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Erin & Rick — Hacienda Dona Andrea de Santa Fe — New Mexico wedding

On any given weekend, I love love love my job. I find so much joy in photographing weddings, in looking for special moments for my clients, in capturing memories that they and their families will treasure for a lifetime. So when I photograph the wedding of friends I love, you can pretty much multiply that feeling by a hundred.

Such was the case when I shot Erin and Rick’s gorgeous New Mexico wedding. She’s from Denver. He’s from Albuquerque. Both newspaper reporters, they met while working in Orlando, moved to Annapolis together and now live in Washington DC. (I know, you practically need MapQuest to keep up.) They checked out venues in both of their hometowns and picked New Mexico — specifically, a hacienda overlooking the mountains and desert outside Santa Fe — as the site of their nuptials. There were so many aspects of this wedding that I loved — the punch of Erin’s red and turquoise color palette against the muted tones of the desert, the spectacular sunset that graced the outdoor reception, the antique typewriter that Erin gave Rick as a wedding gift, the temporary tattoos that the couple distributed to their guests. But the bestest of the best by far was their vows: They wrote them for each other — meaning, Erin wrote what Rick would say to her and he wrote what she said to him. They did not share them with each other until the wedding. I’ve never heard anything so alternately hilarious and heartwarming at a wedding before. It was really something.

I have a ton of photos to share, so I’m going to stop blathering now. Here are some of my favorites from their wonderful day:

The Hacienda Dona Andrea de Santa Fe was such a beautiful spot for a wedding. Jessie Abrams Baca, the event planner for the venue, did a wonderful job ensuring that everything went smoothly.

Erin wore a gorgeous Watters gown from Betsy Robinson Bridal.

My dear friend, looking stunning.

A few with the groom (and one of his brothers).

Finally, time to get married…

I love the excitement emanating from Rick.

And this look from his soon-to-be-wife.

A wink for the bride’s nephew, who was a darling ring bearer. He took his role very seriously.

A little serenade from two of the couple’s siblings.

A stolen kiss.

During the ceremony, the weather turned blustery — the winds picked up and it even started to drizzle. But despite those signs of an approaching storm, it somehow passed without drenching the wedding.

The exchange of vows: Erin went first. Rick wrote for her something along the lines of, ‘Let me begin, Rick, by telling you how fabulous you look tonight.’ We knew at that moment that we were in for an exchange of vows like no other.

There were footnotes. I’m not kidding.

Rick’s turn.

Rings.

Married!

Sisters.

Best friends.

The guys.

There were so many fun spots to take advantage of at the Hacienda. I just loved shooting here. (The chili peppers above the little porch reminded me of mistletoe. Southwestern mistletoe!)

We went out to the road for a few so I could get a clear shot of mountains and desert in the background.

And they were off to the party…

Those previously mentioned temporary tattoos and stickers for guests.

Rick and Erin ordered bigger-than-life cardboard cutouts of themselves in their wedding outfits for the reception. It was a hoot.

I often tell prospective clients that my goal in shooting a wedding is to capture genuine images that will remind them of how they felt on their wedding day. This is what I mean. I can only imagine what Erin was thinking here as she rested her head on her husband’s shoulder. But I bet it was nice…

As the sun set over the desert, we were treated to a magnificent display of pink and golden light. It was perfect for shooting a few more pictures of the bride and groom up on the rooftop patio.

I love love love these next few…

A first dance.

A photo booth.

And lots of fun.

And one silly image I couldn’t resist posting from the morning after the wedding when Rick decided to try out his new typewriter.

Erin and Rick, I could not have had more fun photographing your wedding. It was an honor and a pleasure to be a part of it all. I can’t wait to see what the next years and years of our friendship hold.

Comments

  1. Liz Duren

    You did a remarkable job capturing this stunning wedding. I love what you did. Great job!!

    Reply
  2. Jessie

    Wow, Jennifer!! These photos are awesome!! They truly capture how amazing Erin and Rick’s wedding was! You are a great artist with that camera! Each one is just beautiful!

    Reply
    1. jennifermcmenamin

      Thanks, Jessie. (I added your link to the post.) You did a great job pulling everything together and keeping things moving…

      Reply
  3. Santa Fe Bed and Breakfast

    Amazing!
    We have seen plenty of wonderful Hacienda wedding photos.

    Erin and Rick were a great couple to work with, from the first visit until the final good-bye.

    Congratulations to you all, with this much love and creativity at the start the future looks great!

    Anne and Max Contreras
    Marina, Jessie, Brian and the team
    Hacienda Dona Andrea de Santa Fe

    Reply
    1. jennifermcmenamin

      Thanks very much. You have a beautiful venue, made all the more spectacular by Santa Fe’s inherent beauty!

      Reply
  4. Hanah

    Jen, these photos are absolutely gorgeous — GORGEOUS.

    I just may have to get married to Eric again to have you take my wedding pictures.
    Hmm.. there’s an idea. Vow renewal?

    Reply
    1. jennifermcmenamin

      Thanks so much, Hanah. And sure, I would totally photograph your vow renewal! : )

      Plus now you’d have a darling ring bearer! Ohhh, does that mean you’d get another ring?!? This is looking better and better by the minute!

      Reply

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Wedding Confetti