Sandra and Jason

I knew it was going to be a fun wedding.  Sandy told me that she liked my ideas, and wanted to do some "fun" pictures.  You see... this is the second wedding they've had.  The first wedding wasn't quite the dream wedding they had planned.  Sandy was involved in a horrible accident just days before the wedding.  She spent months without being able to walk.  She said that Jason carried her... everywhere.  She had horrific injuries, and she is still dealing with the pain, and the surgeries.  She has another surgery scheduled in the next few months.


She was determined to WALK down the isle and marry the man who carried and cared for her.  She told me that she wanted lots of pictures of the kids.  Together they have six kids!  To hear her talking about her husband Jason, and her family made me as emotional then as it does to write about it now.  I once wrote that it's easy to take good pictures of a couple that is so deeply in love.  It's true.  The pictures of their faces that I captured during the first dance was so full of emotion, that each picture is a story.

As an artist, I sometimes have crazy ideas for pictures.  Sometimes I mention my ideas to people, and they look at me like ...  like I'm crazy.  Sandy told me that the wedding would be at the VFW in Schertz.  I did my usual scouting trip to take pictures at the venue to test the lighting, and look for portrait ideas, and then I saw it...  a tank.  Let me re-emphasize that, in case you glanced over it...  it was A TANK.  They had an old WWII Sherman tank on display in the parking lot of the VFW.  I asked Sandy, "how would you feel about posing next to the tank?"  She said that was great.  I asked "How do you feel about posing ON the tank?"  She laughed and said she was down for it!!

On a side note, I should mention that this idea got me in trouble.  Not with the owner/manager of the VFW, but with Sandy's mother.  Yes, I knew about her injuries and surgeries.  It would be risky to have her climbing around this beast.  But I also knew that Jason and I would be there, and her safety would be more important than getting the shot.  I got permission from the VFW manager (Jeannie, thank you again!) and I went to work thinking about the poses that I wanted to do.    Every goofy idea that I had, this couple was excited to try.  Did I mention that they are a fun couple?  This wedding is every photographer's dream project.  They were open to all ideas, and a very photogenic attractive couple.  I think I will be seeing Sandy and Jason in a lot of my advertising material in the months to come.