Kimberly and Matt were married last Saturday at Keystone Ranch, and I couldn’t have dreamed that it would have turned out as beautifully as it did. There were certainly some concerns on my end, as the venue only holds 100 guests and Kimberly and Matt’s guest list ended up being 170. And then there was the lighting situation—a windowed, back lit ceremony and no other ambient light other than candles and some incandescent lamps. The ceremony took place at dusk, so the light was constantly changing–not always fun for metering! I actually went up to the ranch a week earlier to try out a few different lighting options. I brought in some studio lights and tried bouncing them off the ceiling from the balcony and off the walls from the back of the room, but with 170 people, no seating and dynamic light, I decided to go au naturale with the light and be a journalist. I also had two assistants with me—and we were all stationary. I was in the front, hiding behind the groomsmen, Preston was in the front hiding behind the bridesmaids, and Rachael was in the back to get the wide angles…. It was crazy! However it all turned out beautifully and the emotions and events of the ceremony were what made the images sing….

Kimberly and Matt went with a art-deco theme for their wedding, with feathers in their flowers, pearls on their cake, and rich purple and red for their colors. Emily Campbell of Bella Design did a fantastic job coordinating the event and everything ended up being a smash hit–from the gorgeous candle-lit ceremony to the raging celebration at the end of the day. It was a perfect wedding in every way and certainly didn’t lack the emotion and love that I always feed on! I was so blessed to be witness to it all!

Thanks Kimberly and Matt for sharing this day with me! Congratulations!

Kimberly’s father is a dear heart! I loved witnessing this moment between the two of them when he first caught a glimpse of his daughter.

Kimberly was a breathtaking bride!

The girls all wore cowboy boots while the guys wore Vans–I loved it! I thought this was a great image that depicted how fun this wedding party was!

The small ceremony site before 170 guests filed in…..

The reason Matt and Kimberly decided to hold there ceremony in front of the windows instead of in front of the fireplace, was so that Matt would be able to see Kimberly walk down the stairs. I loved how sentimental he was and wasn’t about to miss his expression when he first saw his bride. He barely held it together!

Have I ever mentioned how much I love blushers? It’s such a dramtaic and proud moment when the father lifts the veil….

Kimberly and Matt did a candle light ceremony where they passed the flame from person to person until everybody seated held a single candle. It was beautiful—and again, quite emotional!

Kimberly and Matt have the most adorable nephews which each danced with the bride individually. It was so sweet. However I was just as much moved by Kimberly’s sister and brother and law’s emotional response to the dances, as I was by the dancing itself.

…And then the real party began…. and it was a riot!

Check out the slideshow HERE!