This wedding day was one of the most unique weddings that I have been a part of and I absolutely loved every minute of it! It was a Greek Orthodox wedding and all I can say is... WOW! Beautiful ceremony that was full of the truest meaning of marriage and symbolism.... I was in awe from the moment I walked in the church the night of the wedding rehearsal.
It was also very important to them that I capture the details of the day.... check, check, and check!!! This is only one of my most favorite parts of a wedding :)
The shoes, oh the shoes! :)
Part of the ceremony is to wear these floral crowns which like everything else is symbolic. These were in place of flower bouquets.
These cupcakes were more like art than they were like food... and Mandy, could you be any more beautiful? Nope I don't think so!
Gorgeous smile! And why all smiles??? wait for it...
Why, because of the dancing & singing bridesmaids of course! They kept doing a ballerina dance for the beautiful bride along with songs from the Sound of Music. Hilarious!!!! Hmm... now if only I could take them these two to all my weddings and sessions, they would be such a hit!
I love this shot because it totally sums up how relaxed and happy Mandy and her gal pals were all morning long. It just makes me want to grab a glass of wine and have a seat on the couch to join in on all the laughter!
Yes it's definitely good to have friends!
So I thought the entire upstairs of Mandy's house was quite possibly the neatest home I'd ever been in with all of her decorating, but THEN the girls take me downstairs and um... HELLOOOOOO... the girl has one heck of a music room (and yes she can play all instruments). Jam session anyone? Oh I think so!
This is one talented and gifted gal, a true artist in so many ways! (Mandy you are my hero!)
Okay so the ceremony... Let's just say, I walked away wanting to know how to become greek-orthodox! I love when things have meaning and symbolism.
This was a hand-carved piece outside the church which was something that Christian loved... breathtaking!
Before heading to the reception, I got some alone time with Christian & Mandy...
So cute...
LOVE these next ones... so much love between them!
Stunning!
Christian's posing :)
LOVE the light!
The details continued at the reception... honey, candy, tea bags, notes for the bride & groom, paintings throughout the restaurant, and the food, oh my goodness, endless amounts of food!!!!
The beautiful mommies!!!
And they're off!
My photo op with Christian & Mandy...
Springfield, MO
Make-up ~ Mandy with MAC and Chanel products :)
Mandy + Christian Q&A
How did the two of you meet?
Mandy- We were set up by Christian’s sister-in-law and her sister (confusing, right?). We started
conversing on the phone which eventually led to our first date at Flame downtown where apparently they only serve raw meat appetizers (yum).
Describe the proposal…
Mandy ~ Christian proposed on Valentine’s Day. After work I took a nap (a daily necessity) and promptly got into some lovely mint green pajamas. Christian cooked one of my favorite meals that my grandmother Margie used to make (salmon cakes, potatoes, and mac and cheese)-so sweet. When I awoke, with my hair askew, we began to set the table. As I began talking (or whining) about needing a fork, he got down on one knee and presented me with his grandmother’s ring. It was so special and beautiful. I immediately said YES and began calling my family. I couldn’t even eat my dinner (what a waste, but so worth it).
Favorite detail of the wedding?
Mandy ~ I thought the flowers were magnificent and such an amazing surprise. They were beautiful and added another perfect touch.
Favorite memory of the day?
Mandy ~ Our photo shoot together after the ceremony. It was very private and the first time we really had gotten to talk. It was nice just to have a moment away from the chaos.
Christian ~ Seeing Mandy for the first time in her dress. I thought she was so beautiful and was happy to know that I would be waking up with her every morning.
Funniest memory of the day?
Mandy ~ When my matrons of honor, Paula and Julie danced and sang to make me laugh in pictures. They were the perfect touch to keep me relaxed and treated me like a princess, who obviously needed cupcakes from the Cup, although if you notice I’m not the one who wore the crown (hmmm).
Christian ~ I almost choked on the sacramental wine. My thoughts?? “Don’t embarrass myself”.
Favorite wedding purchase?
Mandy ~ My favorite wedding purchase (which I didn’t actually purchase-my sweet mother did) was my dress. It wasn’t a dress that I would’ve ever picked out but it turned out to be one that I fell in love with. It made me feel so beautiful and elegant (and was the second one I tried on-good). It’s still hanging where I can see it every day.
Christian ~ The wedding crowns because of their beauty and symbolism. It’s significance…the beginning of your journey as husband and wife.
Where did you go for your honeymoon?
Mandy ~ Oh, we were supposed to go on a honeymoon? What? To be continued….
If you could do it all over again, is there anything that you would change?
Mandy ~ The only thing I would change is the heat index because I hate being hot and I start to swell up (pretty, huh).
Christian (as told by Mandy J) ~ Christian would have music at the reception so he could show us his moves (which I have yet to see). Actually, he wanted to have a dance with his wife…so sweet. I nixed that off the bat. Who wants to see me do the duck dance in a beautiful dress? (I’m so mean).
Any advice for future Bride & Groom’s?
Mandy ~ My advice is to keep things simple and relax with your friends and family. We had the best time with no stress which captured the entire day and the symbolism of what a marriage is supposed to be.
Christian ~ Ditto!
Any final thoughts you would like to share?
Mandy ~ Just a note…Looking back at our pictures, I have to say that Heather did an amazing job capturing the entire feeling of the day. I have never had pictures that exude such joy and happiness from everyone. She also captured my admiration for my wonderful husband. I can see it in my eyes. I didn’t think it was possible. Her artistry is beautiful and her spirit lovely. Thank you for making our day so special.
And MY final thoughts to that??.. THANK YOU!!! Christian & Mandy I cannot tell you what an honor it was to be asked to photograph such an important day in your lives. I love my job so much, but it is comments like this that remind me of WHY I love it. As much as I enjoy the artistic side of it, it is an even bigger reward to know that I have hopefully given to you all that you had asked of me. I wish you both such joy and happiness as Mr. and Mrs. Patton!
