Mark + Grace’s Wedding
Back in February, I (Howie) had the opportunity to document the wedding day celebration of an old friend, Grace. This wedding was pretty different than the weddings we have done in the past; Grace and Mark’s wedding was both a celebration and a farewell. For the bride, Grace, this marked a new milestone in life, as her marriage meant a change of address thousands of miles away in California. Don’t get me wrong; the wedding was nonetheless a huge celebration, as everyone knew that her new life would be established with her new husband, Mark.
I was very fortunate to be able to part of their big day. To Mark & Grace: we wish you the best on your new life on the West Coast, and we hope everyone enjoys the latest photos on our blog. (HC)
Mark + Grace’s Wedding Teaser
Today was the start of Dreamlite’s 2011 wedding season. What better way to start this season then with a chance to shoot a friend of ours, Grace’s wedding to Mark. I (Howie) shot this wedding solo as Jon, Dreamlite’s other photographer was still on assignment in Central America. (Check out his travel blog, http://www.jontheroad.com)
It was great to see how many people from her church mentioned how much they would miss her, as she starts her new life with Mark in California. As much as they hated for her to go, they all understood that this was the next step in God’s plan for her life. It was a touching wedding, sometimes you don’t need a lot of a things going on in your wedding to make it nice. Thanks Grace and Mark for having me be a part of your wedding, it was simple but sweet. (HC)
Ryan + Betty’s Wedding
A few months back, we had the privilege of photographing Ryan and Betty’s wedding.
It is always great to shoot the bride in a place she is very familiar with, as we did most of our shoot at her alma mater (Rutgers University). We did the bridal party session on Busch Campus. Ryan and Betty’s ceremony took place at the beautiful Kirkpatrick Chapel. We originally worried about the red hued walls of the chapel, but nevertheless everything turned out great. Our bride also chose red brides maid dresses which matched the chapel’s interior very well.
When we photographed the entire bridal party, Ryan and Betty had the great idea of incorporating parasols for the photos. We felt very privileged when we received their Thank You card in the mail– they had used one of the bridal party images as on their card! (see final image)
Congratulations again to Ryan & Betty.
Frank + Crystal Wedding
Earlier this fall, we journeyed southwards to our nation’s capital for Frank and Crystal’s wedding. Their wedding month, September, is perhaps one of our favorite wedding months for the simple fact that the weather is spectacular on the East Coast. The plant life retains their beautiful colors, and the daytime sunshinyness certainly compliments the evening chill.
Frank and Crystal made sure to set aside some time before the ceremony to get a ‘first glance’ of their spouses-to-be. If you haven’t heard of this, it’s a really special moment that some couples decide to incorporate in their wedding day. It’s a time when both escape from chaos that is often found the morning of a wedding day, and spend a few intimate moments together just soaking in the day as a couple. As photographers, it’s also one of the few times we have noticed couples cherish the wedding day, together, while also having a breather.
Frank and Crystal were sure to set aside ample time for bridal party photos. We spent the next 3 hours limo-ing around Washington D.C. for some great scenery. Included in our stops were the Netherlands Carillon, Kalorama Spanish Steps, and the area in front of the U.S. Capitol.
Having gotten to know Frank and Crystal a little bit better after the few hours we spent doing their engagement session, we knew right away their goofy, comical side would be intertwined in their wedding day. It came as a little surprise when we were given a “heads up” to a particular part in their ceremony. After the officiant asked who gives this woman to this man, Crystal’s parents responded “we do.” Immediately after, Frank’s parents popped up from their seats and announced in harmony, “We do, too!” Good humor runs in the family.
Everyone celebrated the night away at the beautiful Key Bridge Marriot. We essentially had an entire floor to ourselves—tantalizing food, great music, and a whole lot of celebrating. One of our favorite moments from the night included the duet speech by the Fathers—yes, they took turns speaking lines that not only rhymed, but were momentous and quite hilarious as well.
Salon: Beautiful Life Salon (311 North Washington Street, Rockville, MD 20850-1705)
Ceremony Location: Key Bridge Marriott
Erick + Abby Wedding
Abby was an old highschool friend of Jon’s– that’s how we all connected in the first place. It’s always funny how we meet our couples; sometimes, it’s the very people we knew years ago (in this case, Spanish Class Level 2) that we later go on to see on their wedding day.
We had a great time shooting their wedding. The part that always gets me is when the bride and groom first see each other. Whether it be during a pre-arranged “first glance” moment, or when they see each other for the first time down the aisle, those moments will always be among my favorites. This one in particular got me when I saw the groom tearing up and smiling… all at the same time. Even as I look back to the first time I saw my own wife on our wedding day walking down the aisle, I’m constantly reminded to cherish those all-too-passing moments. Erick and Abby, we were really glad to have been there for all of that! (HC)
One final shout out to Larmar of Off The Cross for providing the music & entertainment for the evening. Unique in his own right, Larmar specializes in DJing christian music for his clients– if you’re interested in his services, he can be reached at Larmar@offthecross.com.
Alejandro + Chelsey Wedding
Our chance encounter with this lovely couple is by far one of the craziest and most interesting stories we’ll probably ever tell to our children (many years down the road). Unlike the majority of the couples and families we have worked with, we weren’t referred to Alejandro and Chelsey by friends or past clients. In fact, we were the ones who had responded to an online ad they had posted looking for photographers for their wedding. Responding to online classifieds is something we almost never do– simply because there are so many listings, and it’s not generally our preferred approach to connecting with potential couples. However, the more we talked with Alejandro and Chelsey’s about their wedding, the more we were certain we wanted to be a part of their big day. When Chelsey first wrote to us, her email read, “You’re style is beautiful and exactly what we’re looking for.” They planned on having their wedding at an outdoor rustic barn, situated in the beautiful Ohio countryside. Learning later on that Chelsey and Alejandro were both artists (a license for good taste) and similar to us in age, we were confident this would be a pretty sweet wedding. We only spoke on the phone once before we took the six hundred and something mile journey out to Bellville, Ohio for their wedding.
Every aspect of their wedding day went smoothly (Of course, we ran into the usual wedding day obstacles of misplaced items and late arrivals, but what wedding doesn’t have these things?). The bridal party was a blast to photograph– creative, easy-going, and had no problem being in front of the camera or making the bride- and groom-to-be laugh on request. Come time for the ceremony at the Meadowood Centre, the soft evening light added the perfect touch to an intimate summer wedding. The catered food was deliciously homey, and the music selection matched perfectly with the evening setting. Best of all, you knew that these two beautiful people were getting married for the first, last, and only time in their lives. Be sure to check out the polaroid photo booth that our bride & groom had created for their wedding guests to take part in.
Chelsey and Alejandro: thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your wedding day, and to everyone else, we hope you enjoy our latest wedding set.
Some cool facts about their wedding:
-the barn’s origins date back to the 1820’s
-A handful of the bridal party members hailed from NJ/NY (just like us!)
-Parts of The Shawshank Redemption were filmed in nearby Mansfield, Ohio, where our hotel was located
-Many of the details of the wedding day, including the cake topper, were handmade by the bride, groom & family
-by far the coolest photo booth setup for wedding guests… EVER.
Paul + Jen Wedding Teaser
For our most recent wedding, we ventured all the way down to a world of waterfalls, sea creatures and flying species alike– at the National Baltimore Aquarium in Maryland. Our newlyweds Paul and Jen tied the knot at a place some regard as one of the magnificent aquariums in the world. For now, here’s a sneak peek into their wedding day. Enjoy these images!
And in case you haven’t seen their engagement photos taken last January, check them out here.
Christopher + Diana Wedding
It’s always special when I (Howie) get to photograph weddings with a unique story behind it. Christopher and Diana have been together for some time now, and have two children together. However, they haven’t had the chance to tie the knot until now. It was really nice to be there, especially since they’ve both been waiting for this day to come for quite some time. Here’s a quick glimpse of some images from that long awaited day. HC
Mark + Vivian’s Wedding
Mark and Vivian’s wedding was by far the most jam-packed, minute-to-minute, activity-filled wedding day we had this summer. Add to that lots of short distance driving, a few detours, a whole slew of laughing moments… all in the course of 10 hours.
After the bride and groom each got prepped in their respective locations, Mark and the groomsmen came over to Vivian’s house to begin the big day. As cantonese wedding customs go, the groom had to “break into” (thankfully, this was done figuratively) the bride’s house. Once the men had entered, the bridesmaids had to administer a few different “tests” for the men before the groom can see his bride-to-be (Note: she was hiding in a separate room with her mother). Often times, these tests are a combination of physical, dexterical and comical tasks. Then, Mark had to profess his love for Vivian through a speech– in Cantonese– in the hopes that Vivian would accept his proclamations. Eventually after much effort, Mark was finally allowed to see his bride for the first time that day.
We continued to an awesome, funky location that Mark and Vivian selected for the bridal party photos– the Whippany Railway Museum. Although the train cars were inaccessible on the inside, we had a good time climbing around and on top the trains for some good shots. The ceremony took place at CCCNJ, followed by the reception at The Birchwood Manor. Soon after, we went through the traditional Chinese Tea ceremony with red envelopes and all. Did we mention cocktail hour included a roasted suckling pig, as well as all you can eat lobster tails and oysters? The Manor’s food was phenomenal, and their grounds were equally great for photos. They topped off the night with speeches, food, and a whole lot of dancing. One of the highlights of the night was learning how far the guests traveled to attend to the wedding; not only did friends come from all over the U.S.A., but there were friends and relatives who came from as far as Hong Kong and Singapore. Enjoy the photoset, and congrats again to Mark and Vivian on their new marriage.
Vendor Information:
Ceremony: Chinese Christian Church of New Jersey http://www.cccnj.org/
Reception: The Birchwood Manor in Whippany, NJ http://www.birchwoodmanor.com/
Bridal Party Photos: Whippany Railway Museum http://www.whippanyrailwaymuseum.net/
Brian + Sara (Traditional Ceremony)
Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about our blog! We know we’ve been neglecting this blog for a while now (our apologies), but this summer’s been quite the busy one for us. We’ve been so busy traveling/photographing/editing/meeting with couples that we haven’t set much time aside for full sets. In saying all this, I’ve finally found some free time to put together my favorite images from Brian and Sara’s wedding ceremony from earlier this summer.
Both of Brian and Sara’s wedding ceremonies have been exciting, intimate, and completely different. Their first ceremony, which took place a week earlier, included a very detailed set of traditional Korean wedding practices. In this set, it was a whole new party. Brian and Sara chose the Somerset Hills Hotel for their wedding reception, which was a gorgeous venue inside and out. Since Brian hails from the midwest, their reception included a Boot Scootin’ Boogie Line Dance (led by the Bride and Groom + the wedding party, later joined by the whole crowd), and a cowboy hat toss. Best of all, the song selection for the night included a lot of country music (a music genre I really like, for those who don’t know). Enjoy this latest set. JT
Steve + Tesh Wedding
In July, I (Howie) was able to go back to my alma mater and see Chicago again! However, despite the excitement of going back, I was even more excited to shoot the wedding of a good friend. We go back way back to the times in our Sunday School classes, fellowship at Youth Group, and hangouts. He is also the second in our “youth group” class to get married! With a beautiful bride and a handsome groom, I was a lot of fun capturing many awesome pictures of the wedding day. The ceremony was in a beautiful indoor south beach feel room at the Chateau. And with an elegant reception following where guests danced the day away! Below is just a glimpse of Steve and Tesh’s Guatemalan German Polish Chinese Wedding. Congratulations again Steve and Tesh and thanks again for having me be part of your big day! HC
Alejandro + Chelsey Teaser
Six hundred miles away from home, Dreamlite had the opportunity to photograph the spectacular wedding of Alejandro and Chelsey. Down-to-earth couple, beautiful weather, and a rustic 1820’s barn turned wedding venue… what more could we ask for?
As always, enjoy some of our favorite teaser picks from this weekend.
Danish + Caitlin Wedding
While everyone else is enjoying their wintery weather, we’ve been working hard to catch you all up on photos from this past wedding season. With more time on our hands, we have been preparing a whole slew of weddings/engagements/family photos to slowly release to all of our faithful blog followers. Here is our latest set.
We had been introduced to Caitlin and Danish through one of Jon’s friend’s at Rutgers, and definitely have to say this was one of the smoothest wedding days of 2010. Although the wedding day schedule was pretty packed, we had plenty of time (and creative room) to capture their beautiful wedding day celebration. One of the many significant details to their wedding day was actually the church that Caitlin and Danish chose to have their wedding ceremony in. This was the exact same church that our bride’s parents got married in, many years back (see image#4 and remember that photo as you browse). Some of our favorite images from this day include Danish’s teary-eyed reaction to seeing his bride walk down the aisle, the moment Caitlin helped Danish wipe away his runny nose (that’s real love right there), and the bridal party photos we took at Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown, NJ. They celebrated the night away at an excellent waterfront reception, the Oyster Point Hotel. The spectacular music for the night was provided by Dynasty Entertainment (highly recommended by us… their covers and vibe are one-of-a-kind). Enjoy these photos, and once again congratulations to Danish & Caitlin.
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Brian + Sara (Korean Wedding Ceremony)
I’m excited to write that Brian + Sara are the first couple I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with three times in the span of three months. As you may recall, their gorgeous spring engagement session took place in Princeton. Before we knew it, time flew and I joined them for two separate wedding ceremonies. (Did you see the teasers here or here?). The first of the two ceremonies, as shown below, was a traditional Korean Wedding Ceremony.
If you ask anyone who knows me well, you’ll learn that I love witnessing and experiencing different cultural practices/traditions, because I really believe that there is so much depth and history rooted within cultural celebrations. From what I’ve learned, it’s actually not too common that marrying couples conduct a full out Korean Ceremony nowadays. This made the experience all the more fascinating to me.
First off, the attire was amazingly colorful and intricate. Within the actual marriage ceremony, there was a lot of tea drinking, exchanging of bows, and other things I wish I could have interpreted (unfortunately, I don’t speak Korean). Afterwards, the bowing ceremony took place. Since Brian and Sara were purposely not informed about the structure of the ceremony, this made everything a little more relaxed, unpredictable & fun to watch.
At one point, Brian’s parents were instructed to toss a handful of dried dates towards the bride and groom. However many dates that the b&g caught on a piece of fabric, this number would symbolize how many children they would have together. This was definitely one of my favorite moments.
Jason + Melissa’s Wedding || Centenary College Weddings
Jason and Melissa’s wedding ceremony took place early this summer at the most unique of locations– Centenary College (aka Melissa’s alma mater). It’s campus, like many schools established in the 19th century, is home to beautiful architecture and scenery. One can’t tell from looking at the photos, but the day was incredibly hot & humid. Regardless, their big day went by smoothly- a short & sweet ceremony followed by a whole lot of celebrating. Towards the end of the evening, a surprise birthday cake came out for our groom’s dad.
Biggest surprise of the evening? When a surprise birthday cake for Jason’s dad was rolled out front and center. However, hands down, my very favorite moment of the night was at the very end. The reception was starting to wrap up when the DJ played “That’s amore” and the dance floor came alive with people. Not only was everyone dancing and locking arms, but the crowd chimed in with the song– including singing along to all of the Italian lyrics (the bride’s side of the family is italian-american). Couldn’t have ended the night any better.
Congratulations again to Melissa & Jason on their wedding!!
Ceremony: Centenary College, Hackettstown, NJ
Reception: Mattar’s Bistro and Lounge, Allamuchy, NJ
Flowers: Katarina Florist & Gift, Hackettstown, NJ
Danish + Caitlin Wedding Teasers
We know all our fans have a love/hate thing with our teasers (love the photos we hope… and also hate being teased on), but we really like working up everyone’s appetite. We promise you all that TWO more full posts will be coming your way in the week to come.
As for now, here are some teaser photos from our latest wedding. Congratulations again to Danish and Caitlin on their awesome new marriage!
(Note about the last photo: our bride’s dad has a great sense of humor.)
Chadwick + Brooke’s Wedding
You may recall a few weeks back, the teasers of Chadwick and Brooke’s wedding in Minnesota. Here is the full post of the awesome wedding I (Howie) had the privilege of shooting. It was definitely one of the most memorable ones, as I was able to witness my college roomate tie the knot with the girl of his dreams.
The ceremony took place at Wilmar Evangelical Free Chuch in Wilmar, MN with the reception at the bride’s parents backyard under the gorgeous afternoon sun. The weather was perfect!
Below are just a few of my favorite moments of the wedding. From the bride and grooms first look at each other to the beautiful handmade bridesmaid dresses to the elegant backyard wedding and dancing throughout the night, it was one for the books! The fun personality of the couple, the uniqueness of the their wedding and attention to details can definitely be seen in the wedding. (Loved the sparklers at the end!).
Congratulations again! Thanks for letting me take part in your wedding day! And Brooke- you’ll have just as great a time as I did as his roommate! HC
