I got to photograph Marcus and Sarah’s intimate wedding at Eastern Hills Baptist Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico recently! This couple chose to have a small, meaningful ceremony and reception, and the love that filled the church and the restaurant where the reception was held was immense.

Baptist Church Wedding- Getting Ready!

This couple chose to have their ceremony at Eastern Hills Baptist Church. My day started by locating the bride in a wonderful room that seemed to be set aside for the sole purpose of allowing the bridal party to get dressed. 

After taking some photos of the bride getting ready, I stepped into the sanctuary. The beautiful floral arrangements, bouquets, and boutonnieres were created by the groom’s aunt. She did an amazing job!

Time for the Ceremony

I was able to photograph most of Marcus’ fun-loving family before the ceremony started. They shared with me that it is a family tradition to take a nice photo, and then to make the funniest face they can in the second photo. 

Marcus and Sarah’s ceremony was performed by the pastor of the church. He knew them well, and was able to speak to, and about them eloquently. He cares a great deal for this couple, and it showed how happy he was to be performing the ceremony. 

Family Photos

Afterward, I was able to get Sarah’s family photos, as well as photos of the entire new family. There wasn’t a wedding party- a choice Marcus and Sarah made to keep things simple. To keep things even simpler, there was a total of about 30 guests- small enough to make it possible for me to get everyone into a single photo!

Then, they signed their marriage license.

The Reception- Pelican’s Restaurant

The reception took place at Pelican’s restaurant in Albuquerque. Both Marcus and Sarah are fans of the San Francisco 49’s, and their beautifully decorated wedding cake reflected this. The cake was created by Q’s Cakes.

However, there was a Dallas Cowboys fan there, and he chose to represent this.

Dinner was wonderful, and the waiting staff was excellent at their jobs. They took care of everyone with grace, poise, and energy. Because Pelican’s is a small restaurant, the dancing was forgone. 

Soon the toasts were made. It was obvious that their family and friends were happy to see Marcus and Sarah joined in matrimony. I want to wish Marcus, Sarah, and their family a bright and happy future. You guys certainly deserve it!

Update 8/10/2023:

I haven’t had the opportunity to catch up with Marcus and Sarah, so I don’t know how they’re doing, but I hope they’re happy and healthy!

This was the second wedding I’d ever shot, and looking back, I made a LOT of mistakes! This was the point where I realized I REALLY needed to learn Off Camera Flash, and I’m happy to say that nowadays, I’m proficient in it’s use!

Again, I’d like to apologize to all of the vendors I should have credited and didn’t! I’m not sure who you all are now, because I didn’t think to get that info from the couple at the time. However, I still dream about the food at Pelican’s Restaurant in Albuquerque! It was one of the best wedding dinners I’ve ever had as a wedding photographer.