I am so very excited for this post today. Because I hope that this wedding forever changes how you envision a “Disney Weddding”. I know that before Nate and I began shooting them I had a complete misconception about what a Disney wedding looked like. I’d heard rumors, seen bad photos, and just assumed that all Disney weddings were created equally kitschy. But, our couples and the team at Disney Weddings has completely changed and blown my mind with the gorgeous, romantic, and sophisticated affairs that they put on and I’m so happy that Nate and I have been able to document so many of them.

And, I’m so very thrilled to show off Morgan & Jeff because their “Disney Wedding” may have been the most deeply emotional and beautiful we’ve ever been a part of. The day started off with a plan to say their vows at Seabreeze Point which is an outdoor location on the boardwalk. But thick, ominous clouds forced the couple (and the team at Disney Weddings) to change plans on the spur of the moment and Morgan and Jeff were set up in the lovely Wedding Pavilion instead. Morgan was as gracefull as ever as her plans were shifted and she kept smiling and laughing the entire day and the team did a fantastic job of assisting guests to the new location.

Their dinner reception was at one of Nate ‘s and my FAVORITE restaurants in Central Florida, which happens to be in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the California Grill. And Nate and I were spoiled rotten with a complete dinner just like the guests of AMAZING food. If you live in Central Florida, please plan a date night to the California Grill right this minute!  The restaurant overlooks the Magic Kingdom and every evening the entire dining room empties as guests file onto catwalks outside to watch and listen to the Magic Kingdom’s “Wishes” fireworks show. It’s magical.

I hope the sophistication, romance, and fun of Morgan and Jeff’s day forever changes the way you think of “Disney Weddings”. And for all you Disney brides to be out there, I hope this brings you tons of inspiration and excitement for your own big day at the happiest place on Earth.

Getting ready at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Favorite shoe shot of all time. Not even joking.

Rain rain, go away…

Disney princess pins for each bridesmaid. Morgan kept my favorite, Ariel, for herself. ;)

We took the monorail. Everyone cheered for Morgan… Naturally.

The view from the California Grill’s catwalks…

Love the little nod to UP…

Jeff designed all the printed details himself. He used the Disney’s fast passes and park pamphlets as inspiration…

Can we talk about the food?! As self proclaimed foodies, Nate and I were in HEAVEN. Thanks for including us Morgan & Jeff!

That’s my meal on the left. Pumpkin tortellini = super happy vegetarian photographer.

*Swoon*

Is that… Justin Bieber?

They serenaded their guests with a love song that brought everyone to tears. Beautiful.

Wishes… the show’s music is broadcast through the restaurants speakers so you get the full experience. With an amazing view.

Special thanks to:

Ken Weaver of Disney Fairy Tale Weddings (Coordinator)

Beaute Speciale (Hair and Makeup)

TZTUDIO on Etsy (Bride’s earrings)

Kleinfeld Bridal (Bride’s Lazaro gown)

Laura Kidd at Disney Floral (Floral Design)

The entire staff at the California Grill for an amazing dinner and reception service.

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As wedding photographers we are usually getting to witness couples at the beginning of their journey together. It’s exciting and you can see the entire future laid out in their eyes. So it’s rare for Nate and I to have the honor of documenting a love that has already been established, tested and come out true. Like gold refined in fire.

Mark and Lynn’s daughter contacted us because she and her siblings were helping to plan their parents’ wedding. Their parents had been together since 1993 and had always put off their wedding as life got in the way. But now it was their turn, their children were making sure of it! They chose Disney as their location after having a special trip there together. I am at a complete loss for words because remembering their wedding day brings me to tears of joy. I hope that Nate and I can have that same look in our eyes that Mark and Lynn have.

Through the growing up of their children, through the expansion of their family as their kids got married, to grand babies on the way, and even through a bout with cancer, Mark and Lynn’s relationship  has only grown stronger over the years.

Mark and Lynn, and family, thank you so much for inviting us along to witness this amazing celebration of love, family, and time. Nate and I are better for knowing all of you!

This was a family tradition. The old wive’s tale says that the direction the needle spins will predict the sex of your babies. She got 3 boys. They said that so far in their family it has never been wrong.

Lynn kept her dress a complete secret and told everyone she had gotten a red cocktail dress. This was the first moment anyone else saw it…

Lynn’s daughters were her bridesmaids. It was a family affair.

The theme of the wedding was “established since 1993″

He brought the rings in cinderella’s slipper. It was a surprise for Mark and Lynn.

Doesn’t this make you want to snuggle?

Mark welcomed and thanked everyone. He made everyone feel so completely welcome. What an amazing family!

Every detail was lovely. The cake matched their stationery perfectly.

A live band kept everyone dancing all night. And lounge areas flanking the dance floor allowed for resting tired feet. ;)

Thank you Audra for finding us and inviting us along on such a magical day!

Jessica and Robin are married! They had friends and family converge on Sea Breeze Point at Disney, some from as far away as Finland (where they are currently having a heat wave, I heard, and it’s been up in the high seventies… must be rough!) ;) The entire day went along flawlessly, thanks to the great team at Disney Weddings, who are always a joy to work alongside. Jessica and Robin were all smiles and although Jessica was nervous in the morning, as soon as she saw Robin for their first look, all of that nervous energy faded away into joy. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a couple smile as much as Jessica and Robin did. They told us that they had their first date there at the Disney Boardwalk. It wasn’t necessarily planned that way to come back but it ended up having lovely symmetry. We took a photo on the bench where they sat on their first date. The two of them in their wedding attire, snuggling. I hope that through the years in their marriage they can return (either mentally or physically) to that bench and remember the joy and excitement they felt both on their first date and also on their wedding day. Enjoy these sneak peek frames…

hidden mickey

Love this one…

Sea Breeze Point on the Disney Boardwalk is gorgeous.

The bench. The first date bench. ;)

My dance floor buddy…

If you’re interested in having us at your wedding, contact us here. We’re currently booking through 2011. :)

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Sometimes your soul mate isn’t necessarily your countryman. At least that was the case for Robin and Jessica. Robin, a native to the United States met Jessica, a girl from Finland and it was true love. Not only is Jessica gorgeous, with a smile that lights up her entire face, but she’s also fluent in multiple languages and has the faintest, most endearing accent we may have ever heard. Robin had no chance at all of not falling completely in love with her. They’re the real deal. They have a silent bond so strong you can feel it instantly when they smile at each other. We can’t wait to shoot their wedding this weekend!

The harvest is in the late summer so the bushels were beginning to fill out. This reminds me of my summer in Salerno…

Lovely, green, leafy, grapevine bokeh…

LOVE it!

Those eyes! Robin didn’t stand a chance! ;)

Love this one too!

GORGEOUS

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Mary and Paul are full of laughter. And they happen to be ridiculously adorable. Nate and I were so excited to finally get to meet them face to face for their engagement session at Disney’s Boardwalk since all of our communication with them up until that point had been over the phone. Mary and Paul are from Toronto and were here in town for a wedding planning “vacation” that allowed us some great quality time with the two of them.

I always love to find out why our Disney couples chose Disney for their weddings. The stories are always wonderful and each is always completely different from the last. For Mary and Paul it’s about dreams coming true. (How “Disney” is that?!) Mary had always wanted to visit Dinsey World and one year on her birthday, Paul made that dream come true. Ever since then, Disney has represented nothing but happy memories and romantic remembrances. So it’s only fitting that they chose it as the backdrop for the most special day of their lives.

We are a bit sad that they live so far away but cannot wait to see them again in September. Enjoy these frames from our time together on the Boardwalk…

Mary and Paul’s wedding cinematographers came down from Colorado to shoot a very special Save The Date video announcement for them. Nate and I are super picky about videographers and cinematographers and we also rarely get to see any of their finished work after the weddings we shoot alongside them, but when Mary sent us the link to this video we were floored by how creative and well done it was. I am so excited that Mike of Rising Moon Wedding Cinematography was gracious enough to let me share it here on the blog with all of you. If you are looking for a cinematographer to capture your wedding, check out Rising Moon. We are so excited to work with them at this Disney wedding in September!

Mary + Paul / Save the Date from Rising Moon on Vimeo.

PS. Disney brides, we now have a wedding collection created especially for you. If you’d like to have us as your wedding photographers, inquire with your wedding date for detailed info about it.

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