We Donated A Wedding to a Military Couple

I was contacted about a month and a half ago by a sweet kindergarten teacher in Alaska to photograph an elopement at a park. She informed me that she had just gotten engaged a few days prior. Her fiance, who is serving in our U.S. Military here in San Antonio, had originally planned to propose to her when she came to visit San Antonio in December but he had just received information that he would be getting orders to an unknown location in March. He told her that he had planned to hire a photographer to capture the proposal but because of the recent news, instead of hiring a photographer to capture the proposal, what if he hired a photographer to capture them getting married instead?!! And so they decided to get married when she comes to visit him in December. Since she only had a little over a month to plan, she didn’t have anything – she didn’t even have her ring yet but she didn’t care- she said they were in love and they just wanted to get married! One thing was important to them and that was to have a photographer to capture the memory. Since Sam is retired from serving 22 years in the military and we love helping our fellow military families- I thought of the idea of gifting them the photography. But I felt a connection with this bride and something in me just wanted to make it a little more special. I called my friend, (and amazing wedding planner/stylist) Kelsea from Touch of Whimsy Design and Coordination and asked her for help and to see if this was possible just 2 days after Christmas. She said yes almost instantly!