We have the perfect wedding to get you in a holiday mood! We are completely loving Suzanne & Scott’s gorgeous winter wedding at The Hilliard Mansion! This wedding is packed with sweet southern charm (complete with mason jars, burlap, lace, and a barn reception). Mix that with purple and green wintery elements (including a hot chocolate bar!! Love!!) and you have one of the cutest weddings imaginable! And really, who cannot fall in love with a wedding where the couple brought a tree stump to sit the programs on? Pure awesomeness!

From the moment we heard Suzanne & Scott’s love story, we became huge fans of theirs! Like we were literally cheering them on! And it’s clear that their family and friends are all cheering them on, too! From all the tears and smiles on their wedding day, it’s clear that they are very much loved by everyone and family and friends are of the highest importance to them. And while all the cute decorations and pretty lights make this wedding visually inspiring, it’s the couple that truly makes this wedding beautiful!

We had such a great time shooting this wedding and getting to know such a wonderful couple! We hope that you’ll always remember all the little moments that made this day perfect! Congratulations Suzanne & Scott!

Sometimes, the best way to get to know a couple is to hear all the stories of them from those who are closest to them. When Phil’s best woman, Donna, gave her speech, she shared how Andrea and Phil first met while teaching at the same school. When Andrea confided in Donna that she had a crush on Phil, Donna decided to play matchmaker and we’re really glad she did because Andrea and Phil are absolutely perfect for each other!

Andrea and Phil had a gorgeous fall wedding at the East Lake Woodlands Country Club. They chose to do a first look before their ceremony, with Andrea walking to out to a waiting Phil on the veranda outside the club. You could see by the look in Phil’s eyes that he considered himself the luckiest guy on the planet. It was a real struggle for them to hold off from kissing each other until the ceremony!

The ceremony took place underneath beautiful old oak trees by a lake. It was an elegant ceremony and included some great personal touches, like asking for blessings from both sets of parents and including a sand ceremony where the parents and Andrea and Phil poured sand into a framed photo of themselves.

The wedding had such incredible details, including a pair of boots that Andrea wore under her dress, custom jewelry that included a pendant that belonged to Andrea’s grandmother, sharp brown tuxedos worn by the guys, and the custom-designed florals by Andrea’s mom. Andrea and Phil also had a cupcake tower, a chocolate fountain, and a “Yo Phi” signature cocktail at the reception.

As for the reception, all we can say is that it was one heck of a party! It was non-stop dancing and laughter. From classic rock and disco, to the latest hip hop, Andrea and Phil rocked out until it was time for their grand exit through a tunnel of sparklers!

We had so much fun at Andrea and Phil’s wedding. We’re so happy that we made friends with Andrea’s parents, Kristi and Kirk, and are so honored that they thought highly enough of us to ask us to photograph the wedding! And it was a real pleasure getting to know the Dietz family as well! It’s always so amazing to see two families join together!

We welcome Andrea & Phil back from an incredible honeymoon in Ireland!! We know everyone has been anxious to see the photos, so we’re thrilled to finally share them along with a special slideshow! Congratulations again Andrea & Phil! : )

Tey & Mike couldn’t have chosen a more perfect day for their October wedding at Palm Valley Gardens. Across a quiet pond, underneath an old tree, friends and family gathered to share in this special day. There were tears, and there were smiles. There were words of wisdom, and there was a collective blessing of the couple by everyone in attendance. The ceremony was full of personal elements, including singing, Mike’s children doing readings and lighting candles, a cord and veil ceremony, and a blanket with photos of Tey & Mike through the years (with room to add more photos as their story continues). What also made the ceremony even more special was having Tey’s aunt and uncle officiate the ceremony together. It was just a perfect ceremony with so many personal touches that brought everyone together.

We were so excited that Tey & Mike chose to do a first look before their ceremony. We love first looks because of how intimate they are. Mike waited on a little wooden bridge and Tey walked up behind him through a gorgeous wooden gate. It was so cute watching Tey peek out at Mike and then see how overcome with emotion they both were. Their love for each other is inspiring!

The cocktail hour featured signature drinks and hand-rolled cigars, while Tey, Mike, and the wedding party gave us their best GQ poses. Then everyone adjourned to a fun-filled reception featuring table cards with “Love” written in different languages, a cookie table, and lots of dancing! After some very heartfelt speeches, Tey & Mike took turns dancing with their parents and their inlaws! What a great way to bring both families together!

We can’t describe Tey & Mike’s wedding as anything less than perfect and we’re so happy that we could be there to share it with them. Everyone at the wedding, from family to friends, were amazing to work with, and it truly was a celebration of two people totally in love with each other. Congratulations to you both! : )

by Matt Tundermann

A lot of things go into how a couple is defined. It’s the way they look at each other, little gestures between each other, their friends and family, and their style. For Maricel and EJ, they have a young, hip, urban style that not only makes them one of the hottest couples I’ve ever seen, but one of the most stylish and unique.

I wasn’t able to meet Maricel and EJ until their rehearsal dinner in Chino Hills, CA. Gwen had been fortunate enough to meet them at Jenny & Miguel’s wedding celebration last October and then again for an amazing engagement session in Las Vegas, NV in March. From those images alone, I knew Maricel and EJ not only had a unique style, but energy between them that was going to be fun to capture.

Maricel and EJ have a love of sports, activity, and being social. Their urban style is brought out in their love of shoes, especially Nike Air Jordans, which EJ got as a wedding present and was extremely excited about. I met up with him and his guys at the Double Tree hotel in Anaheim to take some getting ready shots. The plan was for the guys to play a little basketball after the wedding ceremony, and the guys were primed, each guy having their own monogrammed bags and new sneakers, all gifts from Mars and EJ. There was an especially sweet moment when one of EJ’s best men ushered the guys out of the room so EJ could have a quiet moment to read Mars’ note to him. I could tell that EJ was trying to keep his composure as he read Mars’ words.

Meanwhile, Mars was at her mother’s home in West Covina, CA, surrounded by her girls, getting into her fabulous wedding dress. As she came down the stairs, her girls’ reactions were priceless, her own excitement at marrying her sweetheart reflected in their faces. It was impossible for them to look at how beautiful and happy their best friend was and not shed a tear of joy.

Maricel and EJ had picked the amazing St. Paul the Apostle church in Chino Hills for their ceremony. The church has an open and expansive sanctuary, with huge windows to let in lots of beautiful, soft light and a unique, modern altar that provided a beautiful backdrop. After being escorted in by her parents and then up to the altar by EJ, the two took communion together, shared a rope and veil ceremony with the help of their loved ones, and vowed to always stand by each other in the presence of God. It was touching, emotional, and special, highlighted by the little looks of excitement that passed between them as they knelt at the altar.

After the ceremony, the entire wedding party packed into a limo and headed to secluded park nearby for some of the most fun and hot group shots we’ve ever taken. To say this group was rocking is an understatement. With their cool shoes, hot shades, and sexy poses, the wedding party showed us what urban CA style is all about. And while the ladies did their thing, including some really fun shots of Mars playing tennis in her dress, the guys finally got to hoop it up, doing some lay-up drills, and throwing out their best aerial moves.

Mars and EJ’s reception was held back at the Double Tree. Their reception included a photo booth, a candy station, and a gorgeous cake from Rockwell’s Bakery. Their night featured touching speeches by EJ’s two best men and Mars’ two matrons of honor, with plenty of tears all around, a sweet first dance between them, touching dances with their parents, and a fun money dance. But the highlight of the evening was a slideshow that had everyone laughing and crying. The slideshow just highlighted how special Mars and EJ are and how much they mean to all their friends and family.

Mars and EJ, thanks so much for trusting us with this important day in your lives! We are sooooo jealous of the beautiful photos you’ve posted from your honeymoon in Cabo! So glad you had a wonderful time! We hope to see you both again soon!! : )

You might remember Christie & Mike from their St. Augustine engagement photos last fall. We received a lot of comments on the photo of Mike playing his guitar and singing to Christie in front of the Castillo de San Marcos. It was such a romantic engagement session, and we have been anxiously awaiting their wedding day!

When the day finally arrived, the girls all began their day with hair, makeup, and mimosas at the stylish Salon La Vie. Christie’s hair. styled by Linda, was put into an elegant updo and accented with a gorgeous hair hair pin. Her look was completed with makeup by Jordan, giving her a soft and natural, glowing look!

While the girls were getting glam at the salon, the guys were hanging out at the Ponte Vedra Lodge. Matt met up with them to get a few photos before everyone headed to the church.

Christie & Mike chose to have their wedding at Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran Church. It was such a gorgeous location with a spacious sanctuary and a lot of natural light. The wedding was officiated by Pastor George Johnson, one of the funniest pastors we have ever met! The ceremony included a very personal touch with a performance by Mike’s father, who sang and played his guitar.

Following the ceremony, the wedding party and family were escorted by Susie’s Limo to the next part of the wedding at Marsh Landing Country Club. Guests were entertained by the sounds of the incredible Faze Band! We really love shooting weddings with the Faze Band because they are so entertaining and keep the crowd moving all night!

As we were photographing the cake, I stopped because it smelled so delicious! The cake was created by Metro Custom Cakes, and though we have shot weddings with their masterpieces before this is the first time I ever tried one of their cakes. It was heavenly! The piece I tried was chocolate with chocolate chips and cherries. It was to die for, and I don’t even like cherries! Absolutely delicious cake and an excellent choice by Christie & Mike! Major kudos on the chocolate/cherry combo!

We’ve been waiting for Christie & Mike’s return from their honeymoon to post the wedding photos. We welcome them back and hope you had a wonderful time on their trip! : )