I introduce most couples to you when I take their engagement photos. You get a sense of their personalities and hear a little of what they are planning for their wedding, and the anticipation builds for their day to come. When I talked with Amanda – who I first met as a bridesmaid at Sarah + Matt’s wedding – and she booked me for the wedding she was planning for next May with her fiance Wes, I wanted to share part of their story sooner. You see, they are both in the Army and are currently deployed in Kuwait… which means they are planning their wedding abroad!
I know the challenge planning a wedding can be, especially when you are finishing up school, working full time, moving, etc… but I can’t imagine spending part of my engagement deployed with my fiance. That adds a whole new set of challenges, and not only am I impressed with Amanda and Wes, but I’m even more excited to for their engagement photos and wedding once they return home. I asked them to write a little about their relationship and what it’s like for them and this is what they said, with comments in yellow added by me:
Hey! So we are Amanda and Wes, both captains in the Army and we first met as friends at West Point through some close friends. We went to a series of Army related schools together in El Paso, TX (Ft Bliss) right after graduation and then began dating and becoming closer during our time at Fort Bliss. (hey I was born in El Paso)
Being deployed together is not like most would think. It is comforting to have the one you love close by for support and motivation, however it is also extremely tough. (I can only imagine, I’m sure it’s not exactly easier) The line of work we are in makes it extremly difficult to demonstrate the affection most relationships are centered around. This has been a very difficult challenge throughout the deployment. However, it does make what little time we do get together more special.
Prior to deployment we did select the place to have the wedding, rehearsal dinner, and Amanda selected a dress that I cannot wait to see on her! While deployed we have booked the band, coordinated an AMAZING photographer (blush), and began designing save the dates and wedding invites. When we take R&R leave in October we will begin finalizing Tux styles, food preperation, decorations for the wedding/reception as well as taking our engagement photos (wohoo!). Some friends have sent bridal magazines in the mail which has helped to bring a little bit of the excitement of wedding planning to the desert!
Our wedding is going to be at asbury hall, the old fancy church downtown that ani difranco restored (I can’t wait to photograph there). We are going for classic and elegant, with mostly whites, off whites, and champagne colors for linens and centerpeices and flowers too, and the bridesmaids will wear black cocktail dresses (love it). Lots of candles in the centerpiece, the church looks really beautiful when its sparkling and lit up with candles (that’s going to be gorgeous – the more candles the better). We are also going to have a band, but that is pretty much all we have so far! We are just really excited to have all of our friends and family together for one big celebration- we both have lots of friends from over the years and especially from West Point that we never get to see because everyone is spread out around the globe. I can’t wait to show all my friends Buffalo either, its going to be fun to have them all in my hometown. The rehearsal dinner is going to be at Pearl Street Grill + Brewery, and its going to feature classic buffalo dishes: wings, pizza, beef on weck, etc… oh and we are having sponge candy for our favor! (I think it’s perfect to incorporate local things in the wedding – especially when there are a lot of out of town guests)
The thing I am looking forward to most at the wedding is the first dance Amanda and I share together as husband and wife. Being able to look into her beautiful blue eyes and tell her just how much I love her and how excited I am to begin the rest of our lives together will make the wait, planning, and difficult times of being deployed all worth it. (wow how romantic – I can’t wait to photograph that too)
by Mary Dougherty
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