding, baby shower or another kind of celebration. I took more detailed shots and shadowed the photographer to get some of those moments, as well. I got setup with my cameras and mic'd up the bride and groom, and the ceremony got started shortly after. It was set up outside on the patio, and looked beautiful and intimate with an arch made special by the bride's father.

 

After the ceremony, there were pictures to be taken with the bride and groom, their families and so on. Next, the reception started -- There were the bridal party introductions, a DJ playing a mix of jams, dinner and finally, to cap off the evening, dancing, and even a live band. Perla and I ate dinner on the back patio and talked for a bit as we waited for the first dance and other special moments.

There was the bride and groom first dance, the cake and a lot of visiting and mingling throughout the evening. As the sun set, things started winding down. I shadowed the photographer outside for the sunset photos, which was a lot of fun, then called it a night. Being that I was the content creator, I tried to get most of the photos and quick reels edited by the end of the night. I still have a couple items to get to, but wanted to have the best content ready to go. 

I stopped at Sonic on the way home to get Kelsea Ballerini's go-to drink (Ocean water with raspberry and lime - Perfect summer drink) and some tots. So good!

This was such a fun weekend to break out of my comfort zone of doing other types of events (church services, commencement, speaking engagements, etc) to think more creatively and so on. I'm not sure if weddings are something I'd solely want to focus on in the future, but had a great time doing it. 

Now, onto the week ahead. 

--Shelby