Barbara and Alex had a beautiful Catholic wedding at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and The Fennec in Birmingham last weekend! It was a beautiful fall day with lots of intentionality from the couple and a lovely autumnal florals and color palette.
Their love story is best told in their own words: “Scene: a night shift at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. An experienced Labor and Delivery nurse and a newly-minted Family Medicine resident physician on his first month of clinical rotations lock eyes across the nursing station. He sees a tattoo on her arm: “totus tuus.” He asks if she is Catholic too. They start to talk. Is this real life or an episode of Grey’s Anatomy? Would HR need to be involved?
Through God’s providence, our stories became intertwined on one ordinary Labor and Delivery night shift at St. Mary’s Hospital. And ever since, our lives have been forever changed for the better. It is in His providence and by His grace that we have been called to share in the joys of life as well as its sufferings and disappointments. We will likely never fully understand why we were placed on this journey. But it is with the utmost gratitude and trust in God that we walk forward into the Sacrament of Marriage to witness to love and family, and to glorify God with our lives.“
Catholic Wedding Mass in Birmingham
Trust and gratitude are truly the best ways to describe this beautiful wedding day. It was clear how much Babs and Alex trusted each other and that they had found a home in the other person throughout the day! My sweet husband got to accompany me to second shoot the wedding day, which is always the best. Working with him is the best!
The morning of the wedding was calm yet fun, much like Bab’s personality. Corrie with Corrie Stephens Events kept the wedding day running so smoothly and was a great asset. The engraving on the box she gave her mom made everyone present cry! Her friends and bridesmaids were so sweet too. The couple chose to do a first look prior to their ceremony, which was perfect for them. Barbara gifted Alex a box of letters she had written to her future husband since she was 15 years old! *Cue the tears!!*
The Catholic wedding Mass at St. Francis Xavier was beautiful! They had a traditional wedding Mass celebrated by a priest friend who loved them dearly. Babs and Alex processed into the wedding together, which is traditionally called for in the Catholic wedding rite. The couple incorporated a wedding crucifix and flowers to Mary during their ceremony. I love that the flower girls’ dresses mirrored the flower motif from Bab’s wedding veil. For portraits, we went over to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The lighting and backdrop was incredible! The area was full of other photographers, but we got all the stunning photos we needed.
The Fennec Wedding Reception in Birmingham
The Fennec was such a fun vibe for a wedding reception! The orange uplighting and table details made it feel like fall inside too. I love when venues have string lights on the ceiling. Babs and Alex chose to attend their cocktail hour (with a cute shoe change for Babs) and begin their reception with dinner instead of introductions. After their plated dinner, they did introductions, first dances, and speeches. Their guests loved to dance, and the couple spent lots of time getting to visit with the people they loved. Barbara had told me that the cake from Olexa’s Cafe was one of her top priorities for the wedding day, and WOW – it was fantastic! They wrapped up the night with a private last dance and a sparkler exit.
I’m so grateful for the sweet couples who trust me to capture their wedding day – congratulations Barbara and Alex!
Vendors
Planner: Corrie Stephens Events || Church: St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church || Reception Venue/Catering/Bar Services: The Fennec || Photography: Nicole Sandercock Photography || Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie || Baker: Olexa’s Cafe || Flowers: Simply Sage Florals || DJ: RTR Pro Entertainment || Chairs & Linens: EventWorks Rentals || Stationery: Minted || Hair: Sydney Jones || Makeup: Beauty by Tori Mejia
