alex + dylan | resplendent garden | texas wedding photographer
Leaf & Bubble | Amarillo Brand Photography
Boba, you guys.
If you aren’t on the boba train yet, all-a-freaking-board.
What even the heck is that, you implore? I can tell you that’s the most commonly asked question over at Leaf & Bubble, Amarillo’s one and only dedicated boba tea shop. After selecting from the fabulous assortment of teas, sinkers, and flavor add-ins, you will be handed a vibrant concoction of liquid goodness.
The next step is to grab a larger-than-you’re-used-to straw and plunge it straight down, through the tea and between the ice, until you get to the squishy and mysterious thingies at the bottom of your cup. Now, I’m only going to tell you this once, but use caution when you take that first sip. Otherwise, you will die.
Just kidding, you won’t die, but you’ll fear for your life for about 1.5 seconds and then you’ll have a permanent twinge of terror with each swig of tea for the remainder of your days.
The reason for all of this, you see, is that those little jiggly spheres barreling up your straw and into your face are extraordinary masterpieces, otherwise known as B O B A. Comprised of tapioca starch and brown sugar, boba has the texture of a slick gummy bear and is 100% meant to be chewed. So, you’re basically getting 2 in 1 - a drink with a snack inside of it. Score.
This is precisely why I instructed you on the method of slurping. Slurp too violently and those little suckers will hit you in the back of the throat and have you gasping for air, while frantically scanning the area for someone who looks like they can handle the Heimlich.
Once you get the method down, though, you’ll fit right in with all of the other seasoned boba suckers and you can make eye contact, knowing that you’re hip and cool tea drinkers.
If you’re not into boba, hey, that’s totally fine. Just customize your own drink and choose a different sinker or, * gasp *, go without any. Then head on over to a table and pull out your laptop to get some work done in their light explosion of a sunroom. Let yourself enjoy their tiny wooden tables and the abundance of natural lighting. Make friends with the many succulents that adorn the windows of Leaf & Bubble. You can even rage-write in your journal about how frustrated you are with the way your husband folds his socks. (He does it wrong.)
If you’re there and you see an angsty freckled person with a pink tea, typing furiously away on her laptop, come over and say hi. It’s me. I’m not rage-writing about my husband because... ehhhhh… I don’t have one. But, if I did, I’m sure he would fold his socks so perfectly. (If you’re reading this, bb, you’re a GREAT sock folder. My number is 8065550123!)
I digress. What I want you to know is that this little sunroom is the most perfect spot to escape from home and get a bit of digital work done, partake in a great book, or just meditate and reflect on life for a few minutes.
What keeps the customers coming back, though, isn’t just the tea. Or the tapioca balls. It’s the two women behind the entire operation. Believe me when I say that they are instantly lovable and they will instantly love you right back.
When I first met them, they were manning a cute little booth at the community market and I had the privilege of watching them grow their business into a thriving storefront. Opening a business is never easy or flawless, but I saw them handle the process with so much determination, grace, and poise. I instantly feel so much pride when I walk into their shop because they are, truly, a couple of badasses.
I can guarantee that you’ll experience a plethora of exciting moments while around Anna and Brooke. In just a matter of minutes, you’ll most likely see them dance, sing, and laugh hysterically to the point of breathlessness. You’ll have friends for life.
(If you ever go to a restaurant with them, be prepared to tell the sever to “give us another minute” about 14 times because their one weakness is not being able to focus on a menu. It’s fine, though, because it just prolongs the amount of time you get to spend with them.)
Oh, and they have bomb scones. I devoured the two in this photo.
Have I convinced you yet?
Their second most common question is, “Where are you located?” Fortunately, I’m going to drop a link that’ll show you exactly where they are right….. H E R E.
Get in your car and drive there right now (well… when this whole global pandemic thing is over) and park in front of Westminster Church. Leaf & Bubble is attached to the church on the northwest (left) side of the building. Walk your cute butt up there and grab yourself some bubble tea. You can thank me later.
Chirae & Riley | River Falls Bed & Breakfast | Amarillo Wedding Photographer
From what I understand, and what I’ve understood since my first meeting with Chirae, is that she and Riley were destined to be together since the dawn of time. Every little detail that led up to their lives intertwining proves that fate and destiny aren’t just storybook fantasies.
The romance they feel is palpable, the deep emotion is apparent, and there’s no question when it comes to the devotion they share for each other. Their journey together has been nothing short of epic, especially when a tornado hit mere hours before their wedding day, proving that they will be able to literally weather any storm that comes their way.
I had looked forward to Chirae’s big day for a very, very, VERRRRY long time, especially after seeing how absolutely stunning she was in her dress during her bridal session. I knew the wedding would be amazingly beautiful, but I had no idea the sheer number of incredible and meticulously planned details that awaited me.
One of my absolute favorite parts of a wedding day is capturing all of the tiny details. There’s something deeply cathartic about carrying a thirty pound dress through an empty venue, drying off the stems of bouquets fresh out of vases, arranging dainty heels, and whispering, “Now just stay….. right… there….,” to a pair of diamond rings balanced atop a drooping petal.
There’s a sort of peaceful solitude that comes with standing in front of an empty altar, surrounded by perfectly arranged rows of chairs, open blue sky, and faint hints of fresh cut flowers riding on the breeze. The water in the pond rippled and glistened. Everything was still and quiet.
Another favorite part of the day, personally, is the time I spend with the bride and groom after the ceremony. It’s a moment in time containing emotions that will never be able to be replicated. Emotions are vibrant and buzzing, love overflows, and excitement and happiness burst at the seams.
I have the privilege of watching the beautiful transition of two people realizing that they aren’t just engaged anymore and sinking into the comfortable thought of finally being married.
I had anticipated a party.
And they did not disappoint.
There wasn’t a single space in that venue that wasn’t alive with celebration. As the sky darkened, the party livened and the string bulbs seemed to glow brighter and brighter. Donuts disappeared, beer bubbled, and dancers dizzied themselves around the floor.
The night ended with sparkly sparklers and a classic car, which is always a wonderful way for a wedding to end.
Congratulations, Chirae and Riley!
SHOUTOUTS
VENUE | RIVER FALLS BED AND BREAKFAST
VIDEOGRAPHY | PETRICHOR COMPANY
FLORALS | FLOWERS ETC.
CAKE | THE CAKE COMPANY
DONUTS | THE DONUT STOP
MACAROONS | SCRATCH MADE BAKERY
DRESS | RUTHETTE’S | WTOO
HAIR | MUZE STUDIO | RASHAWN FLOWERS
DJ | ALL ABOUT MUSIC
RENTALS | AMARILLO CLASSIC EVENTS
Chelsey & Leroy | Palo Duro Canyon | Engagement Photography
This will be the easiest blog post I've ever written.
Chelsey and Leroy met me in Palo Duro Canyon last week and everything was as dreamy as dreamy gets.
The end.
Just kidding. This wouldn't be my blog, if it wasn't laden with millions of adjectives.
In the early afternoon of last Friday, I neurotically checked my weather app for the twentieth time (of many). A severe weather notification had popped up on my phone and I watched as green, blue, yellow, and red blotches slowly moved toward Amarillo. Throughout the day, those little blotches morphed into massive blotches that covered the majority of Texas, it seemed.
I could see the impending doom. I knew it probably meant certain death and pictured massive flooding through the deep valleys of the canyon that would instantly wash my car away and leave me dog paddling for my life.
Chelsey wanted to just go ahead and meet up for photos. It was cool. Cooooooooooooool. I wasn't scared. Psssh.
So I started driving to the canyon. Five minutes into my 25 minute drive, heavy rain splish-splashed all over my windshield and I tried to figure out how in the heck I was going to pull off taking engagement photos in a massive puddle of mud.
By some crazy miracle, it wasn't raining when we drove through the entrance of PDC. So we just kept on driving and found THE MOST AWESOME location with the most picturesque backdrop of orangey-red dirt littered with families of cacti and a ginormous canyon wall that jutted up into the stormy sky.
I don't think I've ever seen the canyon look that intense. It felt like such a rare privilege to experience all of that at once. Miles of lightning-filled storm clouds billowed around us, thunder boomed, tiny sprinkles splattered in the dirt, and the wind blew the trees. It was magical and scary. It was freaky and colorful. The air had that sunset-in-the-rain glow.
I couldn't have asked for a more perfect night.
By the time we drove all the way back up to head home, the sun was just touching the horizon. We parted ways and, almost immediately, the clouds burst and the rain let loose. I turned up my music and settled in for the drive, enjoying the view around me. When I reached the top of the canyon, I could see sheets of rain pouring down in the distance.
I thought that was pretty badass.
So I pulled over, ran like a psycho through pokey plants, and snagged a shot of the storm.
It was extremely neato.
Thank you for the experience, Chelsey and Leroy! <3
Floor to Ceiling | Cerulean Gallery | Canyon Exploration | The Derrick Event Center
Back in January, I received a sudden inquiry to shoot an event in the Canyon Exploration building. The email pretty much said, "Hey! There's an event tomorrow. Can you be there?"
Obviously, since I have content from the event right here in this blog post, I attended. I was super curious to find out what awesome renovations had been made to the building that had previously been "the first sports bar/lounge dedicated entirely to the ladies!!" I had never been to Pink when it was in business, but I did just visit their permanently closed Facebook page and decided that I probably wouldn't have attended. Luckily, the building was acquired by a new company, Canyon Exploration, and I watched in wonder over months and months while renovations took place on the corner of 9th and Taylor. I had assumed that, like most cool buildings downtown, it wouldn't be open to the public. Soon after giving up any hope that I'd ever be able to view the interior, I saw that my favorite local art gallery would be utilizing the space. (Woo! A way in!) Therefore, I had absolutely no problem with shifting around my Friday night plans and attending the most recent Floor-to-Ceiling exhibit.
Upon entering this establishment, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. It took less than one millisecond for me to be drooling over the sheer elegance and beauty of the space, once I walked through the door. The walls were pure white and shifted into smooth curves and jagged points, while windows and sparkling glass doors punctured endless gateways into the imaginations of local artists. One featured artist, to my surprise, being Mayor Ginger Nelson.
I had an entire hour to walk through the massive maze of rooms and gaze at all of the beautiful artwork before any guests arrived. Colors exploded from canvas, abstract bodies mingled, metal swirled from a gaping, zig-zag hole in the ceiling, and everything seemed to have a life of its own. On more than one occasion, I said to myself, "When I'm totally rich, I'm buying that."
I left the event with so many fabulous photos to show off the incredible nature of the space. Looking at them now, I realize that I can't wait to go back and feel so in awe of the beauty of it. I feel so much excitement about the development of downtown. This gallery has those ritzy, big city vibes that many of us locals constantly crave and it made me feel like I had been transported into a futuristic, Gatsby-like atmosphere.
Bottom line, I'd highly recommend a visit to this place. You will not be disappointed.
To keep up with events happening in the Canyon Exploration building, follow the Cerulean Gallery Facebook page. You can also visit their website.
You can also book your own events in this space, which is one of the coolest things you could probably ever do. For more information, visit The Derrick Event Center.
Thanks for reading! Enjoy!
