A Charlotte NC Catholic Wedding

I think this Charlotte, NC Catholic Wedding was one of the most worshipful ones I’ve been to.  Edward and Daniela first contacted me back in the summer about their winter wedding and Heritage House reception in Mooresville, NC.  Not only were they caring individuals who seemed to deeply connect with those around them, but they also invited others in to share in their happiness.  Their wedding ceremony was no different.  It was held at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Charlotte, NC and was full of traditional catholic observances, but also had some special touches.  I loved that they included so many worship songs throughout the ceremony and mass.  I found myself worshiping along with them, as some of the songs are favorites of mine too!  Starting out a marriage giving honor and glory to God is a wonderful way to begin.

Details and Getting Ready at St. Gabriel Catholic Church

Daniela was well prepared with all of her details for me when I arrived at St. Gabriel Catholic Church.  One thing I like to do for all of my couples is provide helpful guides throughout their whole wedding photography experience.  One of the guides I provide is a “Helpful Tips for Before Your Wedding” guide.

I could tell Daniela paid attention to my guide because she had everything ready for me to go to work!  She had the rings, the bouquet, the boutonniere, pearl earrings, invitation, shoes, and dress all ready to go!

Ceremony at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Charlotte NC

I could really tell that not only God, but living out their faith, was important to this couple!  I think everyone, including Edward, was taken aback when Daniela appeared through the back doors of the church.  If ever I thought of a bride looking like a princess, Daniela was it!  Not just a princess in outer beauty, but inner beauty too.  I think it was Daniela’s Matron of Honor who shared in her speech later that Daniela was full of grace.  From the moment I met her in person, that is exactly what I thought – she was such a graceful person!  Both her and Edward were welcoming and kind to not only their long time family and friends, but also to their vendors, some of whom they had just met that same day!  Take a look at some of the pictures from their beautiful Catholic ceremony.

Family and Wedding Party Photos

Not only can the family photo part of the day be stressful for the photographer, it can also be stressful for the bride and groom!  But one of my goals I always try to deliver to my wedding couples is a smooth and stress free family photo time.  If you took a look at my Helpful Tips Guide above, you will see that I always provide a sample family shot list for my couples to use that they can customize.  After photographing over 100 weddings, I have found which combinations make for the fastest, most intentional, and most useful family groupings.  These are the combinations that I’ve found my couples share the most and get printed the most.  So when a couple trusts me and follows my lead on their family photo shot list, things go extremely smooth during this time!  Here are just a few family and wedding party photos from Edward and Daniela’s family and wedding party photo time at this Charlotte NC Catholic wedding.

Bride and Groom Portraits in Romare Bearden Park in Charlotte NC

After the ceremony, we headed to downtown Charlotte for Eddie and Daniela’s Bride and Groom Portrait time in Romare Bearden Park.  Did I mention it was Cold?  This was the coldest wedding this Southern wedding photographer has ever done before!  The temperature said 36 degrees, but it felt like around 20 degrees!  I half expected Eddie and Daniela to decide they didn’t want to do the Bride and Groom Portraits outside at all – but boy am I happy they stuck with the plan!  Talk about trusting your photographer!  Now, did we originally have an hour and a half scheduled for these portraits?  Yes.  But did we end up getting all we needed in about 20 minutes?  Yes.  Thanks to an awesome Bride and Groom just going with me and doing everything I asked, even when none of us could feel our fingers or toes!

Heritage House Reception in Mooresville NC

We arrived a little earlier than expected to Heritage House in Mooresville, NC for the reception.  It gave us all a chance to warm up and get ready for the festivities!  The night was full of good food, visiting, dancing, and fun.  Then heartfelt speeches were given by not only the Matron of Honor and Best Man, but also several other guests.  It was so apparent after hearing their friends’ kind words, that Eddie and Daniela were truly meant for one another!  Their reception at the elegant and classy Heritage House was full of special touches.  They had a foot washing ceremony.  Daniela is originally from Columbia, and they continued the tradition of washing each other’s feet as a part of the wedding celebration.  What an act of service to begin a marriage with!

An Honor to Photograph Your Wedding

It was a complete honor to photograph your wedding and get to know you both better.  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you on one of the most special days of your lives, Edward and Daniela!  If you are in the Charlotte area and engaged, I’d love to help serve you too! View what it’s like to get the JBP Wedding Experience.

Charlotte NC Catholic Wedding and Heritage House Vendors:

Ceremony Venue:  St. Gabriel Catholic Church

Reception Venue:  Heritage House

Caterer:  Big Tiny’s

Coordinator:  Jacqueline Stevens

DJ:  DJ Jorge Blanco

Hair and Makeup:  Bella Mua By Amy Castro

Cake:  CynTucci’s Bakery

Photography:  Jill Brisken Photography