Photo by Jason & Melaina Photography - www.JasonAndMelaina.com
 

For Sweethearts, Forever

Waco & Texas wedding photography

The laughter shared between you and your best friends as you prepare for your wedding ceremony. The look on your groom's face when he first sees you coming down the aisle. The whispered words of love spoken during your first dance as husband and wife. These are fleeting moments we try to sear in our mind's eye before they slip through our fingers.

But photography changes that.

Photography on your wedding day captures that look from your groom, saving it forever to be viewed by you, your children, your grandchildren. Photographs from your wedding day bring back like a flood the memories of laughter with girlfriends and those sweet words you and your husband shared. 

This is why we do what we do. As photographers, we hunt for those moments and preserve them. We give you images to have and to hold for years to come. Because our single shutter click changes a moment into a forever. 

We were blessed to have Jason and Melaina take our engagements, bridals, and wedding photos. They are so personable and great to work with! I had an idea of certain poses I wanted and they made the shots even better than I could've imagined! Their wedding and reception "action" shots turned out amazing! I highly recommend them for your photography needs! ❤️ Thanks to them, we have outstanding photographs to cherish forever! 
- Ashlee, J&M Bride
Photo of J&M: Powley Photo

Photo of J&M: Powley Photo

Jason & Melaina

We're college acquaintances who became good friends, who finally confessed our love for one another. We've been married for 8 years and working as a professional wedding photography team for 4 years. We like to think of ourselves as sweethearts who photograph sweethearts. 

To learn more about Team Jason & Melaina, including our philosophy of photography and our own forever love story, head over to the Meet J&M section. 

are you a sweetheart?

Booking your wedding photographer(s) is a tough decision. We know, we remember!! 

Not only are your photographers going to be by your side the majority of your wedding day, but GREAT photographers also provide GREAT help to you along the wedding planning journey.

To learn more about why we call our couples J&M Sweethearts, and the great service we provide them their entire wedding planning process, head over to our J&M Weddings section.

to learn more...

Want to talk to Jason & Melaina? You can reach us via email or phone at

hello@jasonandmelaina.com

254.307.0779.

You can also connect with us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.

Hey friends, let's have some #fridayintroductions for this rainy Friday, shall we? We're Jason & Melaina, #weddingphotographers in #Waco #Texas. And here's four fun facts about us- 1. We moved to #Wacotown so I (Melaina) could attend @truettseminary, and we totally planned on moving to a bigger city after I graduated. But, we're still here! Luckily, Waco today is way cooler than it was 10 years ago! 2. We CAN.NOT.WAIT. for @nbcthisisus to come back on. And yes, we BOTH watch it. 3. The reason we reference living on a boat in our profile is because that's Jason's dream. My biggest fear is the ocean, though. So we'll see how that all works out. 4. Our new favorite podcast to listen to together is the #risetogetherpodcast by @mrsrachelhollis and @mrdavehollis. Seriously good stuff if you're in a relationship, friends! Ok, that's us in a nutshell. What was your favorite fact we shared?
Hey friends, let's have some #fridayintroductions for this rainy Friday, shall we? We're Jason & Melaina, #weddingphotographers in #Waco #Texas. And here's four fun facts about us- 1. We moved to #Wacotown so I (Melaina) could attend @truettseminary, and we totally planned on moving to a bigger city after I graduated. But, we're still here! Luckily, Waco today is way cooler than it was 10 years ago! 2. We CAN.NOT.WAIT. for @nbcthisisus to come back on. And yes, we BOTH watch it. 3. The reason we reference living on a boat in our profile is because that's Jason's dream. My biggest fear is the ocean, though. So we'll see how that all works out. 4. Our new favorite podcast to listen to together is the #risetogetherpodcast by @mrsrachelhollis and @mrdavehollis. Seriously good stuff if you're in a relationship, friends! Ok, that's us in a nutshell. What was your favorite fact we shared?
This was a quiet moment in the ceremony. Austin & Andie had said their vows and exchanged rings. And now they took a moment on their wedding day to take it all in, to have a moment of prayer and communion with God. If you can take a moment in your ceremony to take it all in, do it. It's easy to get caught up in the planning in the weeks and months leading up to your wedding day. It's easy to get caught up in the nerves and excitement on your wedding day. But take a moment to stop and realize that you just became a husband or a wife, you just pledged to do life together forever with your most favorite person. And that deserves a moment. What would you want your moment to look like on your wedding day? Or what did it look like, married friends? @andielainec Venue: @carleenbrightarboretum
This was a quiet moment in the ceremony. Austin & Andie had said their vows and exchanged rings. And now they took a moment on their wedding day to take it all in, to have a moment of prayer and communion with God. If you can take a moment in your ceremony to take it all in, do it. It's easy to get caught up in the planning in the weeks and months leading up to your wedding day. It's easy to get caught up in the nerves and excitement on your wedding day. But take a moment to stop and realize that you just became a husband or a wife, you just pledged to do life together forever with your most favorite person. And that deserves a moment. What would you want your moment to look like on your wedding day? Or what did it look like, married friends? @andielainec Venue: @carleenbrightarboretum
It's Labor Day Weekend and we hope you are having a great one! J's home with our girls while I'm off with my favorite girls in the world, my mom and sisters, for our annual girls weekend. We all leave our kiddos and pets home with our husbands, hang out together, do girly things like pedicures and drink cocktails. My sisters (both blood and in-laws) are my #bffs and I love doing life with them. Tag your bffs below and get started planning your very own girls weekend! @andielainec Gown: @georgiosbridal Bridesmaids Dresses: @iheartazazie
It's Labor Day Weekend and we hope you are having a great one! J's home with our girls while I'm off with my favorite girls in the world, my mom and sisters, for our annual girls weekend. We all leave our kiddos and pets home with our husbands, hang out together, do girly things like pedicures and drink cocktails. My sisters (both blood and in-laws) are my #bffs and I love doing life with them. Tag your bffs below and get started planning your very own girls weekend! @andielainec Gown: @georgiosbridal Bridesmaids Dresses: @iheartazazie
(Swipe to see Andie's dad's reaction to seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time!) I've become an emotional basket-case at weddings at two specific moments - the first-look with the dad and the father-daughter dance at the reception. I get teary-eyed every time and try to hold it together so I don't miss the moment! I think the reason is because we have two daughters of our own, and when I see our #JandMBride with her dad on her wedding day, I can't help but imagine J with our girls on their wedding days.😢😭 What gets you emotional at weddings?
(Swipe to see Andie's dad's reaction to seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time!) I've become an emotional basket-case at weddings at two specific moments - the first-look with the dad and the father-daughter dance at the reception. I get teary-eyed every time and try to hold it together so I don't miss the moment! I think the reason is because we have two daughters of our own, and when I see our #JandMBride with her dad on her wedding day, I can't help but imagine J with our girls on their wedding days.😢😭 What gets you emotional at weddings?
Over and over again when we ask our brides what they dread about their wedding planning, they answer with getting all the details taken care of on time. We get it. I remember being overwhelmed with my massive to-do list when we were planning our wedding. And this was before Pinterest when I didn't even have FOMO from seeing all the different things I could be doing for our wedding! So we thought we'd open up a discussion here and ask, How can we help? How can we as J&M help you feel less overwhelmed and stressed? How can wedding vendors in general help you out as a #bridetobe? Give us your thoughts, friends! Bridal Bouquet: @heb.blooms
Over and over again when we ask our brides what they dread about their wedding planning, they answer with getting all the details taken care of on time. We get it. I remember being overwhelmed with my massive to-do list when we were planning our wedding. And this was before Pinterest when I didn't even have FOMO from seeing all the different things I could be doing for our wedding! So we thought we'd open up a discussion here and ask, How can we help? How can we as J&M help you feel less overwhelmed and stressed? How can wedding vendors in general help you out as a #bridetobe? Give us your thoughts, friends! Bridal Bouquet: @heb.blooms
Something about being in my mid-30s has me all fired up about exploring and understanding myself. And realizing how my Enneagram type 1 and my love language of words of affirmation go together has made J more confident in how he shows me love. Have you done the work to figure out how you feel loved best? And do you know how your significant other feels loved best?
Something about being in my mid-30s has me all fired up about exploring and understanding myself. And realizing how my Enneagram type 1 and my love language of words of affirmation go together has made J more confident in how he shows me love. Have you done the work to figure out how you feel loved best? And do you know how your significant other feels loved best?
Hi there, friends! It's been a minute since we've done #FridayIntroductions around here, so let's do one, shall we? And for this special Friday, we've included our cute littles too! We're Jason & Melaina, sweethearts who photograph other sweethearts. Basically we're you, just a little down the road of the marriage journey. We said "We do" back on June 29, 2008 (10 YEARS AGO!!), and we've accomplished a lot in the last decade. Grad school, starting businesses, making lifelong friends, calling #Waco home, and our best accomplishments - these two cuties right here, Caroline and Maggie. It's been fun and encouraging to look back over these last 10 years to see how far we've come. And it makes us excited to look ahead and see how far we'll go. (And now Moana is in my head.) What's your favorite accomplishment in the last 10 years? Let's celebrate one another's' achievements today!
Hi there, friends! It's been a minute since we've done #FridayIntroductions around here, so let's do one, shall we? And for this special Friday, we've included our cute littles too! We're Jason & Melaina, sweethearts who photograph other sweethearts. Basically we're you, just a little down the road of the marriage journey. We said "We do" back on June 29, 2008 (10 YEARS AGO!!), and we've accomplished a lot in the last decade. Grad school, starting businesses, making lifelong friends, calling #Waco home, and our best accomplishments - these two cuties right here, Caroline and Maggie. It's been fun and encouraging to look back over these last 10 years to see how far we've come. And it makes us excited to look ahead and see how far we'll go. (And now Moana is in my head.) What's your favorite accomplishment in the last 10 years? Let's celebrate one another's' achievements today!
This weekend we went on a double-date with some 2019 #JandMSweethearts (shout out @jenn_maeella!) And we chatted about proposals and engagement rings and how involved we were in picking out our own #engagementring. When we were dating, J & I used to drive to the Texas coast for a day at the beach sometimes. And on one of those long drives back to Austin, we played this game where we'd ask the other one "What are you thinking?" whenever a stretch of silence would happen. Usually it was just random thoughts, but one time when I asked J answered, "I was wondering what size ring you wore on this finger." and then rubbed his thumb on my ring finger on my left hand he was holding. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I told him my best guess. Then he asked a few more questions, like what kind of gold I'd like, and what kind of diamond. I gave him my answers, freaking out internally that we were even having this conversation. And then the conversation ended and we didn't talk about rings again. And we definitely never went ring shopping together. But when he proposed that winter, he had the exact ring I had described on that car ride back from the beach that summer. I know I'm lucky that J took one conversation and picked out the perfect ring on his own. Not everyone is that lucky. If you want proof, google "ugly engagement ring on Reddit" and read the articles. (laughing emoji) But I'm glad I got the perfect ring and that J felt proud he got it himself. Do you want to (or did you) pick out your own engagement ring? Or do you want to be surprised? @andielainec
This weekend we went on a double-date with some 2019 #JandMSweethearts (shout out @jenn_maeella!) And we chatted about proposals and engagement rings and how involved we were in picking out our own #engagementring. When we were dating, J & I used to drive to the Texas coast for a day at the beach sometimes. And on one of those long drives back to Austin, we played this game where we'd ask the other one "What are you thinking?" whenever a stretch of silence would happen. Usually it was just random thoughts, but one time when I asked J answered, "I was wondering what size ring you wore on this finger." and then rubbed his thumb on my ring finger on my left hand he was holding. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I told him my best guess. Then he asked a few more questions, like what kind of gold I'd like, and what kind of diamond. I gave him my answers, freaking out internally that we were even having this conversation. And then the conversation ended and we didn't talk about rings again. And we definitely never went ring shopping together. But when he proposed that winter, he had the exact ring I had described on that car ride back from the beach that summer. I know I'm lucky that J took one conversation and picked out the perfect ring on his own. Not everyone is that lucky. If you want proof, google "ugly engagement ring on Reddit" and read the articles. (laughing emoji) But I'm glad I got the perfect ring and that J felt proud he got it himself. Do you want to (or did you) pick out your own engagement ring? Or do you want to be surprised? @andielainec
What do you do when your venue says, "Nope!" to your sparkler exit idea, and maybe bubbles aren't your thing? Dozens and dozens of glow sticks! Not only are they fun for the exit, but also pretty cool on the dance floor. And if you have a few leftover afterwards, our two little girls get so excited when we bring a couple home for them the next day. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 For a fun #Fridayquestion, what's your favorite wedding reception exit you've seen? What did the couple use?
What do you do when your venue says, "Nope!" to your sparkler exit idea, and maybe bubbles aren't your thing? Dozens and dozens of glow sticks! Not only are they fun for the exit, but also pretty cool on the dance floor. And if you have a few leftover afterwards, our two little girls get so excited when we bring a couple home for them the next day. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 For a fun #Fridayquestion, what's your favorite wedding reception exit you've seen? What did the couple use?
Did you happen to see our Instagram Live where we talked about 4 things to look for when you're hiring a wedding photographer? The first thing we said was to look at your potential photographer's portfolio to see their photography style and editing style. And we gave 3 examples of shooting styles: fine art/portrait, documentary/candid, and experimental/artsy. (Totally legit terms in the industry, btw. Ha!) Well, want to guess what style our favorite style is? Hint: we'll totally dive on the floor to get this shot of a #weddinglittlemoments where a new husband gently holds his new wife's face and kisses her on the dance floor. What's your favorite style of wedding images? Love a good portrait? Or candids? Or all about crazy experiments?
Did you happen to see our Instagram Live where we talked about 4 things to look for when you're hiring a wedding photographer? The first thing we said was to look at your potential photographer's portfolio to see their photography style and editing style. And we gave 3 examples of shooting styles: fine art/portrait, documentary/candid, and experimental/artsy. (Totally legit terms in the industry, btw. Ha!) Well, want to guess what style our favorite style is? Hint: we'll totally dive on the floor to get this shot of a #weddinglittlemoments where a new husband gently holds his new wife's face and kisses her on the dance floor. What's your favorite style of wedding images? Love a good portrait? Or candids? Or all about crazy experiments?
Sunset is a great time to sneak out of the reception for a little time together as Mr. & Mrs. 🌅 We love taking our #JandMSweethearts out for this time. Because after the ceremony, and the pictures, and the announcement and dinner, it's nice for them to have a moment to themselves and take it all in. 🌅 And it makes for some fun pictures too. 😉 🌅 Would you make sunset pictures a priority on your wedding day?
Sunset is a great time to sneak out of the reception for a little time together as Mr. & Mrs. 🌅 We love taking our #JandMSweethearts out for this time. Because after the ceremony, and the pictures, and the announcement and dinner, it's nice for them to have a moment to themselves and take it all in. 🌅 And it makes for some fun pictures too. 😉 🌅 Would you make sunset pictures a priority on your wedding day?
Remember this while you're picking out flowers and colors and bridesmaids dresses. The wedding is amazing and great and hopefully everything you've dreamed of... But it's just one day. And every single day after that, you'll be living in your marriage. So plan for that. Cultivate that. Nurture that. Be Sweethearts Forever. Married friends, what do you do to make your marriage awesome? Let's help these sweet brides and grooms out with some great advice!
Remember this while you're picking out flowers and colors and bridesmaids dresses. The wedding is amazing and great and hopefully everything you've dreamed of... But it's just one day. And every single day after that, you'll be living in your marriage. So plan for that. Cultivate that. Nurture that. Be Sweethearts Forever. Married friends, what do you do to make your marriage awesome? Let's help these sweet brides and grooms out with some great advice!
Anatomy of a sparkler exit- ✨ 1 couple in love, leaving to start their new life together ✨ A group of friends and family cheering them on and waving sparklers, hopefully standing back far enough if they've been having a really good time at the reception ✨ 1 photographer holding a flash to be edited out later when her foot is in the shot ✨ And the results are the perfect end to the perfect day. 💏 Double tap if you love sparkler exits at wedding. ❤ Or if you like a different type of exit better, let us know below! 👇
Anatomy of a sparkler exit- ✨ 1 couple in love, leaving to start their new life together ✨ A group of friends and family cheering them on and waving sparklers, hopefully standing back far enough if they've been having a really good time at the reception ✨ 1 photographer holding a flash to be edited out later when her foot is in the shot ✨ And the results are the perfect end to the perfect day. 💏 Double tap if you love sparkler exits at wedding. ❤ Or if you like a different type of exit better, let us know below! 👇
Since becoming a mom myself, images like this one of @andielainec and her mom really touch my heart. I imagine helping one of my daughters into her wedding dress one day and I get that bittersweet feeling. What image from a wedding really gets you?
Since becoming a mom myself, images like this one of @andielainec and her mom really touch my heart. I imagine helping one of my daughters into her wedding dress one day and I get that bittersweet feeling. What image from a wedding really gets you?
We cute. Did you see our LIVE yesterday were we talked about what we advice we would give 10-yrs-ago-Jason-and-Melaina? It was filled with some helpful advice, some awkward moments, and an Office reference. Fun times! Catch us LIVE next Thursday where we'll be chatting about some other topic. There's sure to be an Office or Parks and Rec quote in there too. Have you ever done an Instagram (or Facebook) live? Drop an emoji below to show us all how you feel about LIVES!
We cute. Did you see our LIVE yesterday were we talked about what we advice we would give 10-yrs-ago-Jason-and-Melaina? It was filled with some helpful advice, some awkward moments, and an Office reference. Fun times! Catch us LIVE next Thursday where we'll be chatting about some other topic. There's sure to be an Office or Parks and Rec quote in there too. Have you ever done an Instagram (or Facebook) live? Drop an emoji below to show us all how you feel about LIVES!
Do y'all remember the story of the stress dream I had while J & I were planning our wedding? The one where our flowers were ruined and Jason was being played by Al Pacino? . (In case you have no clue what I'm talking about, scroll down our fee to the pic of a bouquet on top of a barrel, and then read that post's caption.) . Well, luckily for @andielainec, her wedding flowers were gorgeous! Seriously, the talented ladies at @heb.blooms here in #Waco did an amazing job on creating the perfect summer wedding bouquet for Andie's blue and white wedding. . And if you missed the flowers on the handcrafted arbor Andie's dad built for her wedding day, head to the link in our profile to see more! . Flowers : @heb.blooms Wedding gown : @georgiosbridal Bridesmaids dresses : @iheartazazie
Do y'all remember the story of the stress dream I had while J & I were planning our wedding? The one where our flowers were ruined and Jason was being played by Al Pacino? . (In case you have no clue what I'm talking about, scroll down our fee to the pic of a bouquet on top of a barrel, and then read that post's caption.) . Well, luckily for @andielainec, her wedding flowers were gorgeous! Seriously, the talented ladies at @heb.blooms here in #Waco did an amazing job on creating the perfect summer wedding bouquet for Andie's blue and white wedding. . And if you missed the flowers on the handcrafted arbor Andie's dad built for her wedding day, head to the link in our profile to see more! . Flowers : @heb.blooms Wedding gown : @georgiosbridal Bridesmaids dresses : @iheartazazie
Remember our #bts last weekend from Austin & Andie's wedding? Well, now you can see our in-front-of-the-scenes... Okay, maybe that's a weird phrase, but what's important to know is Austin & Andie's wedding day is up on the blog! Head to our link in our profile to see all the romantic details from their wedding at the Arboretum! Venue | @carleenbrightarboretum Gown | @georgiosbridal Cakes | @allsugardup Caterer | @georgesonspeight Florals | @heb.blooms @andielainec
Remember our #bts last weekend from Austin & Andie's wedding? Well, now you can see our in-front-of-the-scenes... Okay, maybe that's a weird phrase, but what's important to know is Austin & Andie's wedding day is up on the blog! Head to our link in our profile to see all the romantic details from their wedding at the Arboretum! Venue | @carleenbrightarboretum Gown | @georgiosbridal Cakes | @allsugardup Caterer | @georgesonspeight Florals | @heb.blooms @andielainec
It's Friday and so I spent some time this a.m. getting next week's #weeklyspread ready in my #bulletjournal. That little 30 in the top corner is the week we're in. Can you believe we've already lived 29 out of 52 weeks of 2018?!? What goals or plans do you have for week 30? Right now, mine's a little blank. But don't worry, it'll be filled in soon!
It's Friday and so I spent some time this a.m. getting next week's #weeklyspread ready in my #bulletjournal. That little 30 in the top corner is the week we're in. Can you believe we've already lived 29 out of 52 weeks of 2018?!? What goals or plans do you have for week 30? Right now, mine's a little blank. But don't worry, it'll be filled in soon!
You know why we love photos like this from a wedding? Because it shows not only the couple starting their forever, but all the loved ones who came to witness their marriage and cheer them on. Each wedding we photographed we're reminded of how a marriage is more than just two people. It's all the people who are there to support their marriage too. I don't think I realized this when we were getting married. I just remember the guest list being a big deal because our venue could only hold so many people, and the struggle it was to invite everyone we could without exceeding that number was one of our big stressors when we were wedding planning. But now, when I look back at our wedding pictures, I see our siblings and our parents, our relatives and our friends, all there for us. They were there because they loved us individually, and loved us as a couple. And that's what makes these types of photos so special.
You know why we love photos like this from a wedding? Because it shows not only the couple starting their forever, but all the loved ones who came to witness their marriage and cheer them on. Each wedding we photographed we're reminded of how a marriage is more than just two people. It's all the people who are there to support their marriage too. I don't think I realized this when we were getting married. I just remember the guest list being a big deal because our venue could only hold so many people, and the struggle it was to invite everyone we could without exceeding that number was one of our big stressors when we were wedding planning. But now, when I look back at our wedding pictures, I see our siblings and our parents, our relatives and our friends, all there for us. They were there because they loved us individually, and loved us as a couple. And that's what makes these types of photos so special.
Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Durnell! 🌄💏 @andielainec Venue : @carleenbrightarboretum Gown: @georgiosbridal #JandMSweethearts #jasonandmelainaphotography #JandMWeddingStories #wacoweddingphotographer #Wacotown #waco #happyweddingday #justmarried #weddingdayphoto #husbandandwife #marryingmybestfriend #brideandgroom #sunsetportraits #weddingday #dallasweddingphotographer #austinweddingphotographer #texasphotographer #communityovercompetition #instagramadvantage #texaswedding #texasbride #weddinginspo
Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Durnell! 🌄💏 @andielainec Venue : @carleenbrightarboretum Gown: @georgiosbridal #JandMSweethearts #jasonandmelainaphotography #JandMWeddingStories #wacoweddingphotographer #Wacotown #waco #happyweddingday #justmarried #weddingdayphoto #husbandandwife #marryingmybestfriend #brideandgroom #sunsetportraits #weddingday #dallasweddingphotographer #austinweddingphotographer #texasphotographer #communityovercompetition #instagramadvantage #texaswedding #texasbride #weddinginspo
Hey friends, let's have some #fridayintroductions for this rainy Friday, shall we? We're Jason & Melaina, #weddingphotographers in #Waco #Texas. And here's four fun facts about us- 1. We moved to #Wacotown so I (Melaina) could attend @truettseminary, and we totally planned on moving to a bigger city after I graduated. But, we're still here! Luckily, Waco today is way cooler than it was 10 years ago! 2. We CAN.NOT.WAIT. for @nbcthisisus to come back on. And yes, we BOTH watch it. 3. The reason we reference living on a boat in our profile is because that's Jason's dream. My biggest fear is the ocean, though. So we'll see how that all works out. 4. Our new favorite podcast to listen to together is the #risetogetherpodcast by @mrsrachelhollis and @mrdavehollis. Seriously good stuff if you're in a relationship, friends! Ok, that's us in a nutshell. What was your favorite fact we shared? This was a quiet moment in the ceremony. Austin & Andie had said their vows and exchanged rings. And now they took a moment on their wedding day to take it all in, to have a moment of prayer and communion with God. If you can take a moment in your ceremony to take it all in, do it. It's easy to get caught up in the planning in the weeks and months leading up to your wedding day. It's easy to get caught up in the nerves and excitement on your wedding day. But take a moment to stop and realize that you just became a husband or a wife, you just pledged to do life together forever with your most favorite person. And that deserves a moment. What would you want your moment to look like on your wedding day? Or what did it look like, married friends? @andielainec Venue: @carleenbrightarboretum It's Labor Day Weekend and we hope you are having a great one! J's home with our girls while I'm off with my favorite girls in the world, my mom and sisters, for our annual girls weekend. We all leave our kiddos and pets home with our husbands, hang out together, do girly things like pedicures and drink cocktails. My sisters (both blood and in-laws) are my #bffs and I love doing life with them. Tag your bffs below and get started planning your very own girls weekend! @andielainec Gown: @georgiosbridal Bridesmaids Dresses: @iheartazazie (Swipe to see Andie's dad's reaction to seeing her in her wedding dress for the first time!) I've become an emotional basket-case at weddings at two specific moments - the first-look with the dad and the father-daughter dance at the reception. I get teary-eyed every time and try to hold it together so I don't miss the moment! I think the reason is because we have two daughters of our own, and when I see our #JandMBride with her dad on her wedding day, I can't help but imagine J with our girls on their wedding days.😢😭 What gets you emotional at weddings? Over and over again when we ask our brides what they dread about their wedding planning, they answer with getting all the details taken care of on time. We get it. I remember being overwhelmed with my massive to-do list when we were planning our wedding. And this was before Pinterest when I didn't even have FOMO from seeing all the different things I could be doing for our wedding! So we thought we'd open up a discussion here and ask, How can we help? How can we as J&M help you feel less overwhelmed and stressed? How can wedding vendors in general help you out as a #bridetobe? Give us your thoughts, friends! Bridal Bouquet: @heb.blooms Something about being in my mid-30s has me all fired up about exploring and understanding myself. And realizing how my Enneagram type 1 and my love language of words of affirmation go together has made J more confident in how he shows me love. Have you done the work to figure out how you feel loved best? And do you know how your significant other feels loved best? Hi there, friends! It's been a minute since we've done #FridayIntroductions around here, so let's do one, shall we? And for this special Friday, we've included our cute littles too! We're Jason & Melaina, sweethearts who photograph other sweethearts. Basically we're you, just a little down the road of the marriage journey. We said "We do" back on June 29, 2008 (10 YEARS AGO!!), and we've accomplished a lot in the last decade. Grad school, starting businesses, making lifelong friends, calling #Waco home, and our best accomplishments - these two cuties right here, Caroline and Maggie. It's been fun and encouraging to look back over these last 10 years to see how far we've come. And it makes us excited to look ahead and see how far we'll go. (And now Moana is in my head.) What's your favorite accomplishment in the last 10 years? Let's celebrate one another's' achievements today! This weekend we went on a double-date with some 2019 #JandMSweethearts (shout out @jenn_maeella!) And we chatted about proposals and engagement rings and how involved we were in picking out our own #engagementring. When we were dating, J & I used to drive to the Texas coast for a day at the beach sometimes. And on one of those long drives back to Austin, we played this game where we'd ask the other one "What are you thinking?" whenever a stretch of silence would happen. Usually it was just random thoughts, but one time when I asked J answered, "I was wondering what size ring you wore on this finger." and then rubbed his thumb on my ring finger on my left hand he was holding. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I told him my best guess. Then he asked a few more questions, like what kind of gold I'd like, and what kind of diamond. I gave him my answers, freaking out internally that we were even having this conversation. And then the conversation ended and we didn't talk about rings again. And we definitely never went ring shopping together. But when he proposed that winter, he had the exact ring I had described on that car ride back from the beach that summer. I know I'm lucky that J took one conversation and picked out the perfect ring on his own. Not everyone is that lucky. If you want proof, google "ugly engagement ring on Reddit" and read the articles. (laughing emoji) But I'm glad I got the perfect ring and that J felt proud he got it himself. Do you want to (or did you) pick out your own engagement ring? Or do you want to be surprised? @andielainec What do you do when your venue says, "Nope!" to your sparkler exit idea, and maybe bubbles aren't your thing? Dozens and dozens of glow sticks! Not only are they fun for the exit, but also pretty cool on the dance floor. And if you have a few leftover afterwards, our two little girls get so excited when we bring a couple home for them the next day. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 For a fun #Fridayquestion, what's your favorite wedding reception exit you've seen? What did the couple use? Did you happen to see our Instagram Live where we talked about 4 things to look for when you're hiring a wedding photographer? The first thing we said was to look at your potential photographer's portfolio to see their photography style and editing style. And we gave 3 examples of shooting styles: fine art/portrait, documentary/candid, and experimental/artsy. (Totally legit terms in the industry, btw. Ha!) Well, want to guess what style our favorite style is? Hint: we'll totally dive on the floor to get this shot of a #weddinglittlemoments where a new husband gently holds his new wife's face and kisses her on the dance floor. What's your favorite style of wedding images? Love a good portrait? Or candids? Or all about crazy experiments? Sunset is a great time to sneak out of the reception for a little time together as Mr. & Mrs. 🌅 We love taking our #JandMSweethearts out for this time. Because after the ceremony, and the pictures, and the announcement and dinner, it's nice for them to have a moment to themselves and take it all in. 🌅 And it makes for some fun pictures too. 😉 🌅 Would you make sunset pictures a priority on your wedding day? Remember this while you're picking out flowers and colors and bridesmaids dresses. The wedding is amazing and great and hopefully everything you've dreamed of... But it's just one day. And every single day after that, you'll be living in your marriage. So plan for that. Cultivate that. Nurture that. Be Sweethearts Forever. Married friends, what do you do to make your marriage awesome? Let's help these sweet brides and grooms out with some great advice! Anatomy of a sparkler exit- ✨ 1 couple in love, leaving to start their new life together ✨ A group of friends and family cheering them on and waving sparklers, hopefully standing back far enough if they've been having a really good time at the reception ✨ 1 photographer holding a flash to be edited out later when her foot is in the shot ✨ And the results are the perfect end to the perfect day. 💏 Double tap if you love sparkler exits at wedding. ❤ Or if you like a different type of exit better, let us know below! 👇 Since becoming a mom myself, images like this one of @andielainec and her mom really touch my heart. I imagine helping one of my daughters into her wedding dress one day and I get that bittersweet feeling. What image from a wedding really gets you? We cute. Did you see our LIVE yesterday were we talked about what we advice we would give 10-yrs-ago-Jason-and-Melaina? It was filled with some helpful advice, some awkward moments, and an Office reference. Fun times! Catch us LIVE next Thursday where we'll be chatting about some other topic. There's sure to be an Office or Parks and Rec quote in there too. Have you ever done an Instagram (or Facebook) live? Drop an emoji below to show us all how you feel about LIVES! Do y'all remember the story of the stress dream I had while J & I were planning our wedding? The one where our flowers were ruined and Jason was being played by Al Pacino? . (In case you have no clue what I'm talking about, scroll down our fee to the pic of a bouquet on top of a barrel, and then read that post's caption.) . Well, luckily for @andielainec, her wedding flowers were gorgeous! Seriously, the talented ladies at @heb.blooms here in #Waco did an amazing job on creating the perfect summer wedding bouquet for Andie's blue and white wedding. . And if you missed the flowers on the handcrafted arbor Andie's dad built for her wedding day, head to the link in our profile to see more! . Flowers : @heb.blooms Wedding gown : @georgiosbridal Bridesmaids dresses : @iheartazazie Remember our #bts last weekend from Austin & Andie's wedding? Well, now you can see our in-front-of-the-scenes... Okay, maybe that's a weird phrase, but what's important to know is Austin & Andie's wedding day is up on the blog! Head to our link in our profile to see all the romantic details from their wedding at the Arboretum! Venue | @carleenbrightarboretum Gown | @georgiosbridal Cakes | @allsugardup Caterer | @georgesonspeight Florals | @heb.blooms @andielainec It's Friday and so I spent some time this a.m. getting next week's #weeklyspread ready in my #bulletjournal. That little 30 in the top corner is the week we're in. Can you believe we've already lived 29 out of 52 weeks of 2018?!? What goals or plans do you have for week 30? Right now, mine's a little blank. But don't worry, it'll be filled in soon! You know why we love photos like this from a wedding? Because it shows not only the couple starting their forever, but all the loved ones who came to witness their marriage and cheer them on. Each wedding we photographed we're reminded of how a marriage is more than just two people. It's all the people who are there to support their marriage too. I don't think I realized this when we were getting married. I just remember the guest list being a big deal because our venue could only hold so many people, and the struggle it was to invite everyone we could without exceeding that number was one of our big stressors when we were wedding planning. But now, when I look back at our wedding pictures, I see our siblings and our parents, our relatives and our friends, all there for us. They were there because they loved us individually, and loved us as a couple. And that's what makes these types of photos so special. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Durnell! 🌄💏 @andielainec Venue : @carleenbrightarboretum Gown: @georgiosbridal #JandMSweethearts #jasonandmelainaphotography #JandMWeddingStories #wacoweddingphotographer #Wacotown #waco #happyweddingday #justmarried #weddingdayphoto #husbandandwife #marryingmybestfriend #brideandgroom #sunsetportraits #weddingday #dallasweddingphotographer #austinweddingphotographer #texasphotographer #communityovercompetition #instagramadvantage #texaswedding #texasbride #weddinginspo