Nevada Desert Wedding: Bethany + Talin (part 2)
I know I promised a full post about Bethany and Talin's wedding last week; sorry I've been MIA. (Got sick, Turkey Day, editing images, blah, blah, excuses, excuses...) So prepare yourselves for the longest post ever!
Bethany is my sister so naturally I automatically had a lot of intestet in this wedding to begin with. Being the Maid of Honor, the photographer, and the wedding planner made this wedding take over my life for a little while.
Though I was born and raised in Las Vegas. I currently live in a small town about an hour north of Las Vegas called Moapa Valley. My paternal grandparents were raised in this town so we have a lots of family and land and ties to this place. The ceremony site was out in the desert near our little town on our family property. For the reception we rented out the Old High School that has now been turned into a museum. We spend the day before the wedding doing all the set up so that we could have the day of the wedding stress free. (HA!)
My grandparents went to school in this building! How cool is that?!
The girls were suppose to all meet in the dance room of the Old High School to get ready early that morning. But after Beth picked up the other bridesmaids and was leaving Las Vegas she got a flat tire. So our leisure morning of getting ready was not a leisure as we planned. But everyone did get there and the day ran (mostly) on schedule.
Now I know what you are thinking: "Rachel, how are you the photographer if you are in all these photos?" And the answer, my friends, is -Gretchen! My sweet fellow photographer friend Gretchen of Gretchen Leigh Photography was helping me out with photography for the whole day. And she is awesome! Love her!
The guys went over to the house near the ceremony site to get ready.
Then we girls drove out to meet them for a First Look! We blindfolded Talin and sent him outside to wait for Bethany.
Doesn't Bethany look like a true goddess queen?!
Bethany had her wedding dress custom made for her while she was living in China - a year before she got engaged! (I hope that's not suppose to be a secret anymore, Bethie.) And a note about my dress, it was made and worn by my maternal grandmother to my parents wedding in 1981. She has passed on so it was a little piece of her there with us.
There is my boy! He was the ring bearer and my mom made his vest to match her dress. Isn't he the cutest ring bearer you ever saw! (Hey! I'm his mom; I can be prejudice.)
The wedding ceremony took place on a cliff over looking the most awesome view.
Here is my mom and I being bossy as we direct family portraits. ( I look so seroius with my piece of paper.)
I kept the couple behind for some quick photos and sent the guest down to the reception. When we were kids, I thought Bethany was crazy for wanting to get married out in the middle-of- nowhere desert. Now- not so much.
I was also their chauffeur to the reception.
Bethany and Talin had all their musical friends and family preform during the reception instead of hiring entertainment. Bethany even composed and preformed a song for Talin. She so talented and has such a lovely voice.
My little 5 year old boy, Pirate, practiced for weeks to preform his song. He was so excited that he did a stage drive after he sang and then announced into the microphone "I'm Done!"
And because Talin and Bethany are super geeky they have leetspeak written on the back of her car. (For all us non-super geeks, it says 'Just Married'.)
Love you, Talin and Bethany! And if I may - shout out to all those you helped with wedding plans and set up and clean up. You are so appreciated!