If you know anything about E & W you know two things. They love Crumbl Cookies (who doesn’t?) and they love their two dogs. They are a bit of a blended family with Kiaha, a Bernedoodle (hers) and Burnie, a Bernese mountain dog (his) who have come together to enjoy as many nights of cookies as possible. It’s going quite well.
The two met as most stories start these days, on the internet. They took a first date that was supposed to be a quick pizza dinner to a 3.5-hour event. That rapidly turned into not leaving each others sides. They were on a tour of a winery with family and she walked into a room and picked up a bottle that was labeled with “Are you ready to be Mrs. C?” She was.
The couple lives in Chicago so they decided they wanted their engagement photos to reflect the city where they became a couple. We chose a few different locations to show their love of the city and their love of desserts. Really the only disappointing part was that Kiaha and Burnie didn’t join us.
Ceremony
For their winter St. Clair Ballroom wedding, the couple chose to celebrate in November in Northeast Ohio. Planning a wedding in the winter comes with some added logistical components. They held a full mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland. It is one of the most beautiful churches in this area. Their mass included the wedding lasso tradition, something you’ll find typically in ceremonies with Latin culture. It was included to honor W’s Mexican heritage within their celebration. This tradition is part of where we get terms like “tying the knot”. It’s most often when someone important to the couple (many times Godparents) places a figure-eight “rope” or garland around the couple during the mass.
Thankfully even though it was winter, the weather was kind enough to allow us brief moments outside. Following mass was the moment everyone was waiting for with Kiaha and Burnie finally joining us for a few photos. One of my favorite moments of the day was E’s face as she saw them approaching. It’s really a shame these dogs aren’t loved. 😉
Winter Reception at St. Clair Ballroom
Their reception was held at the St. Clair Ballroom. One of the reasons I love when couples choose this venue is the perfect blend of timeless elegance and modern sophistication. The ballroom’s stunning architecture, with its grand chandeliers, incredible views of the city, and intricate details, provides a beautiful backdrop for the celebration portion of the day.
It’s a great option any time of the year, but it’s especially incredible in the winter months or when weather is a concern, which let’s be real, is all the time. As a photography team, it’s hard to go wrong in this space because there are just so many great and unique places to capture, something you don’t always find in a hotel ballroom. Ultimately though, it’s those windows, you just don’t find that in many places. That combined with great service, makes this personally one of my favorite ballrooms in the Cleveland area.
Private Vows at St. Clair Ballroom
Because E & W were celebrating a full mass, they knew they wouldn’t be able to share personal vows and that was something that was important to them. Because of that, we scheduled time for the two of them to share private vows, just the two of them. It was one of the best parts of the day. There are so few moments that you get to be alone on your wedding day, which is something that doesn’t really make sense or you might not expect, but it’s true. Finding a few moments for just the two of you can be incredibly important and meaningful. It was for E & W.
The night ended with an amazing party with the joy of people being together who don’t always get to be in one place. What a beautiful once-in-a-lifetime moment for this winter St. Clair ballroom wedding. E & W – we adore you two! Thank you for having us.
