Meet Joey + cAITLIN
Joey had just moved to Jacksonville, FL, when he went on Catholic Match to see if the Lord would use the dating site to lead him to his future wife. A the same time, Caitlin had finally decided to give online dating a try, so signed up for the dating site as well. She was on there maybe twenty-four hours when the first and only guy she messaged back was Joey. They decided to meet for a low-key date to get to know each other and the rest is history.
Jack and I met Joey and Caitlin through our Church, Holy Family, where Caitlin was volunteering with the girls youth ministry there. When Joey came onto the scene, it was obvious that he brought out the best in Caitlin. They not only share a love for the Lord, but are both people-people, family-oriented, and love having a good time. Their wedding day didn't fail to reflect these values that they hold so dear. We hope you enjoy walking through their day with us!
Getting ready
Joey and Caitlin decided to get ready at the Hyatt in downtown Jacksonville. Caitlin was in a large bridal suite and Joey got ready with the men in his room. The morning was low key and chill—just the bride and groom casually getting ready with their family and bridal party. We gave plenty of time in their timeline for the getting ready part of the day so that the morning could be laid back. This was important to the couple, and we definitely did not want them to feel rushed at all! Plus, we always say more rather than less time is always better in the beginning of the day as things happen and at some point we will run "behind." The extra time in the getting ready part of the day also allowed us to do a "first look" with Caitlin's dad and bridesmaids, AND get all of the bride/bridesmaids and groom/groomsmen photos done before the ceremony (which was super helpful on saving time later in the day).
THE CEREMONY
The Nuptial Mass was celebrated at Holy Family Catholic Church in Jacksonville, FL (where they are parishioners). Joey and Caitlin wanted to do a first touch and prayer together without seeing each other before their Nuptial Mass, so we got to the Church early to do this before guests started to arrive. We were also able to capture a first look with Caitlin's grandparents, which was super sweet. After the first looks, Caitlin got stashed in a room near the back of the Church until the start of the Mass. The Mass was beautiful and reverent (they opted for a Novus Ordo Mass that was celebrated Ad Orientum). They honored Our Lady and St. Joseph by giving flowers to the Holy Family after Communion (a common practice at Holy Family). Joey also threw in a nice dip kiss as they processed out of the Church as husband and wife for the first time—much to the delight of all those present (especially us the photographers haha).
portrait time!
After the Mass, we circled back into the Church for family portraits. Both Joey and Caitlin had big families and several large groups of photos, so we made sure to have a list with us of photo combinations and peoples' names so we could call them out. This is where our preparation before the big day comes in clutch. We had met with Joey and Caitlin a few weeks before to go through their timeline and also create this family shot list so we could knock these out quickly! After family photos, everyone headed to the reception except for the bride and groom. We stayed in the Church and took some portraits there as well as outside (these always seem to be some of our favorites on weddings days!). From there, we drove to the reception in downtown Jacksonville. We met at a large park next to the Hyatt where we took all of our full bridal party photos first (thanks to our extra time in the getting ready part of the day, we only had to do full group getting ready photos and not all of the individuals, which saved a bunch of time). After bridal party photos, we got to have some fun with Caitlin and Joey for 45 minutes or so as we took photos in the large field with a city-scape and waterfront view, as well as down by the river. We finished just in time—the rain started coming down right as we were finishing up! (Thankfully, we always bring a couple of clear umbrellas so our couples can stay dry, and we won't have to miss any moments on camera!
The reception
The cocktail hour was outside on a large patio overlooking the river and downtown Jacksonville. Guests got to mingle and eat some yummy appetizers as the bridal party and couple took photos. We had finished up portrait time a little early, so Joey and Caitlin actually got to take 10-15 minutes to themselves (and get something to eat) before walking in to the reception. We always like to recommend this to our couples if they have time to work it into their day because it's SO hard to eat at your reception when you just want to see all of the people there! After bridal party entrances, the couple was announced as husband and wife and went straight into their first dance. After that, they blessed the food and a plated dinner was served. Best man, maid of honor, and father of the bride speeches happened near the end of the meal, followed by the father-daughter dance and mother-son dance. Then, the dance floor opened and the REAL party started! We have to say that this reception was a blast purely because of how many kids were in attendance. As you'll see by the photos, the kids DOMINATED the dance floor and made it so much fun for everyone in attendance. Joey and Caitlin's day convinced us that if the wedding budget can allow kids to come, DO IT! They only add to the fun atmosphere and party-vibes!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU Joey and Caitlin for the beautiful witness of your love and Marriage! We will continue to pray for you in your journey to heaven together. The fun is just beginning!
Special thanks to all of the amazing vendors of their day:
Photo - The Delac Collective
Video- The Catholic Wedding Videographer
Floral- The Little Flower Bunch
Hair + Makeup - NIC studios
Entertainment - DJ Enterprise Music
Transportation- Tipper Transportation
Cake- Biscottis
Planner - Shannon Jones
Bridesmaids - Azazie
Wedding Gown - Debra’s Bridal
