You may or may not know that in addition to running Simone Epiphany Photography I am also a psychology student and I work different odd “day jobs”. I have worked for several non-profits, portrait studios, and even worked in hospitals for a while for a company that did newborn portraits. For the past year I have been waiting tables at a local Austin restaurant. Waiting tables has been a great way for me to make extra money while still staying flexible enough to focus on my studies and do what I love to do – take pictures!

But the best part about my “odd jobs” is when they lead me to meeting some of my clients!  Most of my clients I meet in the traditional way, either they find an ad I’ve posted or they are referred to me by a friend or family member. However every now and then I meet clients in my day to day life! If you know me, you know I have no shame in plugging myself or handing my card out to anyone who might possibly be interested in my services. This is one of those stories….

I was working at the restaurant on Valentines night, as I do most Friday nights. It was pretty late in the evening and things were dying down when Adrienne and Matt came in and sat down at table 72. I went back to their table several times to see if they were ready to order and Adrienne was having trouble making up her mind. It was on about my 3rd or 4th visit back to the table when Matt started making jokes. As to not re-embarrass Adrienne, I will not repeat them here. But I will say that they were vulgar and HILARIOUS! I tried to keep myself somewhat professional and composed but I soon found myself bent over a chair cracking up and I have to admit, a tiny bit in shock of what this customer had just said! Almost every time I went back to their table, Matt had another winning 1 liner to drop on me and I started playing along and bantering back with him. All the time, Adrienne sat beside him quietly chuckling, embarrassingly shaking her head, and saying things like “This is what I put up with.”

Towards the end of the meal I noticed that Adrienne was wearing an engagement ring. I asked if they were married yet and when they said no I joked, “Good – You still have time to get out of this!”

They were so much fun to wait on that I couldn’t resist slipping them my business card before they left. Because I mean come on – if this couple was so much fun to wait on, just imagine how fun their wedding will be!

I was so surprised and excited when Adrienne called just a few days later! Though she didn’t tell me right away who she was. We talked on the phone for quite a while about her wedding and it wasn’t until I told her we would need to schedule an in person consultation to meet before booking that she said “Actually we have met… at the restaurant… on Valentines day.” I said “Why didn’t you say so?!”

My consultation with Adrienne confirmed what I had been suspecting – this was going to be an amazing couple to work with! The more she told me about their relationship and what their wedding day would be like, the more excited I got. I always tell my clients that it is important for us to meet before the wedding day because it is curtail that you like and get along with your wedding photographer and visa versa. The more connected I feel to a couple, the better the pictures. And the more connected and comfortable a couple feels with me, the more relaxed they will be in front of the camera. After our consultation I felt so excited and confident that this was a perfect match!

This past Friday, March 14th, exactly 1 month after I waited on them at table 72, I photographed Adrienne and Matt together for their engagement session.

We started the session at their home in the hill country which made for a beautiful backdrop and a personal setting. Since Matt is a soccer coach, we ended the session at the soccer fields just down the street.

Adrienne and Matt were great at posing and following directions but as most people who have done a session with me know, that’s not nearly as important to me as the moments that happen between the poses.

Not very long into our session I asked Adrienne and Matt to look at each other. They started whispering, laughing, and kissing as I shot away. After a minute or 2 Adrienne looked over and said “I’m sorry! We were having a moment and forgot you were there, what did you want us to do again?” It was absolutely perfect and I couldn’t have possibly asked for or posed anything better!

Adrienne and Matt slipped in and out of their own little world throughout the session and I loved capturing every moment of it.

I feel so lucky to have gotten the chance to meet this great couple and I can’t wait till their wedding day! I’ll see y’all on June 7th!