There’s something about a classic, formal wedding inside of a beautiful church that gets me every time. It really emphasizes the foundations and tradition of marriage. I love the rustic wooden pews, the magnificently decorated pulpit, the amazing architecture, and – if I’m lucky – the breathtaking art. Ellen & Alan’s wedding took place at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Norfolk, VA, followed by a beautiful reception at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Annunciation has an excellent front entrance with very impressive columns and other structural aspects. We shot Ellen & Alan’s First Look in a nice courtyard with a beautiful ornate fountain and most of the family and wedding party photos in an open field with trees and some beautiful afternoon light. After the ceremony we also took a few indoor family and wedding party portraits to capture the beauty of the church itself.
The Couple
These two met at Virginia Tech (go Hokies!!) during both of their undergraduate programs. After a few years together, while visiting Alan’s family in Brazil, they decided that they wanted to get married and shared the news with both of their parents. Ellen’s mother planned the majority of the wedding day, and it turned out just beautifully! So elegant and fun at the same time. They are both huge animal lovers (Ellen is currently working on her Veterinary degree – how cool is that!?!) and they live in my favorite place in Virginia – the MOUNTAINS!!! We had a great time getting to know each other at their engagement session earlier in the year, and I learned that they even like playing a computer game I was obsessed with for a little while. (I grew up playing video games and at one time had two T.V.’s set up in my bedroom with three different gaming consoles-Atari, Nintendo, and Sega.)
Greek Tradition
Annunciation’s Father George and Ellen’s own grandfather conducted the traditional Greek ceremony. If you haven’t experienced an Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony – it is unlike many other traditional ceremonies. There are several parts to the ceremony, but some of my favorite moments to capture is the Crowning with the Stéfana, the Common Cup (sharing of unconsecrated wine), and the Procession of Joy where the couple takes their first steps together to signify their promises to each other. (You can read more about these traditional ceremonies here.) The symbolism and tradition of this beautiful ceremony is a great thing to witness.
The Reception at the Chrysler Museum
Since the Chrysler Museum of Art was one of my bucket-list venues to shoot at, I really wanted to take a photo at night in front of the awesome entrance sculpture, and of course, upstairs with the beautiful art pieces. When I found out that they were holding their wedding reception at the Chrysler Museum, I was definitely excited, and these photos didn’t disappoint!
As always, listening to the stories told by friends and family during the reception makes me laugh and even sometimes tear up – I love getting to know my couples through the eyes of their loved-ones! They had live music as well as a DJ, and they even had a Frank Sinatra impersonator sing during the cocktail hour!
With the mix of both families’ cultures – Ellen’s family is Greek and Alan’s family is from Brazil and Argentina – the reception was really fun. I got to witness some beautiful traditional Greek and South American dancing, and everyone had such a great time they didn’t want the night to end!
You guys are going to rock this whole being married thing! Thanks for sharing your day with me!
Having your wedding or reception at the Chrysler Museum of Art? I’d love to be your photographer. Contact me today for special pricing on 2018-2019 weddings booked at this venue!
A few of the images in this blog, and others, were taken by my second shooter, Melissa. I LOVE some of the creative ways she gets to capture moments while I’m covering the main event. Check out this post about why I always include a second shooter for weddings and all the awesome benefits this gives my clients:
Why Include a Second Shooter? | Hampton Roads Wedding Photographer
Also, take a look at some of my other fall weddings from 2017: