The Preserve at Canyon Lake | Madison & Griffin

Madison and Griffin's wedding day started soft and quiet, ivory and gold and full of little details before anything else got underway. I love mornings like this one, when the whole day is still tucked into ribbon and lace and a pair of new shoes waiting by the window.

The getting ready room filled up with laughter fast. Pajamas, coffee, someone always laughing at something just out of frame. Madison had quiet moments too, a hand held over hers, the back of her gown laced up one hook at a time.

There is something I never get tired of photographing, the rings passed hand to hand before they go where they belong, a bride finally sitting still in her dress for one second, and her bridesmaids lined up in soft yellow, waiting for their first look at her.

Across the property, Griffin and his groomsmen were having their own kind of morning, a couch full of laughing and covered mouths, ties getting straightened one more time before it was time to go.

The Preserve at Canyon Lake sits out in the Texas Hill Country between Austin and San Antonio, and the ceremony room is unforgettable, floor to ceiling windows on every side and a simple cross at the front, so the hill country light just pours in. Outside, the groomsmen gathered under the arched entry while everyone waited for the doors to open.

Guests were shown to their seats, the wedding party lined up at the front in navy and pale yellow, and Madison was walked down the aisle toward Griffin, who could not stop smiling.

They said their vows in front of all that glass and light, slid rings onto each other's hands, and shared their first kiss as a married couple.

They came back down the aisle hand in hand, stole a dip and a kiss for the cameras, and Madison could not stop laughing behind a bouquet nearly as big as she was.

We found a few quiet minutes together after the ceremony, just the two of them, hands held under the greenery, her head resting on his shoulder for a second before the party started.

We wandered the grounds while the light went gold, laughing our way down the path, pausing under a stand of old oak trees, and climbing the staircase back inside for the reception.

Someone stood up to toast the two of them before dinner, and then Madison and Griffin made their entrance down the staircase to a room full of cheering, before pulling each other close for their first dance.

They cut the cake, Madison sent her bouquet flying into a crowd of hands reaching for it, and the dance floor did not slow down for the rest of the night. Madison and Griffin, thank you for having me. Your day at The Preserve at Canyon Lake was every bit as warm as the two of you are, and I am so glad I got to be there for it.

The Dream Team

• Venue: The Preserve at Canyon Lake
• Photography: De Joy Photography
• Florals: Equinox Floral
• Catering: Four Sisters Catering
• DJ entertainment: DJ Vincent Lecca
• Rentals: The Preserve at Canyon Lake
• Hair and Makeup: Prim and Powder