Baton Rouge Documentary Wedding Photography | Gene and April
Gene and April had the craziest whirlwind wedding stories ever! I was lucky enough to be able to photograph these two from the very beginning – their (surprise) engagement! Gene was so sweet, springing a band and serenade on April as he went down on one knee. One of their images was picked up by a BuzzFeed writer and listed in a story on surprise proposals.
Then a few weeks later, we all went out to Rosedown for some killer engagement shots on a foggy morning, and while we were there, April oh-so-casually mentioned to me that their engagement story was in the running for a Best Engagement Story contest put on by one of our local news stations. When their engagement photos were ready, we put in an order for prints from both their surprise session at the park. And some more recent images from their latest session, per the station’s request.
I was so excited to see my people on the news for an interview! Gene had warned me that he was nervous, but the two of them handled the interview like a champ. Soon after, guess who was announced as the winner of the contest? You guessed it. Gene and April! They won all kinds of cool stuff, including a catered rehearsal dinner, plane tickets and hotel stays. And all kinds of other things to make their newly married life extra exciting.
Their wedding at University United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge was every bit as cool as they were.
Gene walked his two daughters down the aisle. Which I thought was just the sweetest thing ever. The new family poured sand together to symbolize the uniting of their lives together. Gene was pretty nervous (and fiddled with his temporarily empty ring finger a bit just before the big exchange). But everything went great! Well, the flower girl cracked everyone up by roaming to and fro a little at first. But cute things like that are what make each wedding unique! After the excited walk back down the aisle as man and wife, the couple left for the ceremony in a beautiful vintage car belonging to the bride’s father.
The reception at Juban’s was so much fun. They had a great dance floor, and a photo booth, and lots of friends and family who came out to celebrate with them. April had a naked cake with beautiful summer strawberries, and Gene had his very own bass cake as a groom’s cake – which was perfect for the big outdoorsman that he is. Speaking of hunting, apparently April’s brother is notoriously difficult to get photographs of, so Mom tasked me with cornering him at some point, for AT LEAST one.
I accepted that challenge with alacrity. 😉
While he did (good naturedly) cooperate for a few more formal portraits, I loved the one we caught of him posing for the camera, and April sneaking up behind him for a photo-bomb. It was such a sisterly thing to do, and I had to laugh.
I’m so glad I got to be a part of this newly-minted family’s story!
Bayou Rose Photography specializes in wedding, engagement, family, and documentary style family photography in Southern Louisiana, and surrounding areas including but not limited to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Prairieville, Gonzales and Lafayette.
comments +