Bri was a bridesmaid in one of our previous weddings (Alexis and Dave’s wedding). We were ecstatic when she wanted us to capture her wedding day! Although the inclement weather changed the plans of having an outdoor ceremony, the wedding carried on smoothly inside The Stonebrooke Hall. We got lucky that the sun came out for a short time after the ceremony; we were able to shoot some bride and groom portraits on the elegant bridge over  pond that led to the hall. The bridge and the regal stairway entrance for the hall created beautiful shots for our couple.

We really had a wonderful time shooting at The Springs venue and can not wait to go back there for our next event!

The ceremony took place by a serene lake surrounded by plentiful trees that created an inspiring landscape for the couple. The floral theme was highlighted as it was seen on the cake, the bride’s hairpiece, and decor all around the venue. At night, the string lights that lit up the night for dancing were gorgeous and created a magical moment for both the guests and the couple. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this splendid and joyous occasion!

Here are some of our favorites from the day:

VENDORS:

Wedding Colors: White, Ivory & Gold
Wedding Planner: Samantha Darr with Soiree Bliss
Wedding Ceremony: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
Wedding Reception: Crystal Ballroom at The Rice Hotel
Videographer: Nathan Willis Wedding Film
Florist: Killion’s Milam Florist
Hair/Makeup: Pink Palette
Wedding Cake: Who Made The Cake
Reception Music: Compozitionz Band
Bridal Accessories: Whittington Bridal

Being wedding photographers, we love that our job gives us the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of different people. Every couple we work with has really interesting and amazing stories to tell. Jenny and Travis are no exception. What’s amazing about this lovely couple is that they have known each other since they were little children. It doesn’t happen very often that people meet their future husband or wife at such an early age and I think this is what makes their story so sweet. Jenny and Travis finally became high school sweethearts during their freshman year and later went off to attend the same college together. After college, Jenny started working at a public accounting firm in Houston. Travis, who has a passion for film and digital media, became a Digital Media Coordinator at HBO in California. Now they are happily married living in California.

Can you guess where they first met? Well…they actually met at Second Baptist Church in Houston. Knowing where they first met, we thought it was very fitting that they chose to have their wedding ceremony at Second Baptist to celebrate their love and start their lives together as husband and wife. Their wedding reception was just minutes away from the church, which was held at the luxurious Houston Country Club. All the of the wedding vendors did an amazing job in organizing the wedding and pulling off the beautiful white and blue wedding theme.

If you’re looking for wedding vendors, here’s the full list for your reference.

WEDDING VENUES
Wedding Ceremony:  Second Baptist Church
Reception:  Houston Country Club

WEDDING VENDORS
Planner:  Belle of the Ball – Chelsea Wenner
Florist:  Blooming Gallery
Cake:  Cakes by Gina
Dance Floor:  Mike’s Dance Floor
Lighting:  Bright Star Productions
Band:  Doppelganger
Videographer:  Cakewalk Films
Transportation:  Monarch Limo

Kimberly and Sean are such a sweet and beautiful couple. And everyone did such a great job that the wedding went off without a hitch. It was also a joy to work with all the people involved. The wedding reception at the historical Crystal Ballroom was especially fun because Kimberly and Sean brought in a live wedding band from Austin, TX called “The Pictures”. They really rocked the house and the evening was filled with good music and dancing. We were pretty worn out the next day but it was all worth it!

VENUES:
Ceremony:  South Main Baptist Church
Reception:  Crystal Ballroom

VENDORS:
Wedding Planner:  Lauren Carrillo with Something to Celebrate
Florist:  Blooming Gallery
Hair/Makeup:  Blush & Co.
Band:  The Pictures
Cake:  Susie’s Cake
Lighting:  Jonny Black Productions
String Music:  Divisi Strings

Here are some pictures to highlight their wedding day:

If anyone is not familiar with what a Vietnamese tea ceremony is, in traditional Vietnamese culture, the tea ceremony is the actual wedding. The tea ceremony always takes place in the bride’s parents’ home. This is where the bride and groom exchange rings, vows, and pay their respects to their parents, families, and ancestors. The tea ceremony is very important. It allows the bride and groom to show their respect and appreciation to their parents and family members for all that they have done to help shape them into the individuals they have become. The tea ceremony is usually a private ceremony that is specifically reserved for family members and very close friends.

Like most multicultural couples here in the U.S., Thao and Noel not only had a traditional family wedding ceremony but also a larger wedding ceremony and wedding reception at the Hobby Center Houston. This is done so that they would be able to accommodate all of the people they want to invite and celebrate their wedding with. After the tea ceremony, we headed over to Hotel Icon where the wedding party prepared for the larger wedding ceremony to be held at Notre Dame Catholic Church. The church ceremony was absolutely beautiful and the wedding reception at the Hobby Center Houston was even more grand. Below are some of the photos that highlight their wedding from beginning to end. We hope you all enjoy them!

Special thanks to all the vendors and Kat Creech Events that helped put this great day together! (To see a full list of vendors, they are listed right after the photos.)

VENUES:
Getting Ready:  Hotel Icon
Ceremony:  Notre Dame Catholic Church
Reception:  Hobby Center

VENDORS:
Wedding Photography: Serendipity Photography
Wedding Planner:  Kat Creech Events
Hair/Makeup:  Pink Palette Artists
Ceremony Music:  Divisi Strings
Band:  Electric Circus
Cake:  Alphorn Bakery
Dance Floor:  Mike’s Dance Floor
Linens:  Prestige Events

Below are some of our favorite photos that highlight their wedding. We started the day off by shooting at Hotel Icon where the bride, the groom, and the wedding party got ready. The guys really enjoyed showing off their cufflinks. After everyone got glammed up, we all headed out to Second Baptist Church where the wedding ceremony took place. The wedding ceremony was held inside Second Baptist Church’s worship center, which nicely accommodated the large number of wedding guests. In the evening, we all gathered to celebrate at the Crystal Ballroom located in Downtown Houston’s Rice Hotel.

The Crystal Ballroom is a 1913 historic ballroom and was originally the capital of the Republic of Texas. The Crystal Ballroom is stunningly adorned with crystal chandeliers, heroic murals, tall ceilings and a full wraparound terrace. The 5,600+ square foot venue provides more than enough space for a large party, up to 400 guests for a seated meal.

Amanda and Trent’s wedding reception at the Crystal Ballroom was beautifully and professionally decorated with flowers, candles, and romantic lighting. We always love to shoot a wedding at the Crystal Ballroom because it’s such an elegant and spacious venue. If you’re a big fan of golf like the groom, you have to check out the groom’s wedding cake pictured below.

If you would like a full list of vendors that catered to this wedding, the names are listed at the very bottom of this blog. Thanks for reading!

VENUES:
Getting Ready:  Hotel Icon
Wedding Ceremony:  Second Baptist Church
Wedding Reception:  Crystal Ballroom

VENDORS:
Wedding Photography: Serendipity Photography
Wedding Coordinator:  Something to Celebrate – Lauren Carrillo
Videographer:  Cinema Candy
Cakes:  Who Made the Cake
Florist:  Blooming Gallery
Lighting:  Jonny Black Productions

1. Personalized Coasters
Coasters are not only useful but can also make great decorative pieces on one’s coffee table. Send your guests home with personalized coasters that include photos from your engagement shoot. It’s a great way to send them home with something that you know they’ll use, and whenever they do, they’ll be reminded of your beautiful wedding.

2. Handmade soaps
Handmade soaps smell great, look beautiful, they’re thoughtful and absolutely useful! You can’t go wrong with soap wedding favors.

3. Prepackaged Tea & Coffee Beans
Almost everyone loves to drink tea or coffee. Why not offer your guests a flavorful drink to take home. Etsy.com has some awesome choices to choose from and you can purchase them in bulk, perfect for any large party.

4. Candy or Cookie Buffet Bar (with takeaway containers)
If you have a thing for sweets, why not show it off with a buffet table filled with your favorite candies or cookies along with takeaway containers. That way, your guests can pick and choose what they would like to take to-go.

5. Personalized Mugs filled with Candy
Like coasters, personalized mugs are also useful and decorative. You can personalize these with a beautiful, meaningful photo. Be sure to fill them with a special treat too.

6. Flip Flops
We ladies don’t always wear the most comfortable shoes, especially to parties where we get to show off our heels and professionally manicured toes. But when our feet start to hurt, having a pair of flip flops to change into would be divine.

7. Flavored Salt
Sea salts can add a lot of flavor to a variety of dishes, making it the perfect addition to any meal. Plus they come in a variety of flavors such as rosemary, bacon, garlic, chipotle, etc. Offer a couple of flavors at the wedding and let your guests choose one to take home with them to try with their cooking. You can also supply your guests with a recipe that goes with each flavor of salt. You can either make these yourself by using an online recipe or purchase them from SeaSalt.com.

8. Sunglasses (for an Outdoor Wedding)
If you’re planning to have an outdoor wedding, sunglasses make a great wedding favor. Your guests will appreciate you for having these available.

9. Homemade Granola
Give your guests the choice to pick from a mix of flavorful sweet and savory granola. They’ll probably devour this great snack in the car ride home. You can pick from a variety of easy online recipes to use and make these at home. Just fill mason jars with your homemade granola and pop on a label for easy grab and go.

10. Late Night Snack
Instead of sending your guests home with a tangible gift, why not opt for a late night food truck instead! I’m sure they’re already hungry again after a long night of dancing and drinking. Why not indulge in something yummy?

What do you think of these 10 creative wedding favors? Feel free to share your ideas with us!

We loved shooting at Petroleum Club of Houston’s new location, which is on the 35th floor (Penthouse level) of Total Plaza on 1201 Louisiana.  It offers a great view of Downtown Houston, especially in the evening. We were able to get some really gorgeous shots of the bride and groom right outside the venue. Although Jenny and Chris only held their wedding reception at this venue, the Petroleum Club of Houston also has the space and capability to host any wedding ceremony that has up to 180 guests. They also offer two rooms for wedding receptions: the Wyatt/Aramco Room for an intimate reception of up to 80 guests, and the Petroleum Room for up to 260 guests.

Here are some of our favorite shots from Jenny and Chris’s wedding. If you’re interested in checking out the Petroleum Club of Houston for your wedding or special occasion, you can visit www.pcoh.com for more information.

Jenny’s super adorable nephew! Check out his baby portraits at Hermann Park on our old blog.

Preserving Your Memories

Although it’s hard to image that you would forget any moment from your wedding day, the fact is that memories do fade over time. Especially when it’s been 10, 20 or 30+ years. With the help of a wedding album, you’ll be reminded of all those special moments that made your wedding day unique. Like the rush of emotions you felt as you walked down the aisle. Or that precious speech that was given by the best man. Or that moment when you felt nervous but seeing your best friends there made all the difference. You’ll be able to look through your wedding album at anytime instead of having to search for your digital files. And truth be told, digital copies can be lost. As much as we trust in electronic media to store our important files, remember that CDs and backup files can be lost, corrupted or deleted.

Wedding Albums are Like a Storybook

When browsing through the pages of your wedding album, your friends, parents and children can enjoy the story of your wedding day. This is  great to have for those that weren’t able to be there with you behind the scenes as you prepare for the day or those that couldn’t physically make it to the wedding. Framed photos may only provide a glimpse into one specific moment. Plus, digital photos can sometimes be out of order in the way they were titled and saved. However, a wedding album can be arranged to provide a complete view of your special day from beginning to end, giving you a storybook feeling from one special moment to the next.

Technology Changes Over Time

Unfortunately, technology does change over time and it changes frequently. Those that captured and saved their wedding day on VHS, floppy disk or 35mm film have a hard time accessing their photos today. Those holding their photos with DVDs and CDs today will likely find them to be obsolete pretty soon. I’m sure you do plan to transfer your images from one form of electronic media to the next as one becomes out-of-date, but honestly, many never get around to it. It is important to have a digital backup of your photos, but traditional wedding albums are a sure way to protect your photos and ensure they will be around for a long time. Plus traditional wedding albums will never become obsolete no matter how much technology changes.

A Keepsake to Pass Down to Your Children and Future Generations

Wedding albums also make a wonderful heirloom to pass down from one generation to another, preserving your family’s history and images of your relatives. You’re probably not thinking that far ahead, but by purchasing a wedding album, you are contributing to your family history.

Albums can be Personalized and Show Your Style

Viewing pictures on a computer screen just isn’t the same as flipping through the pages of an album. Albums stir up much more powerful memories. And albums offer so many different ways in which you can personalize it to your style that digital photos don’t offer: embossing, album cover material (leather, fabric, etc.) and colors, different album sizes, background color, layout and design, storage boxes, etc.

When looking back, the only regret that many couples have is that they do not have enough photographs of their special day. Those who took the time and spent the money to create a wedding album are always happy that they did. With your album, you can quickly show off your wedding photos and talk about your special day. Wedding albums are simply timeless and can preserve your memories for many years to come.

Be sure to ask your wedding photographer to include an album with your package. To find out what packages and album options Serendipity Photography offers, feel free to contact us at info@serendipity-photography.com.