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or some residents, the arrival of 2024 doesn’t just offer the usual hope of new experiences and fresh starts, but something even more special: marriage. As these local residents begin to plan their big day, we’ve dedicated this section to all things wedding and bridal, from the dress itself to the venue, flowers, photography and more. From grand ceremonies to more intimate celebrations, this carefully curated selection of local experts are ready to bring dream weddings to life.
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Goodin’s Jewelry What kinds of services does your team provide? We provide a variety of services including jewelry repair, full custom design, watch repair, and so much more. Goodin’s Jewelry is a full-service jewelry store. Our staff is ready to help with repairs, from simple to intricate, or to create the custom design of your dreams. We have a store full of dazzling jewelry. What interests or passions brought you to the jewelry industry? Our passion for everything jewelry brought us into the industry, and our love of helping customers has continued throughout the years. To see the smile on someone’s face when they find their perfect piece of jewelry is what makes our day. Our company started with Paul Goodin and his passion for the jewelry industry. Together, we continue to grow and offer new designs and brands to stay on trend. What bridal trends are big this year? Popular trends this year take us back to the original solitaire setting. More and more brides are choosing the classics, like a beautiful solitaire with a variety of band choices. Some brides like a traditional diamond band, while others go outside the box and design a custom band with colorful gems or unique cut stones. The options are endless, and it is always surprising to see what each bride or groom chooses. What sets your business apart from its competitors? Our service and our large variety of options set us apart from our competitors. Our willingness to go above and beyond to offer special orders keeps our customers smiling. What planning tip do you most often share with clients? Planning for an engagement or wedding is unique for each bride, so we offer guidance as we can. Whether you have two years or two weeks, we can help plan for any wedding or event. How do you help clients choose a ring style? Choosing the perfect ring can be a stressful event. We always try to make it more relaxing and enjoyable. We want the couple, groom, bride or anyone shopping to feel at home in our store. We love repeat customers who want to come back for any of their jewelry purchases in the future.
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Avant Garden What kinds of services does your team provide? Our team provides top-notch floral design, coordination, and the ability to bring your vision to life! What interests or passions brought you to the wedding industry? Simply put, we have a passion for beautiful things. We love creating magical spaces and seeing how they can help set the mood for the wedding. It’s such an honor to play a part in someone’s big day—and we don’t take that lightly! What bridal trends are big this year? We’ve seen two contrasting themes: “Bold and Bright” and “Simple and Romantic.” With both themes, we’re making flowing tablescapes rather than compact arrangements. Cake collars have become a popular addition, too! What sets your business apart from its competitors? Our team and vision set us apart from the rest. Our team has been doing weddings for a combined 30 years—we know what works and what doesn’t work in the chaos of a wedding. Avant Garden makes custom, specialty pieces for any event. Besides our vast knowledge, Avant Garden sources the freshest florals and stays up to date on wedding trends.
PHOTO BY ADRIENNE NEIMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
What planning tip do you most often share with clients? Our best tip is to book early. Most area vendors’ calendars fill up early, and it’s important to have plenty of time when planning your big day. How do you help clients choose a wedding style? The majority of the time, a bride comes to us with a vision or a color scheme—we take that slice of a vision and create a day beyond their wildest dreams! Most brides have been thinking about their wedding day since they were young, so we reign in all their ideas and make it a reality. We have a knack for making magic happen within their budget.
2475 I-40 WEST | 806.322.3598 AVANTGARDENAMARILLO.COM PHOTO BY ADRIENNE NEIMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
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PHOTO BY ELEVEN FOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO BY CHLOE PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO BY THREE FEATHER PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO BY ABBEY LEIGH PHOTOGRAPHY
Ruthette’s Bridal What kinds of services does your team provide? We call ourselves a destination bridal boutique, with a goal of having the perfect dress for any bride—no matter her style, size, timeline or budget. We carry designs exclusive to our store and offer styles that will make the bride stand out in exactly the way she has always dreamed of. Our stylists work by appointment, so we can help each bride through every step of the process. Starting with selecting which dresses to try on, getting in and out of every single one, narrowing down the favorites and helping visualize the whole picture on the wedding day, our stylists are with the bride every step of the way. What interests or passions brought you to the wedding industry? A mix of business, love and the joy of inspiring women fuels our drive in this industry. We were very young when we started—both 23-year-old wives and mothers. After going to DFW and OKC for our bridal shopping experiences, we wanted to bring something to the area that brides had not experienced before. It’s easy to get excited about wedding gowns, but what really excites us is seeing a bride find her confidence when she finds her dream dress. What bridal trends are big this year? This year, we are seeing a lot of clean and sleek looks with a little bit of flare here and there. 3D lace and full-textured skirts are on the opposite end of the spectrum, but also very popular. There is also a hint of color sneaking into wedding trends, not only in the florals and accents of decor but also in the dress. What sets your business apart from its competitors? Our store has products that are unique—we are dedicated to making sure brides find something at Ruthette’s that they can’t find anywhere else in our area. But what really sets us apart is the friendly service and relationships we build with our brides. We prioritize the friendship that forms when we help someone through this important decision, and we intend to shine light and show love to every person that comes into our store. Visiting a bridal store can be somewhat intimidating because it is unknown territory. We try our best to relate to our brides, so they understand that we want them to feel amazing on their wedding day. What planning tip do you most often share with clients? Please shop early! You cannot have your dress ready too early. We love to have 9 to 12 months to order the dress. This gives the bride plenty of time to alter it and have bridal photos done before the big day. We are able to work with any timeline, but if you have the time, don’t wait! How do you help clients choose a wedding style? For brides with a clear vision of what they want to wear, we follow their lead and help them narrow down smaller details until they are ready to walk down the aisle. When a bride doesn’t have an idea of what they want, we like to select six or seven varied gowns. Once they see them on their body, things become very clear and they’re able to weed out certain silhouettes, sleeve types and materials. Brides are the boss at Ruthette’s, and they make it so fun to work through dresses until they say yes.
41 6 1 5 T H ST. , CA N YO N 806.452.8008 | RUTHETTES.COM
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OWNERS AVERY PINKERTON AND COLETTE LANE PHOTO BY ELEVEN FOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
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Amarillo Botanical Gardens What is your expertise? We provide a beautiful garden space with large trees and mature plantings, creating a spectacular and unique oasis within the city of Amarillo. It is perfect for a dream garden wedding, and we also offer indoor spaces for up to 300 in the case of inclement weather or elaborately decorated receptions. What interests or passions brought you to the wedding industry? Part of our mission is to provide culture and opportunity for area residents to enjoy the beauty of nature. As the gardens have grown, we’ve enjoyed offering areas that provide different moods for everything from romantic to partythemed weddings and receptions. What bridal trends are big this year? Bold seems to be the buzz, and we have the right spaces for it. Bright colors and large spaces give us the edge on this trend. Couples can utilize our conservatory to take pictures with vibrant tropical foliage, which will give them a unique look like nowhere else in the Panhandle. What sets you apart from competitors? We pride ourselves in being adaptable and capable of quickly moving an event from one space to another in the event of poor weather. Packages include tables, chairs, setup/teardown, a catering kitchen, a walk-in floral cooler, paved parking, dressing rooms and an attendant on site during the entire event. What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning for the big day? Booking a venue from which you must be out the same night puts a lot of stress on the families. We have a package option that allows you to come back the next day to get your decorations, etc., and we do the cleanup for you. How do you help clients with their vision for their wedding day? We meet with the couple to determine their needs and expectations, and then offer options of spaces, services and pricing. We then provide an online interactive map so they can plan the layout of their wedding. This allows them to customize their wedding from the comfort of their own home.
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Three Feather Photo Co.
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What is your expertise? I specialize in small, intimate weddings first and foremost, but families and headshots are a large part of my business, as well. What interests or passions brought you to the wedding industry? Growing up, my grandmother and I spent countless hours going through her old photos, with me listening to her beautiful storytelling. These photos were a link to the past and each kept a memory alive. I found a place in the wedding industry where every little piece matters—my love for tangible memories, the connection between people, travel and my ability to tell the story through my work. I have captured weddings in three countries, 34 states and all over Texas. My favorite wedding was in Beaver Creek, Colorado, where I skied backwards while my couple snowboarded down the mountain—combining both of my careers as a photographer and ski coach. What bridal trends are big this year? My favorite trend is doing what you want. All rules are out now. I see couples tossing outdated traditions and coming up with things that make them happy. Dresses with color, patterns and texture for the bridal gown, and bridesmaids dresses are a close second. I also really love the floral crowns around wedding cakes. What sets you apart from competitors? I had a bride tell me, “Having your team as our photographers felt like our most fun friends who just happen to be really fabulous at taking photos.” That feeling is exactly what I am aiming for. Everyone should be surrounded by their closest friends on the big day. Staying calm, light-hearted and fun in stressful situations is easy for me, and I want my clients to know that I can handle anything that’s thrown my way on a wedding day. I’ve photographed more than 200 weddings and elopements, so at this point I feel like I’ve seen it all, and not much worries me. What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning for the big day? Forgetting to have fun is the biggest mistake I see couples make. It’s easy to get caught up in pleasing everyone and spending too much money. When my couples call me stressing about something, I always ask them what factor they need to remove in order to fully enjoy themselves and remind them to not forget that their goal is to have a happy marriage first and a fun wedding second. How do you help clients with their vision for their wedding day? Communication is key when helping clients figure out what their vision is. I only photograph weddings when there is a connection to the couple and the event; this sets us all up for success. Each couple receives an 80-page wedding planner that I have designed, which covers all of the bases from the guest list, to a vision board, to a detailed photo list. With our overcommunication and the wedding planner, there isn’t anything that’s not covered prior to the wedding, allowing the day-of to unfold seamlessly.
806 .787. 9596 T H R E E F E AT H E R P H OTO.CO
PHOTOGRAPHER KAIT BRADFORD BELLMON
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41 Productions I’m Lindsay Gomez, owner of 41 Productions, and an Amarillo native who graduated from West Texas A&M University in 2006 with a degree in Mass Communication. Professionally, I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so I always loved the idea of being self-employed. Personally, I have had a video camera in my hand since I was a child. With that in mind, starting a video production company after college was a natural progression for me. For the past 18 years, 41 Productions has been capturing love stories. We are a seasoned wedding videography team dedicated to turning moments into memories. Our passion for storytelling resonates in our editing style, and over the years, we have honed our craft to create cinematic masterpieces that truly reflect the personality of each couple. From small budgets and intimate ceremonies, to large, grandiose celebrations, we have embraced the unique beauty of every love story we have had the privilege to document. Our approach seeks to capture genuine emotions and wedding-day moments to create videos that families and clients deserve. Over the years, we have managed to navigate the ever-evolving wedding industry trends while still maintaining our timeless style. God has blessed my business tremendously over the past 18 years, and I also would not have been able to fulfill my passion without my clients. For that, I am incredibly humbled and thankful. One final note: 41 Productions has a commercial side! We produce a plethora of small business video marketing campaigns. In addition, we are FAA Certified Drone Pilots, which allows us to legally grab that amazing aerial footage for your business.
L I N D S AY G O M E Z , OW N E R 6900 I- 40 WEST, SUITE 160 AMARILLO, TX 79106 806.681.2465 41 P RO D U CT I O N S.CO M
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Starlight Canyon What is your expertise? We excel at Texas hospitality. We provide an amazing experience for the bride and groom and all the guests! What interests or passions brought you to the wedding industry? Owners Liz and Nate Green both worked at the Keystone, Colorado, ski resort, where they perfected their hospitality skills. Before that, Liz had received her degree from Texas Tech University in Restaurant, Hotel, & Institutional Management. The night Nate and Liz were married in Silverthorne, Colorado, they stayed at a bed and breakfast. The next morning, they were sitting in the room and breakfast was delivered. That experience sparked a dream of becoming innkeepers at their own bed and breakfast. Starlight Canyon is truly a dream come true. What bridal trends are big this year? We are seeing lots of tone-on-tone white themes, small intimate weddings, and more and more vow renewal ceremonies. What sets you apart from competitors? Our experience, attention to detail, and customizable packages set us apart. We don’t just open our doors and leave everything to the wedding party. We can take care of everything! And of course, our picturesque location and unique history are unmatched among other local wedding venues. What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning for the big day? Without a doubt, it’s a mistake when the bride and groom attempt to coordinate everything themselves. We prefer to take care of everything so the couple and their guests enjoy their day. How do you help clients with their vision for their wedding day? We offer a variety of services and decorations. We have strong relationships with vendors like caterers, cake vendors, invitations, photographers and videographers, DJs and more. We have hosted hundreds of weddings. Built in 1933, historic Starlight Canyon has been a bed and breakfast and wedding venue for more than 30 years. It’s our 10th year at Starlight Canyon, our 11th wedding season, and we look forward to continuing to make magical memories at our cozy B&B.
100 BRENTWOOD ROAD 806.622.2382 STA R L I G H TCA N YO N .CO M
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Proffer Aesthetic Center What is your expertise? Proffer Aesthetic Center specializes in enhancing your skin’s natural beauty. Our team is trained to refresh, repair and rejuvenate your skin. What interests or passions brought you to your industry? Our Aesthetic Center focuses on bringing expert care to anyone looking to improve their skin— and is there a more important day than your wedding day? We cater to both men and women to help them look their best. What bridal trends are big this year? Fresh and natural looks are trending this year. And glowing skin is always in! What sets you apart from competitors? Our Aesthetic Center is backed by the best plastic surgeons. Our entire team is highly trained to make you look your best. Not only are we trained and educated, we also only use the best medical-grade products. Unlike other spas in Amarillo, our medical spa has four types of professional providers: licensed estheticians, cosmetic surgeons, nurse practitioners, and surgical dermatologists. What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning for the big day? When it comes to your skin, it takes time. A common mistake is thinking that just one facial or treatment can get you ready for your big day. In the same way you need a couple of fittings for a dress, you need to see us multiple times for your tailored skincare regimen. How do you help clients with their goals for their wedding day? Skin is something that commonly gets overlooked when planning for your big day. We help our couples feel confident in their own skin. When you’re looking back at your photos and videos, you’ll be thrilled you spent the time to perfect your skin!
1 61 1 WA L L A C E B LV D. 806.352.4002 PROFFERAESTHETICS.COM
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The Shop Event Venue What is your expertise? The Shop is a great space to host many different types of events, from milestone birthday parties to weddings. The best spaces are flexible and allow hosts to bring events to life according to their vision. We’ve designed The Shop with that kind of flexibility in mind. What interests or passions brought you to the wedding industry? We love parties and love being part of special occasions. As we began opening up our space for events—and especially after completing a beautiful outdoor space—weddings were a natural progression. Whether we know the bride and groom or not, being part of a transformative moment in people’s lives is incredibly fulfilling. What bridal trends are big this year? Bridal style is still pretty classic, but we have seen a trend for bold, bright colors within the wedding party. What’s interesting these days is that a lot of brides and grooms are thinking about and prioritizing the party after the wedding—sometimes even more than the ceremony itself. So having a space like ours that allows for fun and celebration is definitely something that brings families our way. What sets you apart from competitors? The Shop offers a commercial sound system and lighting, abundant parking, and indoor and outdoor event spaces with a garden area. Our physical canvas is neutral enough that the bride and groom can use it to create something unforgettable. What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning for the big day? Practically speaking, couples often overestimate the number of guests attending. This can lead to overspending on catering and food waste. How do you help clients with their vision for their wedding day? There are so many creative people in the wedding industry, so we try to provide a flexible, practical location—then give our clients a blank space to create their unique vision.
1585 SE 58TH AVE. 8 0 6 . 33 6 .1 7 0 5
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The Urban Giraffe What is your expertise? We excel at helping clients choose items for their homes. It’s our goal for everyone: When they shop at The Urban Giraffe, we help them find decor that reflects their personality, as individuals and as a couple. Helping our customers do that is the fun part! What interests or passions brought you to the registry industry? Our clients asked us for this service. The feedback we heard from them was that they wanted something beyond china and other kitchen necessities. They wanted the items we carried that would help them make their house a home. Our clients choose lamps, decorative items, artwork, and floral arrangements. We encourage them to select from a wide variety of price points. What trends are big this year? People are wanting more pops of color now after several years of a wiped-clean, neutral palette. Green, blue and black accent colors are popular right now. We see accent walls in these colors, and then the client wants to bring in complementary colors to liven up their spaces. What sets you apart from competitors? We offer the best customer service—our customers are family. We want them to come in and feel comfortable. For couples planning for their new life together, we have a custom registry program that makes it easy for them to choose what they like. We have an app that clients can download on their phone, and then when they come into the store to register, they can walk around the store and scan our tickets. When they’re finished, we pull everything they’ve selected and set up a table for the couple, and use their engagement photo or wedding announcement on the table, too. We also help make arrangements for pick-up on the day of the bridal shower. What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning their registry? Couples tend to choose only practical items rather than items that will help make their house a home. They often don’t choose enough items or plan for the future. It can seem overwhelming, but we are here to help! How do you help clients with their vision for their home? The biggest thing is that we want them to come in and have fun. We don’t want there to be any stress as they choose their registry items. We encourage them to calm down and enjoy the process. That’s when a couple will start seeing things that reflect their personality. It’s essential that they’re both involved in the experience.
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The Resplendent Garden
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What is your expertise? Throughout my career, I have planned and executed many large events. My degree is in horticulture, and I have been a small business owner of a landscape company and nursery for 32 years. During that time, I developed organizational skills that are necessary to plan and execute weddings and events. Our garden venue was completed in 2015, and I have been hosting large weddings for eight years. What interests or passions brought you to the wedding industry? Our nursery has always been a beautiful space with mature trees that I felt would be a perfect spot to build a garden. When the wedding trend moved toward conducting the ceremony in event spaces, I wanted to create a visually stunning garden, designed especially for outdoor weddings. Brides were interested in destination weddings, but these aren’t always viable options. As you step through the entrance of The Resplendent Garden, you feel like you are transported somewhere else. What bridal trends are big this year? The trends I am seeing now versus four years ago are smaller, more intimate ceremonies and receptions. The bride and groom are merging together traditions from both sides of their families, or forgoing traditions and creating their own. Brides desire a hassle-free wedding, and the garden creates a more relaxed atmosphere, perfect for reducing the stress of the day. What sets you apart from competitors? We offer a true garden experience like no other in the Panhandle. The photo ops are endless inside and outside the venue. With my expertise in horticulture, I have created and maintained a visually stunning floral garden. But there’s much more. We are fully invested in our bride, groom and their families, helping them plan and execute their big day. So, we are fully staffed and do all the setup, takedown and cleanup. We are also on site all day to manage the vendors that come in and set up. What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning for the big day? I have consultations with the bride throughout the whole process. We go over all the details of their day and also their budget. Being so involved in their planning avoids mistakes and forgotten items. We also work closely with the photographer and develop a timeline. At the end of the evening, there is ample time to dance and mingle with friends and family. How do you help clients with their vision for their wedding day? I like to say to my brides, “Your ideas are like seeds in our garden. You toss them out and we help them grow.” I love collaborating with couples and their vision. We talk about what works best for the garden environment and how to implement their dream of their best day ever. We have anywhere from four to six consultations to make sure all bases are covered. We are also the day-of-wedding coordinator, so everything runs smoothly. Your wedding day shouldn’t be a stressful event where you and your family and friends are doing all the work and organization. Here at Resplendent Garden we take care of all these details for you, so you can relax and just soak in every joyful moment.
1 1 7 0 1 T R U M A N S T. | 8 0 6 .6 2 2 . 31 3 5 RESPLENDENTGARDEN.COM
BRIDAL PHOTOS BY ADRIANNE NEIMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
DJ Entertainment Amarillo
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What is your expertise? Planning the perfect wedding celebration and making sure every guest, from 4 to 84 years old, has a night to remember. What interests or passions brought you to the wedding industry? I have DJ’d on the radio and worked every type of private event imaginable for many years, but I get the greatest pleasure in working with couples and their families on the biggest day of their lives. Every wedding is different because of the diversity of ages of the guests and their musical tastes. What bridal trends are big this year? There is a neverending variety of styles that happen each year. I’ve done gardens, barns, hotels, country clubs, Hodgetown, and dozens of other locations. There are so many fabulous venues in the area that are unique to the couple’s needs. I also have a variety of equipment that is customized for each location. The speakers, microphones and lighting are all tailored to the couple’s desires and the enhancement of the venue. What sets you apart from competitors? Being a part of more than 1,500 weddings allows me to predict and prepare for the inevitable unexpected moments. But, I work closely with each vendor to ensure every element goes exactly as planned. There is zero allowance for imperfection. I am honored to be on the front row for so many once-in-a-lifetime moments.
DJ JACK LIGHT
What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning for the big day? Anyone can plug in speakers and play a Spotify playlist, but hopefully, you won’t hear a commercial while you’re coming down the aisle or in the middle of your first dance. Hiring professional vendors (with wedding experience) will ensure all of your guests have a memorable time. How do you help clients with their vision for their wedding day? Couples painstakingly plan out their perfect celebration and it’s my responsibility to let them know they are in good hands. My preparation starts with the initial consultation and will continue throughout their planning. I will coordinate the formalities, including introductions, toasts, first dance(s), cutting the wedding cake, bouquet/garter toss, and final exit. I want every couple to remember each moment of their wedding day for the right reason.
8 0 6 .4 33. 55 41 AMARILLOWEDDINGDJ.COM
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Sad Monkey Hall What is your expertise? When it comes to events, my expertise truly revolves around weddings. I’ve been in the industry for about five years, and have learned how to ensure that day comes together seamlessly. What interests or passions brought you to the event industry? I have a heart for helping people. I thrive under pressure, and can keep my cool in highintensity situations. With weddings, I like to be able to help alleviate the pressure to help everyone enjoy their day and have a good time. When it comes to other events, I love bringing people together, supporting local businesses, and curating experiences for people.
PHOTOS BY THREE FEATHER PHOTO CO.
What bridal trends are big this year? I think “micro-weddings” will be big this year. Being able to go all out on details and celebrate with just the few people you are closest to is what’s really important. What sets you apart from competitors? As a venue, we offer a blank canvas. Each couple is able to come in and make their space unique to them. We’re not an industrial building—we have a cozy, homey feel to our space. When your big day is about celebrating with the people you love, it should feel warm and inviting, and that is exactly what our space offers! We also have wonderful Texas scenery with longhorns onsite. What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning for the big day? Oftentimes, the biggest mistake is wasting time on stress! Everything always comes together, and if you have a wedding coordinator, that is one less thing to worry about.
EMMA MITCHELL, DIRECTOR OF EVENTS
How do you help clients with their vision for their wedding day? I love dreaming with them. If they have an open mind to different possibilities, I am able to bring out creative ideas that are unique to each couple to help highlight what makes them, them!
9800 TX-217 8 0 6 . 31 6 .1 9 8 9 SADMONKEYHALL.COM PHOTO BY TIFFANY ARNOLD