sometimes life events that I participate in take me a little while to let marinate and for me to be mentally + emotionally ready to share.

this riverside wedding is one of those for me.

outside looking in, it's a beautiful downtown riverside wedding full of sweet, intentional details special to the two who surrounded themselves with incredible people who were massively inclined to love and serve them and provide them with a day they would never forget - honestly, that much is like many of the weddings I'm privileged to photographed.

but this one.

this one is close to my heart largely because of the woman who got to call herself bride this day.

she is my friend. I'm so proud to get to call her that.

but before friend, I had to wait a while for her to work out her inner demons to become my friend ;) I'm totally joking...welllll sorta. ;)

I've know today's bride since she was twelve.

and like many of us who have been twelve year olds, you've got a lot to work out in becoming the best versions of ourselves...and this friend was no exception. but dang, it was a fun decade getting to see her be her aiming at her best self - funny, craaaaazy, tender-hearted, fearless, always down for an adventure her. she's come out on to the other side of becoming a woman and is now someone I'd go for godly life advice; she's now someone who I know without a shadow of a doubt would stop anything she was doing to pray for me and to even show up if the need called for it.

we've been to california too many times to count together.

we've been in the snow together.

we've cried saying goodbye to heart friends together.

we've prayed hard for other friends who have yet to come to Jesus.

lol, I've sat on my front porch while she explained what the skunk smell from my (at-the-time) ghetto park was.

we've sat in many san diego golf carts hoping and praying for a whale to appear (still hasn't happened, but sooooomeday).

gosh, she is my friend...I'm so glad she is my friend because she makes life better because she is in it.

last thing about today's bride, she is also one of my most favorite God-stories to tell. ask her about her story, it'll blow your mind at how faithful God is to her and how He is to me also for allowing me to see answered prayer lived out in living color with her life.

yep, this day will forever go down as one of my favorite days because of the years and depth of friendship that went into this watching this friend become bride...there aren't many moments like that in life, I think? friendships that span a decade.

I love you, amber...I always have, always will. and I love that you've found your match in austin - he's incredible for you. and this day seeing you with your love is forever a favorite of mine...thank you for letting me have a front seat to this day and to your life the past decade...I wouldn't trade it for the world. <3

p.s. a few last things I'll say about there actual wedding day, I have six highlights I'll let you in on:

*ron (her dad) seeing amber for the first time surrounded by fifteen or so of her girls - it was so special to see how much he loves her. and then again with ron for their first dance...gosh, it's cool to see a dad and daughter have as much love and respect as the two of them have for each other.

*austin when he first saw amber. the picture says it best, but overwhelmed with love is a good start...stupid cool to see and witness first hand.

*after their first look, everyone was chilling in the chapel. AND THE OFFICE WAS PUT UP ON THE BIG SCREEN. coolest wedding party moment of the day. austin's cool status went off the charts at that point in the day for me and madds. ;)

*austin's grandma when she got to take her photograph with him. that man is loved for life by his grandma and it was sweet to watch. also, later in the day I found out where austin gets his dance move...grandma can throw down! :)

*austin dancing for amber. i.n.c.r.e.d.b.l.e. AND the guys austin surrounds himself with were incredible - the whole day there for him and then they MADE the dancing epic at the reception...just incredible guys all around. :)

*and finally, getting to see amber walk down the aisle and dance at her wedding. amber has always been an athletic stud her whole life, but a couple months before the wedding she tore her knee at a soccer game she was playing in. it was questionable that she would get to walk down the aisle let alone dance at her wedding. God is good and she is quick healer and it was incredible to see her walk and dance without crutches on her wedding day.

that's it, there was a ton more, but this is probably more than her attention span has at reading ;) but I had to share what I loved about this day...it was such a good one. congratulations, austin + amber - I love you both so much!

riverside wedding | jen driesbach | arizona wedding photography | austin + amber

riverside california wedding | austin + amber

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