On October 30th, 2015, the weather threw us all for a major loop. There was flooding all through San Marcos and Kyle and we found Interstate-35 to be shut as we headed to our Kyle venue. The weather looked uncertain throughout the day. Plans that had been made months–even years–in advance, had to suddenly be changed. Worried about the prediction of more flooding, Andrea and Tony very selflessly made the decision to not go to the venue in such conditions.

The wedding was moved to a Holiday Inn Express where their friends and family hurried to decorate for them. We shot portraits in muddy parking lot where flood waters had damaged the groom’s parked car hours before.

Despite the challenges the weather brought, Andrea and Tony embraced the day. All they wanted was to be married and for their loved ones to be safe. They absolutely knew what was most important that day and chose to fully embrace the joy in the day.

Andrea, an oncology nurse, and Tony, employed at a software development company, are probably the nicest couple I have ever met. With their day suddenly changed, they constantly remained positive. They remarked at how intimate the day felt now that they could only have their closest family and friends with them. From the moment they began getting ready, they had only smiles on their faces.

During the speeches, Tony’s father thanked individual family members for their contributions to the lives of Andrea and Tony. At the end he said, “And you, Andrea.” I remember clearly the look of surprise on Andrea’s face– she was thinking, what? What did I do? But we all knew he was referring to how she kept it together– no, she did not just keep it together. She absolutely glowed with happiness at a time when it would have been understandable for her to lose her cool. It would have been OK to have tears and be frustrated throughout the day. However, she did not act like that at all. She embraced the changes she had to make and chose to enjoy it to its fullest. The most important thing to both of them was to be married and, ultimately, if they were married and all of their family and friends safe and sound, Andrea and Tony knew that was priceless.