With years of experience and generations worth of talent in hand, the family team at Nelva’s Studio knows exactly what today’s consumers are looking for. As a photography and videography business that also provides customers with quality wedding and bridesmaids dresses, quinceañera gowns, tuxedos and décor, they make it a point to bring all they can to their clients. “We understand that planning a special event is not only costly, but also time consuming,” co-owner Ken Abernathy says. “Our goal is to give our clients quality products and services at a price that’s affordable.” With that philosophy in mind, the husband and wife team have proudly influenced and encouraged their children José and Nelva, to grow and learn the business—a skill that’s proven beneficial in today’s market. “It’s great that my kids have taken an active role in the company, not only for experience purposes but really because now we offer just one more thing for our customers,” Ken says. “We now have two generations of photographers on staff. My wife, for the client who is looking for a more traditional and timeless approach and either my son or daughter for those wanting edgy and photojournalistic pictures, both talents have been extremely valuable assets to our success.” Their long lineage of artistry continues to show promise for today’s bride. “Whether they want something conventional or contemporary, we can meet those expectations because the experience has been handed down to us through generations,” says Nelva Abernathy, head photographer for the company. “Your wedding is the most important time in your life, and we want to document the beauty of it.” At Nelva’s Studio, they encourage clients to be different, to step outside the box of what is considered standard and really take on their daring side. “We want our clients to imagine themselves in settings that are not usually typical areas for engagement shoots or portraits,” Nelva says. “Posing at the top of the Hemisphere Tower, or convincing a policeman to let your wedding party walk in the midst of traffic for that awesome shot—if you’re willing to do them, we will certainly want to capture it.” Aside from true professionalism and a reputation as one of the area’s most distinguished businesses, the team at Nelva’s Studio takes great pride in their unwavering generosity and consideration of costs. “Special occasions like weddings and quinceañeras are expensive,” Ken says. “There are so many choices that come at a costly price when really they don’t have to. We highly encourage those looking for a good product to really do a price comparison. They’ll see that we don’t cut corners and still provide great quality work. It’s our promise to our clients—we’ll be fully committed to capturing those once-in-a-lifetime moments, so you can just enjoy them as they unfold.” While photography is certainly the business’ specialty, they offer a large selection for the client looking for a one-stop shop. “The reason we’re so affordable is because we have a little bit of everything available right here in store,” Ken says. “We get our gowns and tuxedos at the same place all the big companies do, so you’re certain the quality is there. We have a large selection of décor items too.” The bridal market is surely the company’s targeted audience, but they also play close attention to the younger generation. Having been San Antonio’s leading provider for quinceañeras and Sweet 16s in the last several years, Nelva’s Studio is continuing to prosper in both the bridal and special events industry. “Weddings, Sweet 16s and Quinceañeras are usually really large celebrations, especially in San Antonio,” Ken says. “Families like knowing they can get all they need from one reliable vendor for a price that they can afford. We don’t take short cuts. We give you the best deal for your money—guaranteed.”