There is nothing more fun than photographing weddings. Well maybe bicycle racing is more fun, but when it comes to creating great photos of amazing people nothing compares. Throw in a group of folks that are having fun, laughing, dancing and you have Christine and Chris’ wedding.
What a day for Michelle and Stephen. A beautiful event, a fantastic wedding, an amazing couple. Granberry Hills Event Center tucked away on the Northeast side of San Antonio, was the perfect location for their wedding. It is like a little photographer’s paradise tucked in the woods off the road. Beautiful weather greeted the wedding party as they enjoyed the moments before the ceremony. Floating on air, Michelle had been looking forward to this day for some time. The spirits in the girls changing room was electric. In the next room, the men looked cool and ready for what would be a memorable and fun wedding.
The day did not disappoint as two of the happiest people joined together in a beautiful ceremony. The reception awaited and everyone was off to a good time after a few formal photos. As most of you may know it is almost impossible to pull the bride away from the dance floor, but when you have people commenting on how “the groom’s got moves”…well Michelle just beamed and said “yes he does, I love him”.
This week’s San Antonio church wedding photo features Kate and Luke at Community United Church. Church weddings really add a touch of elegance and tradition to the event. I like the formal reverent atmosphere that accompanies a church wedding, and it is interesting to see the different ceremonies and rituals. Of course it is always important to respect the limits and boundaries as the photographer, and be as unobtrusive as possible. One of my favorite compositions is from a low angle down the center isle of the bride and groom.
I photographed some really great couples last year. In fact all the couples I have worked with have been fun and interesting, and I always enjoy spending time together with them. There are two images from the 2011 engagement sessions that really stood out for me. The first image is from Jessica and Carl’s engagement session along the San Antonio Riverwalk. The Riverwalk creates an endless list of photo possibilities, and while the below photo could have been taken anywhere, the charm of the location and the congratulations from the tourists made the trip that much more exciting.
Jessica and Carl along the San Antonio Riverwalk
Another wonderful image from 2011 was Jacqueline and Roy’s photo from Gorrell Park. I most often try to schedule engagement sessions around sunset. The light at that time of day is beautiful and makes for brilliant images. Jacqs and Roy’s session was around noon in July, and there is no harsher light than at that time of day and that time of year. Gorrell Park turned out to be a fantastic location, and the images were amazing. The large oak trees provided some diffused light, and I further refined the look by adding some off camera lighting. For me the image below turned out to be the most lovely shot of the two.
Jacqueline and Roy engaged
Jana and Jeff are the cutest couple. I had been looking forward to photographing their wedding for months. They had booked me over the phone back in July, and I could tell from Jana’s enthusiasm that it would be a beautiful event.
With the ceremony held at the Little Church of La Villita the wedding had a distinct charm and downtown San Antonio flair. It was the perfect location for friends and family to gather and witness Jana and Jeff join together in marriage. The forecast had been calling for rain all week but somehow I knew the morning of the wedding it would be a great day. A light drizzle finally did come down during the ceremony, but by the time formal photos were done, the walk to The Hotel Contessa was dry, and the reception got underway.
Small intimate weddings are so much fun and such a treat to photograph. I always feel a much tighter connection with the couple, and the images seem to be full of emotion and atmosphere. Such was the case with Maliha and Mike a couple of weekends ago here in San Antonio. With family in attendance the two celebrated a small ceremony at their home to profess their love and commitment to one another. It was such a joyful event with all the emotion and fun that one would expect from a close knit family.
Jessica and Carl tied the knot this past weekend in a beautiful ceremony on Marriage Island in San Antonio along the Riverwalk. It was such a fitting and emotional ceremony as they professed their love for one another in front of friends, family, and all the passersby that stopped to witness the event.
After the ceremony it was time for a riverboat ride for the guest while the wedding party headed off for some photos and a walking tour of the Riverwalk. The destination? Casa Rio for a reception and dancing late into the night. It was the perfect evening for close family and friends as they enjoyed the music and atmosphere of a special event.
Stephanie and Matthew were married this past weekend in San Antonio before family and friends. In a fun filled wedding celebration the two joined as one and began their life together. I had the privileged of photographing their ceremony and reception and capturing the special occasion for them.
Bridal sessions are so much fun but it is hard to wait until after the wedding to post the photos. In September Beatrice and I created some stunning bridal photographs at the McNay Art Museum. While I unfortunately did not get to photography her wedding I did get to work with her on the gorgeous photos below. Now that she is married (congrats Beatrice!) I can post these for all to see.
Here are a few photos from last weekend’s photography session with the Emerson family. Taken at the Cibolo Nature Center we finished up just as the rain started to fall.
