Matthew and Cortney's Ashton Depot Wedding | Girt and Gold Event Co. | Ellen Ashton Photography

Talk about Souther Charm!

Courtney and Matthew are truly some of the kindest people. About 6 months before their wedding I gave them a call and was honestly terrified. I was pregnant. A totally, unplaced miracle that I had prayed for for eight years. As I told her the news Courtney rejoiced with me and told me she trusted me completely even though she knew I would be so pregnant at her wedding. She will never know how much that meant to me. Being a women and being a business owner is hard because sometimes with pregnancy the world doesn’t always view you as capable, but a liability, but she didn’t.

Working with Courtney and Matthew was a true joy! I have so many fond memories of these two. The way that Mattew looks at Courtney and the way they laugh together is something that truly melts the heart. Just to give you an idea of how incredible these two are, they were concerned about me on their wedding day. I shot their wedding at 38 weeks 5 days pregnant and it was the best decision and I would do it all over again if I could. Working hard for such deserving people was my pleasure. These two deserved all the pretty pictures on their wedding day and I am honored that they trusted me with their memories.

I will always love and appreciate these two.

AS SEEN ON

Photographer | Ellen Ashton | Floral | Moss Floral | Planning & Design | GRIT & GOLD | Invitations | Pretty Post | Ceremony Site | Robert Carr | Reception Venue | The Ashton Depot | Linens | La Tavola | | Cake | Creme de la Creme | Band | Emerald City | HMUA | Meg B Beauty | Entertainment | Party Poet | Video | Company N Films | Draping | Its Your Night | Rentals | Perch Decor | Transportation | Premier of Dallas | Bridal Retails | Warren Barron | Bridal Dress Designer | Monique Lhuillier | Tux | The Black Tux

Beka & Michael's Engagement Session | Robert Carr Chapel | Treasured Heart Events | Ellen Ashton Photography

Personal touches are great to incorporate into your engagement session! I especially love them when they are subtle and not so obvious, like the location for example!

What I absolutely love about Beka and Michael’s engagement session is that the photos were taken in his childhood home! This was the most beautiful backyard! I just can’t get over the fountain and green house! It was the perfect backdrop to capture the love that they share in an intimate setting that is special to them!

We had the best time photographing Beka and Michael’s engagement session!

Enjoy!

Alceia & Matthew's Engagement Session | Dallas Arboretum Engagement Session | Ellen Ashton Photography | Dallas Wedding Photographer

Believe it or not, this day was extremely cold! Regardless, these two took the chilly weather and wind like champs! We had an absolute blast photographing these two! I absolutely can’t wait for their Wedding in October!

Wedding Planner: Grit and Gold Events Co.

Florist: Max Owens Designs

Ashton Depot Engagement Session | Courtney and Matt's Arbor Hill's Engagement | Ellen Ashton Photography | Dallas Wedding Photographers

We had so much fun at Courtney & Matt’s engagement session! These two were so comfortable with each other and we shared a lot of laughs at their session! Y’all I LOVE IT when my couples show up ready to have a good time!

Courtney and Matt choose to use the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano and Y’all, it was the PERFECT location for them! All the soft colors from the grass matched perfectly with their outfits! Courtney did an amazing job pairing hers and Matt’s outfits together!

One thing is for sure, after having such a great time with these two at their engagements, it makes me that much more excited to celebrate with and capture their wedding day!

Brae Loch Wedding Venue | Dakota and Katie's Engagement Session | Dallas Wedding Photographer | Ellen Ashton Photogaphy

It has been a hot minute since I last blogged, so tonight I'm going  to share a little something with all you lovelies. 

I met Dakota and Katie at a Bible study earlier this summer and I am so glad I did! I had the honor of photographing these two when Dakota proposed to Katie this past July. (Click HERE to see photos).  Katie had the surprise of her life that day and it's still one of my favorite sessions to date. 

Last week Katie, Dakota and I loaded up into a car and drove to a dreamy destination to take their engagement photos. I loved chatting in the car with them as we went adventuring together. I learned so many things about them that made me love them even more than I already do. 

As we were chatting, Katie was telling me that her dad had past away a few years ago, and in honor of his memory Dakota was wearing one of his shirts in their engagement photos. Honestly I cried a little when Katie told me this (not so uncommon if you know me.. Compassion and empathy are my middle name!). 

Hearing how these two met and started dating was truly so fun to listen to! Katie couldn't stop smiling, and honestly, that's one of my favorite things about her- she always has a smile on her beautiful face. Both Katie and Dakota are so full of life and joy. The love they share, the pure excitement and happiness they have about getting married really shines through each photograph. Let me just tell you, all the happy smilies were infectious and I LOVED EVERY SECOND IT. 

I hope you enjoy this precious session as much as I enjoyed photographing and getting to know the people in them. 

Much love and happy belated thanksgiving, 

-E

If you loved the first half of Dakota and Katie's engagement session, then you are going to DIE when we see the second portion. Y'all, they are slaying it. On our way up the mountain we found some awesome foliage that we added to Katie's wild flower bouquet. Honestly, I could go on and on about how amazing these guys are but I'll just shut up now and let the images do the talking. ** insert emoji heart eyes**

Northeast Wedding Chapel | Dallas Engagement Photos | Payton and Alyson's Engagement Session | Ellen Ashton Photography

I have no words for Payton and Alyson's engagement session. 

Ok, that's a lie.. I always have something to say! ;-) 

Payton and Alyson's engagement session was so much fun to capture. They really had so many personal touches incorporated into their engagement session that made the love they share sparkle bright in the photographs. The last portion of the session we went to the land where they plan to build their home as husband and wife. How precious is that?! I just love all the thoughtful, romantic and dreamy pieces that went into this session so much!

One of the things I adore about this couple is the genuine love they share for each other. I have known Alyson for almost 20 years and as I went through their film I began to tear up at how happy they are in the pictures and how much Payton just adores Alyson. All the sweet smiles, tender touches and loving glances are just a testament to how truly delighted they are to have each other. Their excitement is so contagious and I absolutely cannot wait for their April wedding!

Congratulations to these two on their engagement. They deserve all the happiness in the world! 

Much love, 

-E 

Rocky Mountain Wedding | Carbondale Wedding | Patrick and Erin's Wedding | Ellen Ashton Photography

       " I love you to the mountains and back."

Patrick & Erin's Wedding Day

08.27.16

Last October 

I was about to board a plane from Minneapolis headed to Dallas. It was a full flight and as usual, I was looking for kind eyed people to sit next to, because lets face it.. Stranger danger is real and I didn't feel like throat chopping anyone that day. As I was scanning the ocean of people I saw a middle seat open and in the two other seats sat two kind looking women. So, I quickly took the seat. Of course, my massive camera bag did not fit in the cabin above us so the stuartist took my bag to the back. She was extremely rude about a lot of things which in turn got the conversation moving as soon as she walked away. 

Sitting to my right was the ever so sweet Erin. She and I chit chatted over the duration of the flight. In the first ten minutes of sitting next to each other I learned that Erin was newly engaged and was going to be getting married in her home state of Colorado. I inwardly (and probably outwardly) smiled and said "how funny, I am a wedding photographer!" Throughout the rest of the flight was talked wedding day details and Erin told me all about her plans to marry her fiancé Patrick up in the rocky mountains. 

You know when something just feels right? That's how I felt when I met Erin. She truly is one of the sweetest and most genuine people I have ever met. Long story short, I skyped with Erin and Patrick over Christmas of 2015 and they booked me to be there wedding photographer. 

Words cannot express how thankful I am for Erin and Patrick (all my couples really) for letting me be apart of and witness the joining of their covenant in marriage. I can't tell you how many times I teared up during their wedding day. Erin was so smiley and giddy, and Patrick was so filled with emotion every time he looked at her. As a photographer these are things I live for. They literally made my job SO EASY. They lived in each moment as the day passed by, which is clear to see from the photographs. They were relaxed, easy going and just excited to spend forever with one another. Their joy and excitement was contagious in every since of the word.

Erin and Patrick, thank you for allowing me the honor and privilege of being your wedding photographer. Sitting next to Erin on that airplane one year ago was meant to be. I truly believe with all my heart that God doesn't make mistakes, and our divine appointment was no different. 

I am so excited to share these beautiful wedding day with you! 

Some of my favorite memories to capture are the ones immediately after the ceremony. It is not uncommon for me to walk out behind the bride and groom so that I can photograph their sweet reactions of being husband and wife. There is so much joy and emotion in these faces. It's hard not to love everything about love. 

Much love, 

-E 

A HUGE Thank you to Kaylan Robinson for being such an amazing second shooter. You rock, girl! 

White Rock Lake Engagement Photos | Jasmine and David's Engagement Session | Ellen Ashton Photography

I am SO excited to share Jasmine and David's beautiful engagement session!

I met Jasmine from a Facebook group for entrepreneurs last year and I knew through our email conversations that she was my kind of girl! 

Jasmine is the lovely lady behind the amazing fashion, beauty, and travel blog Jasmine Elias (click HERE to view her website).

I was so thrilled and excited when I saw via Instagram that Jasmine had gotten engaged to the love of her life, David. 

Photographing these two was literally the easiest things. I, mean, they are literally so precious!

These two are so fun and so incredibly in love. Seeing them interact with each other warmed my heart in so many ways. I always ask my couples how they met and I adored Davids response! He has so much admiration for Jasmine and it's so clear to see through the photographs that the love they share is a deep bond. Seeing people who truly love each other and so excited to spend the rest of their lives together is truly a contagious kind of joy.

It was amazing getting to hang out, joke around, and laugh with Jasmine and David as I captured their engagement photos. 

Not even the rain could keep the love they share from shining bright. 

I hope you all enjoyed this session as much as I enjoyed capturing it! Make sure to check out Jasmine's Instagram to see all her lovely work! (Click HERE for her Instagram).

Much love, 

-E

Weatherford Texas Wedding Photographer | Bryson and Mandy's Anniversary Photos | Ellen Ashton Photography

"When our lips touch, I can taste the next sixty years of our life together."

I am so very excited to share with y'all this fabulous anniversary session! 

Anniversary sessions are becoming the new "it" things and I absolutely LOVE it! 

It's hard to believe that I have known Mandy for almost nine years. NINE. Are we really that old?!? (insert sobbing emoji face X10). It seems like only yesterday I was a 17 year old kid moving into the college dorms. Mandy was one of the first people that I met at our little campus and she has been a treasured friend ever since.

As I was thinking of what to write, I was reminded of all the many memories and mile stones we have shared over the years. From marrying our spouses, Mary Kay meetings, impromptu Starbucks counseling sessions, hard times and joyous times, business ventures and lots and lots of laughter. Our love for the Lord has always been the heart of our friendship and I am so thankful for that. 

I am beyond honored to have captured this monumental years of marriage for Mandy and Bryson on their cozy acreage out in Weatherford, Texas.

My husband came into my office while I was editing and the first thing he said was "wow, they looks so happy and in love." 

As a photographer I document moments, laughter, loving glances and precious memories that last a lifetime. I feel like being a photographer/memory keeper is my "life calling" and it brings me so much joy. As I was photographing Bryson and Mandy my heart just wanted to explode! I love that they wanted this time in their lives to be documented on their land, the place that they call "home". Just the thought of them always having this amazing spot to come back to for anniversary pictures gives me goose bumps! Years from now, they can see how their love and family grew via photographs. What a beautiful thing to have! 

The love that these two have shared over these past eight years has been a beautiful thing to watch. 

It's a little early, but Happy Anniversary, Bryson and Mandy! Y'all deserve to all the happiness in the world. 

Much love, 

-E