“We need the tonic of the wilderness… At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things to be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
“Yates said “would it be weird to call them, just to talk?” came Meagan’s reply to one of our Facebook posts. If we are honest it made us laugh and then well up a little. It naturally happens in wedding photography that you build a bond with your couples. I mean it would be really weird to show up shoot a what is essentially one of the great highlights of a couple’s life and then …. stop. You would have to be made of stone not to form any kind of personal human contact with two people you spend so much time getting know, right? We love our “job” for many for obviously reason, you get to capture history, a love story, you give back something special, not just take something special. It is a career in which every click is an honour, every new moment brings joy. Moreover we love what we do because of the people from around the world that we meet. Some just stick with you. Meagan and Yates and indeed their family are amongst those that got stuck!
You may recognise this two from a couple session we posted a few weeks ago. If not here is the back story.
We were introduced to Meagan and Yates through Waterlily weddings. Síle was organising the couples Irish Wild Atlantic Way Winter Wedding on the stunning west coast of Ireland. We reached out over email first and then said we would have a quick type call, you know because it’s easier to answer questions and get to know each other. What Sean and myself had planned to be a 20 minute call turned into over an hour of laughter, explaining to these to amazing Texans how life in Ireland worked. We belly laughed at Yates surprised face when we explained thanks to Mr O’Leary and Ryanair that his dream of going to St Andrew in Scotland was closer to a reality that he thought. Meagan’s voice is rich like the earthy tones that grace our country side in the winter months. We couldn’t but help fall hopelessly in love with her. We were already smitten and had invited them to Kerry for a couple session, if anything just to hang out and get to know them a bit more. More on that here.
Meagan and Yates were to be our closing vows of 2017, some how we never mentioned this, perhaps because some goodbyes are to big. I know it played in our minds all day. A day that was not just over cast, but full of that rain that never happens here in Ireland that often. The rain that doesn’t stop and soaks you to the bone. Rain that doesn’t stop, not even for ten minutes. We arrived in high spirits determined to get the absolute best for these two rain or no. Joining us on the day were Sam and Dani who if you don’t already know are gifted cinematographers of Cinematic tide. Like us they will not take no for an answer when it comes to getting the best for their couples. We four bounced off each other and that of the families of Yates and Megan. We sat and ate some brunch, when a Texan Mammy tells you to eat! No amount of polite Irish “No, sure I’m grand, no honestly, seriously I am fine…” will get you out of it. We listened to stories of friendships, sisterhood, the young lovers story all while snapping, eating and trying not to fog up the camera as tears fell.
The couples vows were tied with multi coloured ribbons of parents and loved ones. Candles flickered gently as quiet moments were given up for those who were present only in spirit. Condensation streaked the windows as the love and warmth for this couple filled the old stone building. The rain continued to pour from the heavens as Meagan and Yates made their way down, round the spiral stair case. It continues to pour as they walked the ragged coastline of The Burren. It continued to pour as they walked in rusty fields of gold and forgotten defenders. It continued to heave with rain as we hop hundred year old famine walls so we could use the land where I am convinced trolls live. The droplets fell thick and heavy through hair and make up as they embraced for their portraits. They held hands and laughed as they sunk deep into muddy terrain in a land far from Texas. Cold and Wet to the bone, they stood as the rain turned to mist in a forest in the middle of a landscape of limestone.
Mark in Vaughan’s had all the heaters and fires going in the barn as we six arrive back soaked and I mean soaked through to our skin. All high on what was a magical afternoon, memories made to last a lifetime shared between us six. As the couple greeted their guests we dried off our clothes and cameras. Chat with Mark who we had not seen since our own vows and settled down for the night of dancing and laughter ahead. It was pretty special really to be here on our last wedding of 2017, a place that is already full of our own happy memories is now forever more shared with those of Meagan and Yates.
Some time after the dancing we make our way over to say to goodbye. I swear to good I nearly break down when I am told “Thank you, We will never forget you, your such a special person” by one of the guests. I am still reeling from this when we say goodbye to Yates and Meagan which involve a million hugs and promises of visits to Ireland and Texas. It was quite possibly, the longest goodbye, ever.
“Yates said…… “would it be weird to call them, just to talk?”
“No, Yates, it wouldn’t be weird, it wouldn’t be weird at all!”
Shout out to the very talented team of vendors:
Venue – Vaughan’s Barn
Wedding Planner – Waterlily Weddings
Florist – Anthesis Floral
Hair – Collette Costello
Make up – Pauline fletcher
Cake – The Chic Cake Boutique
Dress – Rue de Seine
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