Qynn + Larry || The Palace at Somerset Park Weddings
Others always ask us what it’s like to be around happy people + day-long celebrations for a living. “It’s great” we always reply. To be frank, it is pretty nice… yet thankfully, our job is so much more than that.
Some of our favorite moments ‘on the job’ are when our couples share their stores with us… missed connections, first dates, leaps of faith, the stuff that makes our job REALLY worthwhile. It is in those stories that drive us to celebrate alongside with each couple on their wedding day, because stories are made of moments, and moments make the most precious of memories.
Larry + Qynn’s story is as sweet as they get. Having met at their workplace, they kept their relationship down low for a while. A couple of dates later… and their hearts were set. Prior to their New Jersey wedding day, they had the opportunity to visit the incredible city coastal of Shanghai (where Qynn’s family roots are established) to have some really cool portraits done in + around the historic district of the city.
On their wedding day, we prepped at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriot Somerset . Portraits were taken on the lightly forested property of RCCC, followed by a really pleasant ceremony in the sanctuary. Their evening reception took place at the spectacular (and must we say, one of the finest venues in all of Central Jersey) The Palace at Somerset. Having been there many times before, we enjoy it more and more with each visit. A special thanks to Josh, our maitre’d for the evening, for keeping the schedule running smoothly as expected.
Perhaps our favorite event of the evening was during the speeches. One of Qynn’s closest friends couldn’t make it to the wedding, so in lieu of her speech, there was an incredibly creative “speech presentation” shown on the projector. Using a light box, sand, and near endless creativity, this sand show combined both stop motion and sand to illustrate our bride and groom’s love story.
A big congratulations to Qynn + Larry on their wedding day, and we wish you many more hikes + adventures + memories together! Thank you for helping us kickstart the 2017 wedding season in a wonderful way.
Carl + Helen || El Lago, Texas Weddings
For many months, we’ve been anticipating Carl + Helen’s wedding celebration. Not only did we have the chance to photograph a really easy going, no-frills couple, but it would be our first time (as Dreamlite) in Texas for a wedding. Thankfully, this awesome wedding happened because, well, Carl and Helen happened.
Every love story has its roots, and Carl + Helen’s modern story began in Philadelphia. Helen is a world-class athlete, while Carl is a professional-engineer-with-infinite-hobbies-and-talents. Having met online through a Christian dating website, they immediately hit it off. For those of you who have missed it, check out their engagement session from Boathouse Row in Philadelphia.
Blessed with unusually cool temperatures, we couldn’t have been happier to work with the mild climate that passed through that part of Texas that weekend. We flew down to little town of Friendswood, Texas to document their wedding day. Some of our favorite wedding details to date were seen at this wedding. The handmade, shotgun shell boutonniere is certainly creative + ingenious, a homage to the couples’ shared love for the outdoors. The wedding favors were wooden bowls, hand carved and imported from the Philippines, then branded with the couple’s very own customized design. The groom’s cufflinks belonged to Helen’s grandfather when he was stationed in the Philippines. Best of all, the bridal party arrived to the wedding venue by fishing boat, a true first in our book. There are so many more details that we don’t have time to mention, but we know this: our newlyweds put a lot of thought and creativity into planning their wedding, and we certainly saw people appreciate the fruit of their labor.
At the very start of the wedding day, our couple emphasized one desire: to spend time with loved ones. That took center stage above everything else that day, and we were happy to oblige to that request. Having given us ample time for portraits throughout the day, we were grateful to document an evening reception filled with a whole lot of dancing, a few tear-jerking speeches… exactly what the newlywed couple had hoped for.
