Teagan and Nels' Rehearsal Dinner

Teagan and Nels' are getting married today at Lantana Lodge, up off of lake Ray Roberts. The facility is gorgeous, and we can't wait for this evening.

Yesterday, we made it up there for the rehearsal. The wedding will be at sunset, as the rehearsal was, and so a very warm tone was cast over everything. They are also blessed with beautiful weather at the end of October for an outdoor wedding!

Here is the bride:


and her groom:


Perhaps I should have mentioned that the rehearsal doubled as a costume party! Teagan was an Indian, and Nels a cowboy.

Before the run-through of the ceremony, they rigged a pinata over the lawn:


and, unlike most pinatas I've experienced, it shattered on the first hit! I guess Nels must be feeling super powerful with those chaps on. I love the look of satisfaction on his face:


Nels' takes a moment to survey the beauty, and the sun dances past him:


Then it was time for rules and some prayer. Teagan's father is also a minister, and is officiating their marriage, so this prayer and love is very meaningful to Teagan and Nels as they start their new life together. Here Nels places a strong hand upon her back:


The couple lean together as a prayer is said:


Up at the altar, Teagan holds her ribbon bouquet, while her father explains the proceedings:


Afterwards, Teagan looks out into the sun setting over the lake:


Then it was time for dinner! We drove south just a bit, and ate dinner at the fantastic Prairie House restaurant off of 380. Inside, everyone shuffled and looked for a place to sit. Close friends and family caught up, and Teagan ran around passing out thank yous:


After a delicious dinner, some speeches were made:


Teagan and Nels were attentive and thankful during every speech. On either side of them sat their parents. Here Nels' mother looks on lovingly and he and Teagan share an embrace:

We are excited for this afternoon, and wish this couple the best in their future together!

Casino Night

A Halloween themed Casino Night is held annually at UT-Arlington. The night features a costume contest, mocktails, various casino games and raffle prizes.

Here, one of several dressed dealers, Gumby, deals out another hand:


A mime tended to "The Wheel of Misfortune":


The university police were asked by Health Services to educate students on how alcohol can impair one's senses:




The ballroom's stage featured karaoke for people to sing their heart out:




Rasy Ran Photography

Fatherhood

Hey guys,

I just finished a photo story of a father, Matthew Taylor, juggling his four-year-old daughter, Natalee, and starting college at UT-Arlington. Check out the story and the audio slideshow here:

http://www.theshorthorn.com/content/view/18059/265/

Emma, one year

Meet Emma, another sweet girl celebrating her first birthday. She's a big fan of blocks:

and books:


here she sports a beautiful silver bracelet bearing her name:


Strike a pose and smile for the camera!:


Emma enjoyed holding out her toys and showing us what she was playing with:


Here she shows a more serious face:


While Emma went to change into her next outfit, Rochelle snapped this photo of our set up. For those of you that aren't too familiar with our in house photo shoots, this is generally what we do--set up a studio in your living room or another comfortable room. This is especially helpful for little ones, as it eases those tensions that arise when away from home, and it also ensures that plenty of toys, snacks, and clothes are nearby:


Then Emma was back and ready to smile, set with pumpkins and a beautiful blue dress:


Next we took a few shots with mom and dad:


and then brought in yet another family member! We did get some more traditional posed shots with the dog, but I loved the emotion in this photo:


If was a lot of fun working with both a dog and a baby, but definitely more tricky to pose! Here is one shot we managed to get of both still, if only for a moment:


Afterwards, we brought out some bubbles, which Emma was very interested in:





We had a great time working with Emma, and wish her a very happy first birthday!

Frederick and Patricia's Golden Anniversary

This weekend I had the great opportunity to photograph Frederick and Patricia's Golden Anniversary at St. Rita's Catholic Church and at the WBAP tower in Arlington. The pair seemed inseparable, backed by the decades of commitment, at the ceremony and reception.



Patricia received a surprise visit by her brother, who made plans to come in town to the celebration without her knowing:


Fred and Pat walk down the aisle, hand-in-hand, at the start of the ceremony:


Arms strewn across each other, immediate family members gather for the ring ceremony:


The kiss, marking the end of their Golden Anniversary ceremony:


Impromptu photographs followed in the lobby of the church as people left the ceremony:


The bride's cake displayed floral designs while the groom's cake had a drizzled icing flair:




Pat looked on as several people spoke to the audience during the reception, and was charmed by various songs sung to her by Fred:




When it came down to the end of Fred's endearing song, he couldn't help himself and wiped away a tear:


Then it was time for their two sons, John and Rick, to express their life's perspectives on their parents lengthy relationship:




Pat, however, was bilingual in Spanish and English, so her speech consisted of the Romantic language:


The final speech spoke of many good times by Fred's very close friend:


Soon after, Fred and Pat had their first dance of the night:


Then it was time to cut the cake and finish the evening with some more songs:




Thank you so much Fred and Pat! I hope you guys enjoy many more years of happiness and commitment.

Rasy Ran Photography

Emily, one year

If you've been following my work any in the past year, you've probably seen Emily. It's hard to believe that a year ago we were taking maternity pictures of her mother. We have watched her grow and become a beautiful girl, and will only continue to document her as time goes on.

Here she is in her adorable Halloween costume. She wasn't too keen on her antennas; she kept tearing them off of her head:


Here's a fun photo you may see again in the future. The white space over her head would be good for an advertisement, don't you think?:


I loved this photo of Emily at such a cute moment:


Got her with the antennas!:


Next, we moved outdoors to capture the fall spirit:


She definitely was intrigued by her pumpkins:


Here she strikes a cute pose, along with a winning smile:


This is one of Emily's favorite faces to make:


We moved back inside to get some cake shots. Here Emily peers around her balloons, in anticipation of the cake to come:


"I see it!" She loved when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to her, too:


Keep-away with the cake:


Finally she got her hands in the icing:


Delicious!:


Happy birthday, Emily!

I also shot a Golden Anniversary ceremony and reception this weekend; be on the lookout for those images within the next few days!

Rasy Ran Photography