I’ve been waiting to shoot this wedding for fourteen months!  From the moment I met Haley and her sweet family, I knew I was going to love every second of her special day.

The very first  thing I learned about Drew and Haley was how they met.  Haley’s sister was telling me the story while giggling: Drew really loved the band Paramore.  More specificially, he really liked the lead signer of that band.  Her name was Haley.  With this name on his brain, Drew randomly reached out to girls via Facebook with the same name in the Austin area, as he had just been stationed in Fort Hood (from Ohio).  Well, one girl welcomed the crazy message.  After she broke the news to her parents that she had been chatting with a stranger online, they said if he wanted to meet her face-to-face, that he could come to their home (where they let him know that Texans like their guns).

They chose to meet on Halloween night, where Drew met Haley’s mom dressed as a Salt and Pepper shaker.  The two really hit it off and continued to meet on weekends.  Until December.  That’s when Drew found out that he was going to be deployed and wouldn’t be able to see Haley for a year.  He gave her an out, but she refused to take it.  The two continued to get to know each other over that year via surprise gifts and letters.  Five years and one day after they met on Halloween of 2009, the two made everything officially with a Montesino Ranch Wedding in Wimberley, Texas.

One of the cool things about Montesino Ranch is that it is actually an Organic Farm & Ranch that takes a limited number of weddings each year.

Haley gave all of her bridesmaids pretty earrings from Kendra Scott!

During her bridal session, Haley borrowed her dad’s firefighter gear for a few special shots for her dad (I’ll FINALLY be able to share that beautiful session soon!) and surprised him with them on her wedding day.  Along with that, she gave him a special mug and a handkerchief to dry his tears.  

Haley’s mom gave her a beautiful pearl necklace and Drew’s mother gave Haley a matching pearl bracelet.  Both completed her bridal look beautifully!

As a special surprise to Haley, her mother had part of her wedding dress lace sewed into the inside of Haley’s dress.  It had her and Drew’s monogram and wedding date stitched in blue, so the sweet addition served as Haley’s something old and something blue.  It was a sweet moment to have witnessed and may have had all the bridesmaids a bit choked up!

To carry a part of her grandmother with her, Haley included her grandmother’s thimbles on her wedding bouquet.

Drew has a thing for Vans and Ray Bans!

Their ceremony wrapped up 30 minutes early, so we took the opportunity to do romantic portraits with that extra time instead of stealing them from dinner, which I’m so thankful for!

We left the ranch for a few romantic portraits near a low water crossing.  

Haley’s sister MADE this gorgeous stained glass piece for the newlyweds!  So Talented!

Drew is currently going through the fire academy, so these cookies were made JUST for him!

I love that they opted for a ribbon wand send off!  It was so cute and incorporated their wedding colors perfectly!

Drew and Haley, THANK YOU SO MUCH for inviting Dylan and I to document your beautiful day!  We loved everything about your wedding: the location, the sweet details, and the love that could be felt throughout the day.  Y’all definitely threw one of our favorite weddings of the year and we’re so honored to have been a part of it.  Thank you!

– Mylah Renae

Montesino Ranch Wedding Photographer

Vendor Credits: 

Wimberley Wedding Venue: Montesino Ranch & Organic Farm

Montesino Ranch Wedding Photographer: Eureka Photography

Wedding Coordinator: Michelle Bertsch

Floral: Breathtaking Blooms (Linda Manifold)

Cake & Sweets: Becky Krenek

DJ: Colton Brugger

Make-up: Austin Wedding Make-up (Sonia Haynes)

Hair: Reve Hair Salon (Donna Webb)