Matt and Eliza met in the first week of grad school. They sat next to each other in a US Foreign Policy class at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M. Neither of them planned on that class turning into anything. A few weeks later they ended up at the same Halloween party, and Eliza marched right up to Matt, mid chip bite, and asked him why he didn’t like her. He barely made eye contact with her most days, which she found completely maddening. He still doesn’t remember what he said back. That same story was still written all over their faces years later, at their Camp Lucy wedding, and it’s exactly what I love catching on a wedding day.

By the time I met them at Camp Lucy this spring, that same easy back and forth was still there. It was their Ian’s Chapel wedding, but it felt like watching two old friends. Matt and Eliza love just existing near one another. Coffee, walks, dog parks, movie nights, and plenty of time with their dog Zuko back home in Austin. Matt proposed on the boardwalk at Town Lake this past February, after weeks of playfully fake proposing just to get her hopes up. Eliza’s response was pure shock. She had officially been caught off guard!

Getting Ready in the Hill Country

The morning started quiet, the way I love it. Robes, a little champagne, soft light coming through the windows of the cabins at Camp Lucy. Erin and Kristen from Prim & Powder had already finished hair and makeup by the time I arrived, very punctual. I walked into a room that was calm and ready to go. Eliza’s mom helped her into her gown while her bridesmaids laughed and got ready around her. There is a photo from that morning of Eliza’s hand resting on her robe, wearing her grandmother’s ring. Small moments like that are the ones I chase all day.

Down the hill, Matt got ready with his groomsmen on the porch of one of the stone cottages, sharp in black suits with the Hill Country stretched out behind them. The guys passed around drinks and cigars while they waited. Matt stayed away from the cigars entirely. Eliza isn’t a fan of the smell, and he wasn’t about to let that be the first thing she noticed when she saw him.

Three First Looks, Three Reactions

Eliza told me she wanted the day to feel fun, candid, and classic. She was drawn to photography that captures personality over posed perfection. That instinct showed up everywhere, especially during her first looks. Eliza is one of a set of triplets, and before the ceremony she had a quiet first look with her three brothers, their reactions completely unfiltered. Then came her dad, holding her a little longer than expected. Finally there was Matt, who teared up the second he turned around and saw her. Three first looks, three completely different reactions, and I loved being there for every one of them.

An Ian’s Chapel Wedding Ceremony at Camp Lucy

If you have been to Camp Lucy, you already know the pull of that bell tower. Eliza told me the architecture was one of her favorite parts of the venue, especially the bell on the chapel. I understood why the second I saw the light hitting that stone in the late afternoon. Poppy Layne Florals lined the steps and the aisle in soft garden style arrangements that felt like they grew straight out of the landscape. Guests filled in along the brick path. Matt stood at the top of the steps, watching Eliza walk toward him with that same look he probably had the very first week of grad school. This time, everyone in the room could see it too.

The recessional was one of those moments Eliza specifically told me she couldn’t wait to see again. Flower petals in the air, both of them laughing and a little breathless, surrounded by their favorite people. Family portraits followed on the chapel steps. Generations lined up together in the golden hour light that makes an Ian’s Chapel wedding at Camp Lucy so special to photograph.

Cocktail Hour, Donkeys, and All

Eliza mentioned one surprise in the wedding day details she shared with me ahead of time, and it did not disappoint. Somewhere between champagne toasts and passed appetizers at the pavilion, a pair of donkeys from Ears with Beers wandered over to say hello, flower crowns and all. Nobody warned the guests, so the reactions were completely real, which is exactly the kind of thing I hope for as a photographer. You cannot direct a moment like that. You just have to be ready for it.

The pavilion itself, open air with the Hill Country views behind it, ended up being one of Eliza’s favorite spots on the property. It was easy to see why once cocktail hour got going. Sienna String Quartet played softly nearby while guests mingled, and the whole scene felt relaxed in a way that matched the couple perfectly.

A Camp Lucy Reception Full of Energy

Dinner was served long table style under string lights and greenery inside the Camp Lucy barn. Poppy Layne Florals’ garden style arrangements ran down the center of every table. There were toasts, a heart shaped strawberry cake, and a dance floor that filled up fast and stayed that way most of the night. Premier Entertainment Group kept the music going from the first dance straight through the last song. They started things off with Matt and Eliza in the center of that black and white checkered floor. Then it was the parents’ turn, and that round of dances had more than a few guests reaching for tissues.

The Dance Floor Takes Over

After that, all bets were off. Bridesmaids in jewel tone dresses, groomsmen with their sleeves rolled up, someone in an inflatable shark costume weaving through the crowd, and Matt lifting Eliza off her feet more than once. Toward the end of the night, guests linked arms for one last big dance, everyone laughing, nobody ready for it to be over.

Matt and Eliza describe themselves as a couple who don’t take life too seriously. They’re loyal to their people, and they genuinely love learning and growing together. Watching their wedding day unfold at Camp Lucy, from that first cup of coffee to the last song on the dance floor, all of that came through. It is exactly why I love this job. I get a front row seat to watch people become the most honest version of themselves, surrounded by everyone who loves them most.

If you are planning your own Camp Lucy wedding or an Ian’s Chapel wedding of your own, I would love to be there for it. This venue keeps giving me some of my favorite days of the year, and Matt and Eliza’s was no exception.

Congratulations, Matt and Eliza. Thank you for letting me be part of it.

Meet the Vendor Team

Venue: Camp Lucy | Photographer: Photos by Yaz | Planner: Scarlet Rose Events | DJ: Premier Entertainment Group | Ceremony Musicians: Sienna String Quartet | Florist: Poppy Layne Florals | Makeup Artist: Prim & Powder | Donkeys: Ears with Beers | Cake: Hayley Cakes + Cookies | Wedding Invites: Minted | Rentals: Whim Event Rentals + Scarlet Rose Collective

Photos by Yaz is a wedding and portrait photography studio based in Austin, Texas, with weddings photographed across the Texas Hill Country, Colorado, Illinois, and Puerto Rico. Interested in booking your Camp Lucy wedding? Reach out to start the conversation.