Aug 3, 2015

Love and Honor // Roxanne + Philip

What a marvelous afternoon for a grand tented wedding! And a wonderful day to join together two families, two cultures and two lovely people. This elegant wedding involved so much planning and so many unique elements centered around family, heritage and traditions. It was as much captivating as it was beautiful to observe.

Roxanne and Philip have so much in common. They’re both physicians, meeting in the middle of their journey towards their careers. One of the best things is that they also both share the same values, outlook and goals in life. And family means so much to the both of them… this was so apparent in every aspect of their wedding day.

Roxanne was so elegant in her lace covered wedding gown! Her dress had an A-line silhouette and off-the-shoulder cap sleeves. She wore a sparkling rhinestone tiara for her ceremony (and a gorgeous clip in the side of her hair for her reception) and with her traditional lace-edged veil, she she looked like a graceful princess on her wedding day! We also loved how she had her monogram embroidered inside her dress. With blue embellishments to add “something blue”, it was an extra special personal touch. Philip was so handsome in his classic three-piece black tuxedo. And Roxanne’s beautiful bridesmaids were in lovely matching champagne colored dresses for this wedding event.

Once they were ready for their day, Roxanne and Philip shared a touching first look at the bottom of the staircase. We were so happy to be there to capture the emotional exchange. We know they’ll treasure that moment forever. Then, it was time to head to the church!

We really adored the “pick a seat and not a side” sign that was held as we entered Saint Catharine Church. Roxanne and Philip chose to forgo the traditional bride’s side vs. groom’s side for the guests at the ceremony and had guests mingle together for the traditional Catholic ceremony. This fostered a true sense of community as the two families symbolically joined together with the commencement of the wedding. They also chose to have an “unplugged” wedding ceremony so guests could be fully present in the celebration.

It was a gorgeous day for outdoor photos of the couple and wedding party! We were so happy to work alongside our good friends, Kim and Ray Hennessey of KGM Expressions as they captured beautiful images of the day. We loved the amazing shots as they strolled along the Spring Lake Bridge and Boardwalk.

For their reception, a massive white tent held long banquet tables for guests to enjoy dinner. There were wonderful vintage touches throughout, such as the glass door knob table numbers. Lush floral arrangements in rustic urns and candelabras adorned with climbing delicate pastel blooms laced with green foliage lined the tables. Annalisa Style Flowers provided the delightful floral artistry in pastel pinks and ivory for this beautiful wedding.

Before the reception was to begin, Roxanne and Philip took part in the traditional Korean wedding ceremony, PaeBaek. Like the church seating arrangement, this ceremony celebrates the joining of two families, and also honors their parents and symbolizes their blessings upon the couple. Dressed in wedding attire called hanbok, Roxanne and Philip participated in bowing and kneeling rituals. Their parents also tossed dates and chestnuts to them (symbolizing girls and boys), how many caught signifying how many girl and boy children they will have. We really enjoyed the ritual where Philip carried Roxanne, his mother and then her mother on his back!

Roxanne and Philip’s first dance together, a well-choreographed waltz, was so graceful. Then, Roxanne and Philip changed into Barong and a traditional Filipiniana wedding gown to honor Roxanne’s heritage. We were so touched by their parent dances that followed. You can definitely feel the love between parents and their grown children and the bittersweetness of their official “leave from the nest”. Along with the traditional wedding cake cutting, there was even a sweet surprise birthday cake presented to Roxanne’s father!

The Harry Stuart Band from Craig Scott Entertainment, belted out today’s most popular hits and kept the guests on the dance floor for the rest of the event! And to end the festivities, Roxanne and Philip were treated to an electrifying sparkler send-off by their families and friends.

We loved every aspect of Roxanne and Philip’s wedding event, from the reflections of their culture to the beautifully decorated backyard tent. And Roxanne and Philip are such gentle, welcoming people… a true pleasure to film on one of the most important days of their life. Congratulations to Roxanne and Philip!