I don’t usually start with the end, but in this case, I will. Our day at The Club at Garden Ridge wedding venue ended unexpectedly with a brief, but hard, rain shower. We weren’t quite done photographing everything the way we wanted to, and the water pouring out of the sky created effects in the images we didn’t want, but we were left with no choice. It was either capture this last setup as is (dinner on the bridge pictured below), or not photograph it at all. So we did.

The Club at Garden Ridge Wedding Venue

We had nearly an hour left to work before sunset when the rain began. But the weather had alternative plans.

And that was a wrap.

[Tweet “Garden Ridge Styled Shoot”]

As a photographer, but more importantly as an uninvolved vouyer of sorts who is commissioned to document monumental family history, I think it’s hyper significant for a couple to truly enjoy their wedding day. Part of my job is to ensure I capture skillful images, but there is an unspoken part of my job to also ensure my couples have a great time.

Earlier, when I arrived at the club house to begin working on this styled shoot and crossed this footbridge, I was struck by how nestled away the bridge and stream were and how secluded it appeared. And, me being me, loved how it seemed I was in the middle of the backcountry somewhere. In my mind, I could have easily arrived here after a hiking in with a backpack and sat down for a peaceful backpacker’s lunch. I casually thought to myself what a lovely place this would be for an intimate, romantic dinner for two after a wedding ceremony.

A while later, I tossed out the idea to Lizzette (from His garden) and Kristi (The Club at Garden Ridge) and much to my surprise, they both agreed, that we’d set up a sweetheart table here as part of the styled shoot.

I was even more surprised when Kristi said she’d be working this private dinner into some of the club’s packages and selling it to her couples.

Okay, so back to the beginning.

Indoor & Outdoor Wedding Venue

Ashley, our model bride, was absolutely gorgeous. She had never modeled before, but there is no evidence of that. She was fantastic all day long and never complained (not once) about the lulls in the schedule as we decided what we’d shoot next… rearranged a scene… or fought with a few minor technical difficulties.

Lizzette, the planner and our lead, decided to do something not usually done for styled shoots—in fact, so rare, I’ve never even actually heard of it. She didn’t pick a theme for the shoot. Instead, the only direction she gave the participating vendors was, “go with bright colors.”

It was a gamble for sure. Instruction this vague can mean so many different things to so many people. But you know what? It worked! Everything in the shoot was seamless. It was most seeming when you placed the signature cocktail, charcuterie board, and sugary confections side by side. If I had to retroactively decide on a theme, I’d call it… luminous romantic.

Wedding Inspiration

My Emmy Events debuted this multi-functional backdrop. I can see this in all sorts of places… as an altar (like we used it), as the bar shelf holding the alcoholic stash, behind the sweetheart table, photo booth, guest table, or a secluded lounging area. You can even place different things in the cubby shelves… candles, flowers, framed pictures, digital frames, guest gifts, THE CHAMPAGNE TOAST flutes, or a mixture of all the above, etc.

The entire wedding vendor ensemble for this styled shoot were absolute workhorses (especially those ladies from My Emmy Events!). For over six hours we slayed to make this styled shoot happen and competed against the looming rain. (I do love the dark, moody clouds in the images!) The rain came and did cut our shoot a bit short, but somehow we managed to capture everything we needed. I’m proud of this shoot and the resulting images! I’m also grateful to have worked with such wonderful wedding professionals for this day.

Please enjoy all of these images. I hope you get some great wedding inspo from them! If anything in this shoot speaks to you, please reach out to any of the vendors who took part… we’re all listed at the bottom of this post!

Enjoy some of my favorite images from this styled shoot at The Club at Garden Ridge wedding venue then be sure to watch the slideshow at the end!

If you’d like to see more images from this styled shoot at The Club at Garden Ridge wedding venue, please enjoy this video. For the best quality, be sure to change the video player settings to 1080 HD. 

The incredibly talented, gifted, and dedicated wedding team of professional wedding vendors who worked tirelessly to put this shoot together were as follows:

Ceremony & Reception Site: The Club at Garden Ridge
Photographer: Ata-Girl Photography Co.
Planner/Coordinator & Floral: from His Garden
Gowns: Bella Bridesmaids
Hair & Makeup: Braids N Hairpins
Rentals: My Emmy Events
Caterer: Tim the Girl Catering
Desserts: Charity Teague Confections
Bartenders: Bartenders and Dreams

If you enjoyed this blog post and would like to get your hands on 20 FREE interactive wedding planning tools that every couple needs, please take a moment to access them here.

You can always call or text, but if you really want to get to know me, schedule a meetup!

Let’s hangout! I wanna hear about your love story!

I am San Antonio’s most unique wedding photographer. I specialize in a 10-day image delivery, same-day prints, same-day slideshows, Italian handcrafted wedding albums and I have a mobile meeting space.

I am a full-time, internationally-awarded and WPPI-C certified professional wedding and senior photographer based in South Texas near San Antonio. I offer a premier and personal service coupled with an unforgettable photography experience. I cater to clients who appreciate quality photography and help them to create family heirlooms that will last for generations.

I started Ata-Girl Photography Co., LLC in 2010. I firmly believe that the unique set of circumstances I have faced in life has prepared me to take a personal and genuine interest in my photography clients. I enjoy documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. I love being a part of people’s journeys and consider myself privileged to document their legacies.

When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I love to spend my spare time hiking, camping, cycling, reading, listening to Elvis and Prince. The most important things in life are for me to see my two daughters happy and to create a family history my grandparents and grandson would be proud of!

The post, Garden Ridge Styled Shoot, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.