I had been looking forward to it all year and Rachel and Cody’s romantic winter wedding at The Vine did not disappoint! It was definitely the coldest wedding we had ever photographed, and I was so grateful that I ended up bringing two jackets since I couldn’t decide on which one to wear at first. I wore both of them, in case you were wondering!

It was a chilly, rainy December day, but no one really seemed to mind! Rachel’s stunning, long-sleeved Eddy-K gown was perfect for the wintery occasion! Rachel’s bridesmaids snuggled up in their fly fur coats and it truly was as wintery as you can get in Houston!

They were all giggles during their first look, and then Rachel was all sweet tears walking down the aisle! It was such an emotional moment watching her walk down the aisle toward her man. You can tell what a perfect match these two are!

Wedding Prep at The Vine

Rachel’s jewel-toned florals paired perfectly with her blush and gold shoes and dangly earrings.

These maroon and blue mis-matched flannels kept the bride & her maids nice and warm while they were getting ready. Check out their adorable snuggly socks too!

First Look with Dad

First Looks with Dad are a must for any daddy’s girl on her wedding day! The special moment always happens at some point before the ceremony, but making time for it in your wedding timeline ensures both your photographer and videographer will be there to capture it.

The Handsome Groom and His Groomsmen

The rainy weather put a small damper on where we shot, but that didn’t stop these guys from GQ’ing it up! Plus the string lights inside of the Vine added a special romantic touch!

Bride And Groom Letter Readings

The First Look

I can’t explain to you the difference we saw in Cody from when he was getting ready to after he saw his bride-to-be! He went from nervous and jittery to calm and collected in a matter of seconds! He was a whole new man in front of the camera.

Rachel and Her Bridesmaids

The rich tones of the bouquets paired beautifully with their maroon bridesmaid dresses. Not to mention, the rain kind of looks like snow flutters in some of the photos! Let’s just say it was snow. ; ) We’d call this a winter wedding success for sure!

And if you are wondering what the behind the scenes of this looks like, don’t worry! We made sure to document that too. Thankfully, there were three of us photographing this day and our favorite, Lindsay with Lean on Me Events, there to make sure we stayed somewhat dry. We just consider each rainy wedding to be a Cotton snuggle party! : )

We really tried our hardest to get the flower girl and ring bearer to hold hands, but I think it might have been moving a little fast for her liking. He, on the other hand, was happy to oblige! Or try, at least!

 

Portraits with the Bride and Groom

Doing a First Look before the ceremony means you don’t have to worry about doing any romantic portraits post-ceremony. Sometimes we like to pull our couples away for a few sunset photos. Since that wasn’t an option for Rachel and Cody’s day, they were completely done with their portraits before the ceremony began.

After the ceremony, we just had a few sets of large family photos. After that, they were off and running to the party! Trust us, once you see all your favorite friends and family it’s really hard to want to be separated from them to do photos for an hour or more after the ceremony.

Wedding Planner Perks

Rachel found the perfect planner for her winter wedding at The Vine! Lindsay and her wonderful team are the in-house coordinaters at the Vine. They do everything from day-of coordinating, making sure everything goes off without a hitch, to full-service planning, months of advice, design, and planning from the day you get engaged!

Lindsay and her team go above beyond for all of their brides! It’s meaningful gestures like this one, helping carry Rachel’s dress and making sure she always had an umbrella, that we love capturing! So much of a planner’s hard work goes unnoticed but trust us, they are worth every penny! Behind every great wedding is a fabulous planner like Lindsay!

Ceremony in The Vine’s White Chapel

Reception at The Vine

The photos hardly do this venue justice! It’s so tall and gorgeous that it takes your breath away. The addition of string lights makes it so warm, inviting, and romantic. That, paired with the vintage wine barrels and incredible barn doors, makes this venue truly unique!

We told you these wine barrels are pretty epic, right?!

The Private Last Dance

Over the past year, it seems like private last dances have become a wedding staple. We couldn’t possibly love this new trend more! You get so few moments with just the two of you alone on your wedding day. Ending the night with this special time to soak in the moment is an absolute win in our book.

Rachel and Cody, we are so happy for you two. Y’all are a dream! We were so honored to be by your side throughout your season of engagement and your beautiful wedding! We hope you enjoyed every moment of your romantic winter wedding!

Vendor Dream Team

Planning & Design: Lean on Me Events | Venue: The Vine | Hair & Makeup: Butter Artistry | Floral: Blooms Design Studio by HEB | Dress: Bridehouse Bridal – Eddy K | Jewelry: Kendra Scott | Wedding Bands: Herfort Diamond Ring Factory | Tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse | Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale – Brickhouse Bridal | DJ: J&A Entertainment | Catering: Cafe Natalie | Cake: Cakes by Gina | Shoes: Kate Spade | Linens: Events to Remember | Invitations: Nine 0 Nine | Videography: Reverent | Officiant: Dane Lucas