Category Archives: Weddings

The Bridal Extravaganza Show
Houston, Texas
SGI Photography

It was an honor for me to meet so many wonderful brides-to-be at The Bridal Extravaganza Show last weekend in Houston, Texas! I enjoyed visiting with my current and future clients! As Randy Fenoli would say, “You’re beautiful!” I really look forward to creating beautiful wedding photographs for each of you! A big thank you to my daughter, Anya, for her assistance with SGI Photography’s booth on Sunday!

Don’t forget ~ if you book us within 10 days of the show, you can receive a free guest/reception book featuring your engagement photos!

If you didn’t make it to The Bridal Extravaganza Show this time, make plans now to attend July 21-22, 2012. In the meantime, give SGI Photography a call to check our availability and to discuss all of your photography needs!

Aggie Wedding Reception
The Firehouse Saloon
Houston, Tx

You’ve never been to a Texas wedding until you have experienced an ‘Aggie‘ wedding!
Megan and Patrick are both graduates of Texas A&M. They met in Aggieland (also known as College Station) after a Fightin’ Texas Aggie football game. They were with their respective best friends who knew each other, and introduced them at the Mad Hatter’s bar. Patrick proposed on the beach in Galveston, TX. It was just the two of them sharing lunch together. He had the most beautiful pear shaped diamond ring in the world for Megan! Galveston, TX is a very special place for Megan. She grew up going to the beach with her family and grandparents.

Megan and Patrick’s wedding revealed their personalities with a formal wedding, and a “get down good ole’ time” reception at The Firehouse Saloon in Houston, Texas.
The Firehouse Saloon is a true Texas “honky tonk”, complete with neon beer signs, and boots hanging from the ceiling. The bride and her attendants (including the darling flower girls and ring bearers) changed into cowboy boots for the reception.

This is where the intense school spirit and passion really flowed! Camaraderie was apparent when they began to sing the Aggie War Hymn with all of the other Aggies in attendance! Singing the fight song with their arms around each other in a gigantic circle, swaying back and forth is a powerful tradition at Aggie weddings! Of course it wouldn’t be an Aggie wedding without a WHOOP!!! Gig’em, Aggies!

The groom’s two-tiered chocolate cake was topped with a large gold Aggie Ring, featuring the bride and groom’s class year; 2007. The bride’s cake was a four-tiered cake, with alternating tiers of white wedding cake and carrot cake, layered with cream cheese icing, and frosted with vanilla buttercream. The bride’s cake was adorned with gorgeous ivory and blush peonies flowers. Both cakes were created by Edible Designs by Jessie.

Megan’s stunning gown was love at first sight. It was the first dress she tried on.
The dress was ivory, made of alencon lace, by La Sposa. The veil was handmade by Tracey, the mother of the bride from yards and yards of tulle. The bride wore a garter, given to her by her ‘alternate’ mothers, Tracey’s three best friends from college, Julie, Cecilia and Glenda. The garter had been made by the bride’s grandmother.
After their lovely formal wedding ceremony and fun-filled Aggie wedding reception, Megan and Patrick were off to spend their honeymoon in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
The happy, newlywed Aggie couple feel truly blessed to have such wonderful families and friends. “The love and support we have received throughout our lives was very visible at our wedding and we could not have asked for a more beautiful, fun and fabulous day.”

Megan and Patrick, we wish you a beautiful and blessed marriage!

Contact your Houston Wedding photographer about your wedding TODAY!

Can my guests take pictures at my wedding?

I’ve heard much discussion recently about photographers who limit or restrict guests from taking pictures. Different photographers have different policies regarding this…with some being more restrictive than others. Here is a factual look at why most photographers have such policies in place. It’s really not about missed sales opportunities to the guests, far from it. Actually, it’s more about the photographer’s ability to provide the best images that they can for their client. Most photographers care very deeply about the images they produce, and when a great image is compromised by a guest with a camera…or missed altogether…it’s frustrating to the photographer. And it’s been known to cause brides to be very angry with their photographer over missed pictures, when in fact; it was completely out of the photographer’s control. Here’s a few real world examples of what can go wrong…

During the bridal and family photographs…some of the subjects may look at someone with a camera other than the photographers…so you end up with family and bridal portraits that have some of the people looking in different directions. That doesn’t make for a very appealing image. And while these can usually be retouched to some degree, it may cost you significant money. Your photographer got no emotionally charged images of the father/daughter dance…because the entire time there were friends and relatives calling your names and tapping you on the shoulder to turn and look at them so they could take your picture. That wonderful moment when you were dancing with your brother would have made a great photograph had it not been for that big orange glow on his face coming from the focus assist light on someone’s camera. I know a photographer who once was unable to get any images at all of the ring exchange. The priest had restricted him to the very back of the church, and although he could see down the aisle just fine with a telephoto lens, his view was completely blocked by the three guests with cell phone cameras who got up and stood in the aisle near the front.

We can go on…but I think you see my point. Wedding photographers in general understand that guests want to take pictures. They expect it. They know that many guests bring cameras, even if it’s a cell phone camera. They certainly don’t want to deny anyone the chance to take a picture. Most photographers will tell you that they want the guests to take as many pictures as they like. But they also hope that they’re given the opportunity to produce their best work for their clients. They don’t expect a client to tell their guests to leave their digital and cell phone cameras at home, but they do hope that you understand that sometimes an otherwise well intentioned guest will compromise their best efforts. All they want is the chance to give their clients the best possible work that they can. They want their clients to be thrilled with the images…not unhappy because something got missed or ruined.

Professional Photographer’s Convention
Houston, Texas December 4-5, 2011

Attending the Professional Photographer’s Guild of Houston Convention at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Houston, Texas was edifying experience. I was able to hear several famous photographers speak. Trying to absorb all of the wisdom, experience and advice from the World Class masters in photography in two days was quite intense! It was an incredible gathering of very talented professional photographers from the Houston area! It was an honor for me to meet many of them, and especially to meet one of my mentors in person: professional wedding photographer, Doug Gordon. In recent years, I have learned a tremendous amount of valuable professional tips and information from him.

Ashelynn Manor
Wedding Photography
A Love Story

Ashley and Doug met in August of 2008 at a Mcdonalds in College Station, TX while going to Texas A&M. Doug caught Ashley’s eye and she decided to be daring and leave a note on his car with her number. Doug wasted no time. Fifteen minutes later, he called Ashley, and they completely hit it off!
Doug proposed on December 5th, 2010. They went to church with Ashley’s family that morning. After church, Doug said that he had a special date prepared for Ashley. They went to his house to pick up some things then went to a little lake nearby. Doug laid out a picnic with chocolate fondue and wine, and had printed out a crossword puzzle for us to work on (they love crossword puzzles). Little did Ashley know, Doug had actually created the puzzle himself and it was all about their past year together!
Shortly after completing the puzzle, Doug proposed! They were engaged for 10 months before their October 29th wedding at Ashelynn Manor ~ a truly romantic and picturesque wedding venue!

Ashley found her wedding gown at a store in Houston, near Hwy 290 and the 610 Loop called Ventura’s Bridal. The designer is Christina Wu. She absolutely loved this gown; it appeared to be so elegant yet playful at the same time! The wedding cake was made by Bavarian Cakery which was referred to them by Ashelynn Manor. The groom’s cake was done by a family friend.
Around 190 guests attend their wedding. That’s what Ashley and Doug loved about their wedding; having all of the family and friends that were able to make it out there. Without them, they said, the day wouldn’t have been as special.
The color palette for the wedding was navy blue, silver and olive green. Ashley chose these colors because she wanted something elegant, yet country at the same time. The guy’s tuxes were gray and they couldn’t have matched more perfectly with what Ashley had pictured in her head. All in all, the wedding turned out beautifully ~ Ashley credits her amazing mother!
Doug was a nervous wreck during the ceremony. In addition to his stammering through a few words, he didn’t quite put the unity candle back in the correct way, so right as the minister said “you may now kiss the bride” Doug’s candle fell right off the stand! Looking back, they find it was quite humorous!

For their honeymoon Ashley and Doug went to the Dominican Republic and stayed at a resort called Sanctuary Cap Cana owned by Salamander Resorts. The resort was absolutely breath taking and they had the time of their lives on vacation! We’re so happy for Ashley and Doug, and pray for a lifetime of love ahead of them!