Las Cruces Wedding: Kyrstal + Martin in Tortugas
Posted on April 27, 2009
Our second wedding this weekend was early on Saturday. Marie and I met Krystal at her mom’s house (just a few doors from the studio!) before I headed to Martin’s parent’s house in the valley, where he was getting dressed. Martin was still asleep when I walked in, but his mom Susie, uncle Joe, and a few other member of the wedding party invited me in and fed me burritos while Martin got out of bed and showered. Martin found out that his shoulders had gotten a bit wider since boot camp when his dress blues wouldn’t close all the way, so he was in an all-black tux for the wedding.
As soon as Martin was in his tux, Jose and I headed over to Jose’s house in Tortugas, where Krystal was putting her dress on. She and her dad both burst into tears when he saw her in the gown; it’s always an honor to be there for those emotional moments.
This was our first wedding in Our Lady of Guadeloupe Cathedral in Tortugas. I was thrilled with the bell tower, but I was expecting a small, dark adobe cathedral. Imagine my surprise when the church turned out to be light and airy! Father Don and his assistants were just finishing cleaning up some broken glass when we got there; apparently someone decided to shoot out one of the windows in this gorgeous local landmark. It’s such a shame when even a church doesn’t command any respect. Thankfully, Father Don was very low-key about it, and the small hole in one pane didn’t affect the wedding in the slightest.
Marie was stationed up in the choir loft during the ceremony. This time, she had to share it with a Mariachi combo, who played traditional music throughout the ceremony – and even broke into the bridal chorus (“Here Comes the Bride”) for Krystal’s grand entrance! The music really put the final touch on a very traditional New Mexico wedding. Even better for us, the light in the church and Father Don’s permission for me to stand in one side aisle combined to give us some of the best ceremony pictures we’ve ever taken.
After the ceremony and formals, we got Krystal into Martin’s truck and headed over to Mesilla for some bridal portraits; then Marie and I came back to the studio to clear cards and get ready for the reception!
The reception started at 2pm, at the Knights of Columbus Hall just south of Mesilla Valley Mall. Marcie at Dickerson’s Catering did her usual exemplary job with the food, and the mariachis made another appearance for the first couple of hours of the reception. Krystal and Martin even joined in singing with them, with some encouragement.
After the mariachis packed up, there was a traditional Native American blanket ceremony and round dance – it turns out that Uncle Joe is one of Eli’s cousins, and had brought an eagle feather as a blessing for the newlyweds. I’m amazed by the way a Native American ceremony can turn a normal reception hall into a sacred space, in a way no other religious ceremony seems to be able to. Maybe it’s the weight of tradition, or the way every person there, whether or not they’re members of the tribe, is made a part of the ceremony. Whatever the cause, these ceremonies always touch my heart.
After the blanket ceremony, the DJ took over and the party got into full swing. We stayed though the garter and bouquet (Martin went after the garter in a hurry – no shy groom here!), all of the family dances, and some of the fun ones. The party went on late into the night, but we had another shoot with Krystal and Martin scheduled for Sunday!
Roz, I love your attention to detail in story telling. I read the entire thing and didn’t find myself bored. It’s so great to learn more about the couple and the venue and how the day made you feel. My favorite photo is the one with the car in it. I love that splash of color and feel that the tilt works great here and does compliment the composition. Well done~!