Fort Worth Courthouse Elopement: Aida & Daniel

Aida and Daniel’s story is so special and I’m honored that they chose me to capture it! 

It all started when Aida (who is from Mexico) went to visit family in Fort Worth, TX (where Daniel lives). Halfway through her six-month visit, she met Daniel. They started casually dating, knowing that she had to return home to Mexico in just three months. At the end of her visit, they broke up and she went back home. 

Now, Daniel had thought that he was okay with the way they ended things. But after Aida was gone, he realized that, in fact, he was not okay with breaking up. He realized he loved her, and that he loved her so much that he wanted to marry her! So he started planning a proposal. And what better way to propose than on top of a volcano in Mexico?! 

I first met Aida when she came with Daniel to Texas right after the two of them got engaged. The minute I saw them together, I could tell how in love they were and how perfect they are for each other. We met up for brunch and ended up doing some wedding planning and a surprise mini photo session. As soon as I saw them through my lens, it felt like I was capturing magic. 

Daniel’s family has a wedding dress that was worn by his mother and sister at their own weddings, and Daniel and Aida had the idea for Aida to take portraits while wearing that dress and gift Daniel’s mom with the photos on their wedding day (spoiler alert, she loved the photos so much that she cried – I see that as a win). So on the first truly beautiful weekend of Spring, we did a combo engagement/bridal portrait session. And y’all, the pictures turned out so good! Aida and Daniel are such naturals in front of the camera, they honestly made my job so easy by just being themselves. 

I know it couldn’t have been easy for Aida to leave behind friends and family and move to a new country, and I wanted to capture photos that portrayed her and Daniel’s love for each other that she could share with loved ones back home. I know how hard it is to be separated from friends and family during important times in life, and I hoped to make that distance feel just a little bit smaller for her. 

Aida and Daniel’s wedding day dawned foggy and misty. I couldn’t even see the tops of the skyscrapers while driving into downtown Fort Worth that morning. They had reserved a hotel room at Aloft – it’s conveniently located within walking distance from both the courthouse where the ceremony would take place and the restaurant where the reception was to be held. We ate breakfast at the hotel, then headed up to the room to get ready for the ceremony. 

Daniel’s sisters and nieces helped Aida with her hair and makeup, and the result was stunning. 

I had stumbled upon this secluded and *gorgeous* alley while walking around downtown Fort Worth earlier that morning (before meeting up with them I wanted to walk around and find the best spots for portraits) that I instantly KNEW would be perfect for their first look. So I had Keith (aka the most handsome assistant ever) take Daniel there a few minutes before Aida and I left the hotel. His reaction when he saw her for the first time in her wedding dress was priceless! I love these little moments between a bride and groom on their wedding day, because I know from experience how chaotic and overwhelming the rest of the day can feel. But this little moment between the two of them was perfect in every way. 

What Fort Worth elopement would be complete without this view from Sundance Square? Also, how amazing is her bouquet?!

Because of COVID, the courthouse has a limit on how many guests can attend the ceremony. Daniel’s parents, brother, and sister were present, as well as Aida’s mother and brother. The small size of the group made the moments feel much more intimate and special, but I also wanted to capture the emotion in the room so that Aida and Daniel could share it with those who were not able to be there. 

The reception was held on the rooftop of the Reata restaurant. The food was excellent, the space was beautiful, and it was so fun to see Aida and Daniel be able to celebrate their marriage with friends and family. One of the wedding guests mentioned how special it is that Daniel has a group of friends that have all known each other forever, and it really was cool to see how his friends have welcomed Aida into the group as well and love her just as much as they love him. 

“Bree was so helpful! We had 1000 things on our mind and she kept us on time. She was so sweet, making us feel natural and capturing the best of us in her photos. She had great ideas and really captured the most important event in our lives. I recommend Bree for the biggest event in your – your wedding!! She was so organized and helpful. She made the whole day a ‘Bree-ze’ 😉

“She was so involved with everything and everyone! She helped so much with getting our families to the right spots at the right times to capture the most important moments with our loved ones! To be honest we didn’t know what to expect, but Bree did! We couldn’t have asked for a better photographer!

“Bree met every expectation. We wanted someone who could take control, but who would be nice and sweet. We wanted someone who could help us feel natural and not worried about angles and lighting and still capture the best wedding photos we could ask for. Bree was all of that, plus more!!!

“Bree is now a part of our family. She made us feel comfortable and we had so much fun! We will definitely be hiring her again in the future!!”

– Aida + Daniel

My goal on Aida and Daniel’s day was to capture all the love between and around them, and I hope I came even just a little bit close to reaching that goal. 

I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook to get updates on future blog posts, see sneak peeks of my amazing couples, and so much more! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!

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