🕯️❄️ Emelia & Matthew’s candlelit winter wedding made my associate photographer, Jim, & I so proud to be so proud to be Cameron Estates Inn photographers!
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Emelia says, “I initially reached out to Lisa because I like the creativity of her work. Lisa & Jim’s photos are not the normal cookie-cutter shots, and I appreciate thier artistic style. I’m looking forward to seeing Jim’s photos and Lisa’s edits and blog from our big day!”
Why are winter weddings so hard to get right?
Winter weddings can be really challenging for photographers. We mainly work with light, and there is the least available light in winter. This means needing to be on the top of our game when it comes to using flash, maximizing low light situations (like candlelight), and really helping people to feel comfortable with PDA as always but in winter, even though it’s so cold (and uncomfortable) outside!
Jim and I have been doing this for over a decade, it helps plan the day from the very beginning with all of these things in mind. I also created a detailed timeline of the day, realistically sharing with them the different impacts so that they could make the best choices that fit them. It also kept all of us on the same page. I love how everything came out!
Love Letters from Boot Camp
Emelia shares, “Our story has not been traditional. We started dating, then not even 6 months later, he was leaving for boot camp. I was willing to go through anything to make us work. Even if that meant spending more time apart than together.”
“Writing letters to Matthew for 5 months was the only communication we had while he was in boot camp. Once the letters started coming in, it was what I looked forward to every week. Now we have those memories and a keepsake for our whole lives. We have them to remind us that no matter what or where we are, we will get through it together, just like we always have.”
She continues, “We made it through bootcamp then his tech school, then through his deployment in Japan. We’d go months sometimes over a year without seeing each other, but that gave us many great opportunities to travel to many different states and countries. We’ve traveled to almost 10 different places over the last 5 years.”
First look with Dad
Emelia smiles, “I am a daddy’s girl at heart, and to have that moment between the two of us was something I always dreamed of on my wedding day. I was so excited to show him my dress, and for him to see me in the veil he married my mom in!”
“When I was little, my dad would wake me for morning practice by singing me a song. I had no idea and didn’t expect him to play that song while we shared that moment together! It brought tears to my eyes.”
“I also wore his mother’s jewelry. His mother passed when I was very young, but I still feel a connection to her, so for him to put her jewelry on was a special moment between us.”
Mostly candids, a few formals, too!
While Emelia was primarily interested in capturing authentic moments and really enjoying her day, she also wanted to set aside time to get more formal portraits too. This was during twilight so we made sure to find the perfect place and to have enough time to set up lighting to really knock those out of the park with these gorgeous ladies!!
Meet the groom, and a few troublemakers 😉
Emelia shares, “I loved having all of our family together to celebrate us. Especially because Matthew hasn’t seen his friends or most of his family since he was deployed. I could feel the love and excitement from everyone all day long.”
Private Vows
Emelia says, “Matthew had few things he wanted for the wedding. Private vows were one thing he wanted to do. When he expressed that it was something he wanted, I knew it was important to him.”
“To have that moment between the two of us allowed us to have an intimate moment just for us on our day. It was so special. It was also one of the only moments that he and I got to be together without others around. It was a moment for us to share our hearts on our wedding day.”
Cameron Estates Inn: Mom nailed the candlelit winter wedding decor!
Emelia shares, “My mom and coordinator Carol Feeney went above and beyond to plan our wedding in just 6 months. They made it even better than I could’ve imagined, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”
Breathtakingly Beautiful candlelit winter wedding Ceremony
Emelia says, “When I stepped into the ceremony room, I immediately fell in love with the venue. It was the only venue that I looked at that gave me that classic, elegant look I was going for.
“The chandeliers are gorgeous, and I was so excited to say “I do” in such a beautiful area.”
A Peek into their candlelit winter wedding photos
The concept of this photo, is to peek through the doors into the joy they experienced immediately following the wedding. To capture the whole vibe of it from the candles and chandeliers to the privacy of this time spent with just the two of them…
This is another place where really knowing what you’re doing with flash as a photographer is incredibly important! Not overpowering the natural light, yet still illuminating mostly the couple. It is also where careful editing comes in to get those tones just right and different. Light sources are different temperatures (green, pink, orange)… It’s a photographer thing, but don’t worry we got ya!
Standout Speeches
Emelia shares, “Nahum (the best man) has been Matthew’s friend for years, and it was so special to hear the kind things he said about Matthew. My sister-in-law’s speech was so kind, and I love how all my siblings spoke on our big day.”
“My little sister told me she’s been writing my speech for years now. To finally hear what she had to say brought tears to my eyes. It also made Matthew cry a little. It touched both of our hearts.”
Mingling with Guests: Custom timeline
The custom timeline is a big part of what we offer, and it isn’t just about logistics, it’s about personally designing it so that you can spend the time with the people that you want to, while also having us focus our attention where you want it. After we created the timeline, Jim even took extra time to check in before the wedding day to make sure nothing had changed in the plan. What you wanted to be Emelia’s eyes for the day and this helped us to do that.
Dancing the Night Away
Emelia says, “My family means everything to me. To have them all by my side on the day I’ve dreamed of for as long as everyone can remember meant the world to me. I couldn’t do life without them, and I definitely couldn’t have gotten married without all their support. I could feel the love from everyone.”
Chair Raising Experience: Hora
Emelia laughs, “My dad’s mother was Jewish, and the chair lift is a Jewish tradition. My parents did it at their wedding, and my brother did it at his. It has now become a tradition in our family to do the chair lift at our weddings. I loved it.”
“It was a hilarious moment that Matthew and I laugh about still!”
Ending on a high note!
Getting a lot of photos of the guests is very important to us! These are the most important people in your life and we take capturing their true colors very seriously… here are just a gouple that show the group energy and vibe, in reality there are **over 1000** photos in Emelia’s full set! All beautifully polished up like this!
Overall thoughts
Emelia smiles, “No one has ever made me feel as loved as Matthew makes me feel. Even in a different country, he made me feel loved and special every day. No one makes me laugh like Matthew does. Even his cheesy dad jokes make me laugh.”
“He truly understands who I am. We have supported each other in our different journeys, but every day I try to make him feel as supported as he makes me feel. It hasn’t been easy or the path I imagined for myself, but for him, I would do anything.”
“I can’t wait till Matthew and I no longer have to say goodbye, and we can create our life together.”
Candlit Winter Wedding Slideshow: Emelia & Matt
VENDORS:
- Venue: Cameron Estates Inn
- Videographer: Lux Photography and Videography
- Bridal Attire: Lilla’s Bridal Boutique
- Hair: Tiffany’s on 8th
- DJ: White Rose Productions
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
CONTACT ME!
Are you or someone you know looking for a photographer for their weddings, portraits, engagement, business branding, etc? I’m your girl! Contact me here, I’d love to hear all about it!