Brandon and Amanda met in August 2009 in College Station, TX. Amanda was a junior at Texas A&M and Brandon had just began his rookie year as a police officer for Bryan PD after graduating from TEEX Police Academy. Both had just moved into neighboring townhomes off Graham Rd and met each other while tailgating in their backyards for a football game. Instantly, they realized they had tons in common, from taste in music to all things A&M. The friendship continued until 2011 when Brandon, with a little help from his parents, decided was about time to ask Amanda on an official date.
It was December 16, 2013 and they had recently purchased their first home together. Amanda was busy decorating for their first Christmas in the new house and starting graduate school, while Brandon had other purchase plans. The holidays were fast approaching and Brandon knew Amanda’s huge family Christmas party was that next week. He couldn’t wait for her to finish decorating and set the plan in motion that day. He practiced his best-panicked voice in the mirror and called Amanda, “The dogs have escaped the backyard! You need to come home now!” Needless to say it worked and Amanda showed up, co-worker in tow, with a search party for her precious dog children. Imagine the confusion when Bo and Ranger were happily leashed at Brandon’s side by the community park. By the time Amanda noticed the pretty red ribbon around Bo’s neck, Brandon was already on one knee behind her smiling at the co-worker who became the accidental photographer of the day. Of course she said yes, and the wedding planning began immediately.
Amanda and Brandon were married on May 30 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bryan, TX. They were surrounded by 500 of their closest family and friends because it’s Texas and everything is bigger, especially when both Polish/Czech families are as big as it gets. It’s Polish tradition to celebrate a wedding for a week straight, so Brandon and Amanda decided to cram all the festivities into one day! A dinner, BBQ of course, and polka dance followed the ceremony at The Brazos Center. Family and inexperienced friends filled the dance floor to learn all the traditional dances, thanks to a little liquid courage, and took part in one of the biggest and longest Grand March’s anyone had ever seen. The celebration continued all night long until every guest had a full stomach, full heart and sore feet!
Photographer: k. Norwood Portraiture