Church weddings are somehow both nostalgic and foreign to me. Growing up, almost all weddings I attended as a child were in the church–a middle of the afternoon ceremony in the sanctuary followed by a simple and sweet reception in the fellowship hall. Yet as a photographer, I had been photographing for years before I captured a wedding entirely on church grounds. So Anna and Will’s winter wedding at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Dallas was definitely a change of pace for me.
If I had to give this wedding any major themes, I would have two. One, Anna did a wonderful job crafting a day that fit her needs. We worked together on her timeline to make a flow of the day that would give her the best use of her time, not what was typical. That looked like starting the day with a First Look and then doing some “getting ready” photos of her in the bridal suite. These actually turned into real getting ready portraits as I captured her mom slipping in her veil–Johnny Rodriguez Salon created a perfect updo for holding in Anna’s long veil.
Speaking of veil, I LOVED the style choices Anna made for her wedding day. Once Anna and I had our final planning call in January, I knew this was going to be a beautiful wedding day. The gown from Bridal Boutique Lewisville and veil were everything I love in a bridal look! Will’s velvet tux! Nothing elevates wedding photos like attire that gives black tie vibes. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beautiful florals from Designed 2 Perfection and the spread created by Wendy Krispin Catering.
The second theme was just getting to watch how sweet Will and Anna are with one another. I picked up during their First Look how she loves to snuggle up on his shoulder–I got the sweetest photo of this happening right after they were declared husband and wife.
And you’re in for a special treat, because this wedding had not one, two, but three Bride and Groom portrait sessions!
The Vendor Team
Venue: St. Rita’s Catholic Church
Photography & Videography: Photography by R. A. Claborn
HAMU: Johnny Rodriguez Salon
Catering: Wendy Krispin Catering
Florals: Designed 2 Perfection
Rentals: Borrowed Treasures
Music: Maren Flechsig and Hyunjung Kim
Cake: Delicious Cakes
Wedding Dress: Willow by Watters from Bridal Boutique Lewisville
Bridesmaids: Jenny Yoo
Groom and Groomsmen: The Black Tux
Invitations: Paper Source
I don’t think I really posed these two after their First Look, just got to witness how sweet they are with each other.
But wait, there’s more! Something I recommend to all couples having a ceremony early in the day with shorter reception–is to save their bigger bride and groom portrait time to after the they exit! We not only get the glorious golden hour light, but also get to have a relaxed portrait session knowing there aren’t any guests waiting on us!
