We got in the car at the end of the day, and the first words I said to Danny were, “God really blesses His people.”

Caitlin and David’s wedding was a beautiful testament of not only God’s love for His people, but His people’s love for Him, and for each other. One thousand guests — give or take a few — showed up to celebrate Caitlin and David’s marriage at Aloma Church in Winter Park, where David is one of the pastors. A good number of those guests pitched in to make the day spectacular, from serving food and drinks at the tented reception to handing out programs to ironing linens and decorating the church. As Esther, the wedding coordinator told us, “Caitlin and David are more than well loved.”

That is something you will clearly see.

(Their New Smyrna Beach engagement was also fabulous and well worth a peek, if you can tear yourself away from their wedding.)
My heart skipped a beat when I saw Caitlin’s wedding gown. The filmy lace and net, the sparkly belt, the feminine silhouette — I loved every bit of it. Just as beautiful was the way Caitlin and David used his late father’s Bible in place of a ring pillow. I loved the symbolism: Upon this their marriage began. Back inside the church, Caitlin was already looking stunning.And then came one of the sweetest wedding moments I’ve ever seen. Caitlin (the bride) got Caitlin (the flower girl) to “help” her write a note to David. It’s a note he’ll always cherish — a love letter from his bride on their wedding day. Inside the note was her True Love Waits ring. Flower girl Caitlin hand-delivered it to David, just down the hall.Little Caitlin returned just in time to see bigger Caitlin transform into the most beautiful bride.Wow, Caitlin. Just wow. We headed just out the door for the ladies’ portraits, and into some lovely fall morning sunshine.I could have photographed this bride all day long. . . .. . . because she was seriously stunning.Amazing, right? Even though everyone says a wedding is the bride’s day (I don’t believe it — it’s the couple’s day), we can’t forget about the guys, who were prepping just down the hall, back in the room where little Caitlin had presented David with the letter from his almost-wife. They were looking pretty dapper, and I loved those navy vests almost as much as the chic bridesmaid dresses. But, men, I have to say, the ladies were a tad more glamorous — but only just a tad.Then it was the guys’ turn to head outside for some portraits before the ceremony. They rocked it, of course.About half an hour before the ceremony, David’s mother paid him a visit while Caitlin’s father got his first glimpse of his little girl on her wedding day. I think it might have been even a little bit more emotional than usual for her father, though: He didn’t know he and Caitlin were having a first look until he was in place and waiting for Caitlin to tell him to turn around.After seeing their parents and just before it was time to line up for the ceremony, Caitlin and David each prayed with their bridal party. Danny and I didn’t realize this until we got home that night and looked at the time and date stamps — but they were praying at the very same moment, separated by just a few walls and about twenty yards. It was wonderful.

So was the ceremony. It was so much fun seeing Caitlin and David’s gorgeous engagement session scrolling on the huge screens as the guests waited for the ceremony to begin!
You might have thought that, with 1,000 guests in attendance, everyone Caitlin and David cared about was at the ceremony. But that wasn’t the case. So Aloma Church streamed Caitlin and David’s wedding live on the church website. An additional 400 people turned into their wedding online, including all of Caitlin’s co-workers at her hospital, to watch as the pastor, Anthony, roasted David (whom he has known for twenty years) from the stage and exhorted the couple to continue their marriage on the same Christ-centered path their relationship had followed.David’s expression as he and Caitlin were first introduced as Mr. and Mrs. sums everything up perfectly.After family portraits in the worship center, we ducked out back with the whole bridal party — the whole stylish, amazing bridal party. Take a look for yourself and you’ll see I’m not exaggerating. This group was awesome! While the bridal party kept us entertained for a few minutes, the guests headed out to the tented reception. As soon as we walked in and saw all the beautiful fruit and cheese platters, my mouth was watering. And then I saw the cake. It was the most beautiful, perfect cake. That most beautiful, perfect cake was also at the center of one of the funniest moment of the day.The reception was exactly what Caitlin and David had wanted: A relaxed chance for their friends and family to mingle and meet and enjoy a gorgeous fall afternoon. The kids played with acorns and bubbles. The adults enjoyed the food and conversation. The bride and groom gave out hundreds of hugs.With clouds sweeping in to cover the sun, Caitlin and David made their grand exit and drove off into the not-quite-sunset . . . then circled back to meet us for their portraits. We shot these portraits right at Aloma Church — right as the clouds pulled back to give us the most incredible light for some incredibly gorgeous pictures. There are so many adjectives that could describe all this gorgeousness. I think I’ll go with “dreamy.”I can’t quite come up with the words to describe how wonderful this couple is — and after their portraits, I’m not sure I need any more words. But if you’d like to see even more, check out their wedding day slide show (at 720p for best viewing quality). To watch their slideshow on a smart phone, click here.

Caitlin and David, it was truly a joy being involved in your wedding as you two began a marriage that will surely be blessed, and be a blessing to so many others. We hope you had a wonderful time in the Bahamas, and we pray nothing but the best for the two of you in your life together!

~ Laura + Danny

Vendors:
Venue: Aloma Church
Bride’s Gown and Veil: David’s Bridal
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: David’s Bridal
Groom and Groomsmen’s Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse
Catering: Publix
Singers: Jeff and Lori Fair
Wedding Coordinator: Esther Hand
Photography: Laura Yang Photography