Mary & Eric | Park 31 San Antonio | December 29, 2019
Our first wedding in Texas went with a bang and without a hitch! It was filled with a gorgeous golden hour sunset, the best live band I’ve ever heard, and two brilliant minds in Mary & Eric.
Mary’s husband was a former groom of mine’s best man and cried at their wedding video. She mentioned how all of my videos would make her cry which is the biggest compliment I can receive.
And to think this was one of the last “normal” weddings before Covid reared its ugly head a few months later all throughout the US.
Ceremony & Reception
The long walk from the reception site to the ceremony site is where Mary walked down the path with her father before arriving to meet Eric.
Like most grooms, Eric teared seeing her beautiful entrance and you just have to see the golden hour portraits that took place shortly after! Is this the signature Texas glow?
With the sun rapidly setting, there were a few highlights of the rest of the night. But the biggest highlight of the night were the beautiful and emotional speeches and tributes to Mary’s mother who passed. She and her father truly created an amazing woman making a great difference in people’s lives along with Eric who is also in the medical field.
Check out all of their highlights in such a gorgeous venue and location in San Antonio, Texas!
To check out another destination wedding, check one out here.
Contact me to be your Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia wedding videographer!
Katelyn & Adam’s fairytale Southern Maryland wedding truly was one for the books!
They got married at Our Lady’s Church at Medley’s Neck in Leonardtown, Maryland after reading their own vows to each other in front of Katelyn’s home.
Most Catholic churches do not allow for personal vow readings so it was their brilliant idea to read their own vows after their first look.
They have known each other forever and it was so beautiful to witness their heart felt vows to each other. They were able to completely tune into each other as if it was just them two on a deserted island.
After their ceremony, they had a grand and spectacular exit in their horse and carriage from Suttler’s Post Farm Clydesdales.
With the road blocked off for them from the church to their home (which was less than one mile), I was able to capture an aerial view of their entrance into their reception/barn (which is on their own property).
It was a truly magical entrance as the road into their property looked so beautiful on that nice autumn day.
After some portraits with the bridal party they had a final carriage ride into their barn for the grand entrance with some toasts, special dances, and dancing the night away.
To be honest, I didn’t know such private properties existed like this in Leonardtown! I wish my metropolitan friends can experience the charm and beauty of Southern Maryland. You just have to live here to truly appreciate the difference!
And I am so excited to share that we will be shooting Katelyn’s sister’s wedding around the same time this year!
Check out their full Feature-Length highlights above! Watch their love story unfold and move you into loving your spouses even more especially in such difficult times as now! Love wins because God is love!
To check out another Feature-Length Highlight, click here.
Kirsten & Zak got married at the beautiful Robin Hill Farm & Vineyard right here in Southern Maryland.
Local weddings are not only always good simply because of the distance, but because it’s still always so different from the Virginia vineyards, DC hotels, and other estates.
Something so simple about a farm, but this was no ordinary farm. The acreage spanned quite a lot of land! There was a vineyard, lots of animals, particularly, a horse and goat who appeared to be best friends!
Simply Hitched from Hitched by Heather was the event planner and it’s always great to work with their team.
I’m forever indebted to Heather who was the one who got my foot in the door. Then I officially became a Southern Maryland wedding videographer and moved on up to work in the Washington DC, Northern Virginia area primarily!
I was doing it part time when we lived in California, but in 2013-2014, we were looking to expand more and so she suggested I do a wedding for free.
I got three additional weddings from the free wedding we did throughout the years, and many referrals.
So to those starting out in any industry, I personally wouldn’t avoid doing things for free. Some things are worth the sacrifice if you have the right vision, grit, and PASSION!
Now back to Kirsten & Zak!
We love that they booked us like almost a year and half out for their wedding! That is always the best compliment for us as a business – that we are worth it in a couple’s eyes, especially that early in advance.
Both of them got ready nearby each other getting ready for their first look. Once Michelle Whitley, their wedding photographer got them ready, Kirsten approached Zak and he saw her for the first time in her dress followed by some bridal party and portraits.
Luckily, the weather was good before some nasty rain the next day, and that there were still some Fall foliage….scratch that, not still, because the foliage came pretty late this Fall compared to how I remember it to be.
Once the ceremony started, many tears and laughs continued, thanks to Kirsten’s upbeat and cheerful personality. Their full vows are not in their highlights video above. However, their vows are eerily very similar as Kirsten notes – in the video above. Destiny – like most of our couples!
They actually also work together! Like us, they are small business owners and own a Tropical Cafe Smoothie in a nearby plaza.
So much props to them! I instantly had an even greater connection with them on top of the 25-30 hours I spent with them, editing their clips!
Yes, that is the number of hours I spend with each couple, sometimes up to 40, on my computer! But it really isn’t a chore.
It’s a connection with two families embracing one another and a demonstration of a lifetime of love being poured out onto each other throughout the whole day! That is a really special thing that I am doing and something that I ENJOY!
After the ceremony, more portraits were taken, this time at the vineyard, and we were preparing for the reception as well as getting some cocktail hour shots.
Extra extra points for serving Neapolitan pizza for dinner from BricknFire Pizza Company after their beautiful first dance!
The rest of our coverage included some further dances, hilarious and heartfelt toasts, cake cutting, bouquet & garter toss, and some open dancefloor.
Enjoy it all from their highlight film above!
Watch and leave a comment and again, we are so thankful that Kirsten & Zak chose us to capture one of their most special days of their lives at the Robin Hill Farm & Vineyard!
To check out a previous Southern Maryland wedding, click here.
Swapna & Bobby got married at their lavish spectacular wedding in Northern Virginia at the Westfields Marriott Dulles Hotel.
It was great to be back after almost 5 years had passed. It’s a local favorite for different cultural weddings. Previously we had done a Muslim/Hindu wedding here and it’s a great place to hold a really large party.
We were privileged to capture day number 3 of their 3 day extravaganza. If you didn’t know by now, Hindu weddings are multiple days with various types of customs and traditions. The more days the better. Get with the program, Americans!
The day started with both Swapna & Bobby being so welcoming as they were getting ready and prepping for their first look outside in the front of the hotel. A few tears were shed as all her jewelry was being put on her. I’m sure everything must have been pretty heavy! But you wouldn’t know from her excitement to see Bobby!
After more tears were shed upon seeing each other, we did some photo sessions with the always amazing Nat Wongsaroj Photography and the groomsmen and Bobby made their way further out in the front to prep for their Baraat.
Think of the Baraat as the bride walking down the aisle to meet her groom, but this time it’s a long celebratory walk/dance with groom’s side and family and friends making their way to greet the bride’s family and friends and perform a mini-ceremony.
During this walk/dance, sometimes the groom is on an elephant, horse, but in this case Bobby was in a nice car from Regal Limo Inc.
Ceremony
As the official ceremony began shortly afterwards the Baraat, Swapna makes her way with her parents in the outdoor ceremony beautifully arranged by Yaadein Weddings with flowers from Nova Blooms by Megan.
I love seeing how Indian ceremonies include so much of the parents, relatives, and friends in their unique customs.
There’s definitely some traces I see in Korean tea ceremonies with the types of foods involved, colors, different families’ blessings to the couple, and even the circling that occurs.
As they made their way out to their car for an exit, they made their way back to get some rest as well as change into their second formal outfits. We did some quick nighttime shots with Nat and began setting up for the grand entrance into their grand ballroom.
Definitely a highlight of the day is all the dancing and choreography involved. Bobby & Swapna performed a beautiful first dance followed by many performances from their bridal party and a highlight from the bride – a large group flash mob!
You can witness all of these in their highlights above! Watch and leave a comment! And enjoy this most special day in the lives of Swapna & Bobby!
