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.
Cindy + Derek || Winter Weddings at The Addison Park
Almost one year ago today, we were delighted to have wrapped up our wedding season with Cindy + Derek’s gorgeous engagement session in Savannah, Georgia. Once again, we find ourselves finishing off the 2014 wedding season with the same amazing couple… and we couldn’t be more honored to do so with anybody else.
Truth be told, we at Dreamlite Photography have been looking forward to this day for quite some time. Having already “tied the knot” on paper, Cindy + Derek emphasized this particular marriage celebration be exactly that– a celebration. Shedding away many of the traditional wedding day formalities allowed this couple to have a really beautiful, easy-flowing schedule. By doing so, this couple made room for a whole lot of dancing, laughter, love, and a few tears along the way (the good kind).
Although the winter weather was in full swing by this weekend (with temperatures dipping to the 20’s), you probably couldn’t tell by the portraits we took around the Princeton University campus. That’s how brave our bride + groom were. We consider ourselves blessed by having such courageous couples to work with. Even when things got really cold, Derek + Cindy pushed through, knowing that these portraits would be worth it.
Typically, our blogposts are filled with real moments… authentic emotions, crazy dance moves, and candid images that reflect our couples’ wedding day stories. And in doing so, we hardly ever shine the spotlight on the details. Not that we have anything against details, but we simply prefer to highlight the living over the inanimate 🙂 However, there was no way we could share this wedding without applauding Nada and her team from DB Events for being the creative force behind all the wedding details. The amount of creative energy poured into making this all possible was truly unspeakable. Every single detail– from the suspended wedding cake to the elegantly designed centerpieces to the dream-like ambiance of the reception room– can be credited to the folks at DB Events. We even had the opportunity to watch two separate dance performances that evening: an Irish dance troupe, followed by Pali Dabke Arabic dancers, to honor our couples’ Irish and Palestinian backgrounds. Thank you DB Events for making the magic real.
Above all else, congratulations to Derek + Cindy on celebrating their new marriage!
(To see more of our work, and even more photos from their celebration, visit us on our facebook page)