andrew + allyson | west texas sand dune anniversary session | adventurous destination elopement photographer

The power of the internet continues to astound me for its ability to connect people who never would have met otherwise.

Nearly two years ago Allyson reached out to me on Instagram to photograph her and her boyfriend for an adventurous couple session. With them living in Odessa, TX I suggested doing our session at Big Bend National Park. My husband and I drove 15 hours from Kansas (where we lived at the time), to adventure in the Texas desert with them. And it was so much fun. We ran around the mountains and desert with them, and became such good friends. You can see that very first session right HERE.

A few months later, Andrew proposed to Allyson and they began planning a huge wedding in Odessa. After a lot of drama and stress, they slowly realized planning a huge wedding soooo wasn’t their jam. They chose to ditch their wedding plans and instead elope with close family in the Arizona desert at Horseshoe Bend. They invited me along to capture their love a second time and to this day it’s still my favorite elopement I’ve ever shot. Check out their incredible elopement HERE.

Since I’ve followed Andrew and Allyson’s love story since the beginning, it only made sense they they had me do their anniversary photos as well. Luckily for them, I was heading to Odessa, Texas back in April for a wedding. During my trip, these two welcomed me into their home, and we planned an epic anniversary shoot in the nearby sand dunes at Monahans Sandhills State Park.

Before the shoot, we went out to eat at Chili’s (as one does haha), and as I sat across the table with them I asked them both, “Given that this is your one year anniversary session, what’s one thing you want to remember about your first year of marriage in 20 years?”

Allyson answered, “That it was so much better than expected. Everyone told us the first year is always the worst. So if this last year was the worst…. the future is looking really good.”

Andrew answered, “I want to remember just how much joy we have together. How much she makes me laugh and smile no matter what.”

They basically had me crying into my queso in the middle of Chili’s. It’s fine.

Having watched their relationship blossom from boyfriend/girlfriend to engaged fiancés to husband and wife, I see so beautifully the love of God demonstrated throughout their lives. From the way Andrew opens literally every door for Allyson like a total gentleman, to the fact that every morning he makes sure she has her coffee, he beautifully continues to pursue her heart even a year after their wedding day.

So… for the third time on the blog… I give you.. Andrew and Allyson Hendricks. 🙂

Lindsey Roman is an adventurous destination wedding and intimate elopement photographer based out of Oahu, Hawaii, but she travels worldwide. She lives for outdoor adventures, intimate moments, and candid images. Her style is raw, passionate, and authentic. She believes in chasing sunsets, laughing too hard, and most importantly: capturing genuine moments that evoke feeling over perfectly posed photographs.