Romantic Wedding at Firefly Gardens, Midlothian

bride and groom dip kiss in front of wall of windows with purple lighting

Show of hands: who here has been to a wedding? Most of us, right? What are the normal moments where people tear up? First look with the bride and Dad, first look with the bride and groom, when the bride is coming down the aisle and the groom sees her, their first dance, and Dad’s toast, right?

When I was photographing Tayler and Jordan’s beautiful wedding at the gorgeous Firefly Gardens venue in Midlothian, Texas, I made a mental checklist of the crying touch points we hit:

Tayler’s first look with Dad? ☑️
No first look = 🚫
Jordan seeing Tayler walking down the aisle? ☑️
Tayler and Jordan’s first dance? ☑️

bride in lace gown with v neckline with cathedral length veil under white pergola

So when it came time for her dad’s toast, everyone’s tear ducts were already primed and ready to go! Her dad took the microphone, and clutched it in his trembling hand. He was shaking so much, the paper with his toast on it rattled audibly.

His lips tightened, he took a deep breath, and he began to speak. Eyes started to glisten.

Then the music started.

And he started singing.

Wait, what?? This isn’t how toasts normally go! What is happening? Stop the madness!!

Stop The Madness GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

This sweet, beautiful man, in preparation to send his baby girl off into happily wedded bliss with her new husband, wrote a whole new set of lyrics to “Delta Dawn,” and straight up channeled Monica Geller belting it out with all his heart!

“TAY-LER HAWN…”

Amidst the dropped jaws, giggles, applause, dad jokes, and goofy dancing, his love for his daughter shone brighter than Tayler’s smile as she saw Jordan for the first time at the end of the aisle! It was seriously one of the best Father of the Bride toasts I’ve ever seen, bar none! I didn’t even miss the tears!

bride and groom laughing at father of the bride toast

Tayler and Jordan, you guys are incredible! I’ve loved getting to see your hearts for each other over the past year, spend time with you at your engagement and bridal sessions, and giggle until my sides hurt with you goofballs! I know the stress of planning a wedding in these weird times is extreme, but y’all handled it so well, and your wedding day was absolutely perfect and gorgeous!

Thank you so much for trusting me to be with you on the most important day of your lives, for loving on me when I’m supposed to be loving on you, and for believing me when I said we didn’t need to worry about the grass being spray painted green, because the beautiful bridge was all we needed for your golden hour husband and wife portraits!

bride and groom at golden hour on bridge in front of white barn

I love you guys even more than I love your wedding pictures (not sure how that’s possible, because these may be my favorites EVER), and I’m so excited to watch your marriage bloom and grow!