I’d been eagerly anticipating Rachelle and Stephen’s wedding for ages. If you recall, Rachelle and Stephen won an engagement session from a giveaway I did on A Practical Wedding. How could you not fall in love with a couple who asks if they can do a “regular” engagement shoot and then don costumes and a wig (and a fake wooden finger!) and pretend to be Margot and Richie from The Royal Tenenbaums? As we stood outside the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, we chatted about their wedding — a Sunday afternoon, light snacks but big cake, affair (with wine and beer) — and I was smitten. Luckily they felt the same way about me and chose me to photograph their wedding. I’m so honored and pleased to share this with you.
Rachelle and Stephen were married on a warm June afternoon. Time and time again I was reminded of how lucky I was to be a part of the “VIP crowd” (as Rachelle called it). I was with the bride while she got ready, witnessed the couple’s amazingly heartfelt first look that had me in tears as I shot frame after frame, and spent time with them photographing their final last dance while the rest of the guests prepared for the send-off. You’d think a Sunday afternoon wedding crowd would be pretty tame, but this group danced and screamed and danced some more, and threw rose petals merrily at the married couple as they climbed into a Saint Arnold’s tie-dyed Bentley. You heard me correctly.
Second photographer: Emily Grenader
Venue: Butler’s Courtyard
Dress: Oleg Cassini
Cake: Cakes by Jula
DJ: MAD Productions
Catering: Robinette and Company
Florist: the bride (silk flowers)
Hair/makeup: Adorne Artistry
Officiant: Minister Lynn Turner
+ - 21 comments
francis joseph - Great set! Well done, Elissa. Well done.
Eric - A tie dyed rolls, that’s a nice touch. Wonderful work capturing it all!
Chi-Ling - Love, love, love.
Gina - Awesome! Very beautiful work, girly.
nadine - Is that a Wall-e cake cos it’s freaking awesome!
They make me want to be their friends!
Shell Bailey - Everything about this wedding is awesome. The cake, the car, the venue is beautiful, the couple looks like so much fun. Also, love the lighting in the reception shots. Great work!
Jessica Schilling - So gorgeous! The portraits are all amazingly beautiful!
Leah Muse - What a fun and gorgeous day! Love their portraits together.
Kellee - Awesome wedding. The little Wall-e is brilliant!
michele bowman - such a gorgeous wedding, great details and tons of fun! you did a beautiful job documenting the entire thing!
Lyn Ismael-Bennett - Love that shot of the bride in front of that portrait in the wall. And that cake topper…how adorable! Well done!
Kyle - Haha, the reception shots are so fun and full of energy, love them!
Shyann - What a cool wedding!! :) You really rocked it, great work!
Marie Lloyd - Love the one of her sitting by the picture. Lovely set io images
Brad Ross - A wonderful mix of emotion and detail. A lovely wedding captured perfectly.
darko - Beautiful set and the coolest cake topper I’ve ever seen!!
bec - So much personality in these pics! Great job!!
Gabby Tamayo - love the jewel/dress details
Josh - Beautiful images Elissa!
Julie - Wow, looks great! You’re the real thing, Elissa! :)
And I heart your second photographer.
Heather - 1) that cake is EPIC and 2) your photography is EPIC.