We were so excited to capture Erika and Gunner’s beautiful wedding day at The Highland Manor! We had the honor of bringing our team: Photographer Steven, his assistant Anthony, and Jake as the videographer! Morning preparations took place right across the street at the Hilton Garden Inn Apopka City Center, which was super convenient and super close to the venue. Erika had her own bridal suite on the first floor, which was perfect for hair and makeup with all her ladies! The talented team from Kristy’s Artistry Design Team not only handled glam, but they also helped us stage some beautiful getting-ready moments once hair and makeup wrapped up. They’re always so helpful! Gunner and his groomsmen were hanging out in their room upstairs, and we had them hide for a bit while we grabbed some robe shots with Erika and her girls in the lobby. Once Erika stepped into her gorgeous gown, it was time for the first look, which is always one of our favorite parts of the day! We snuck Gunner across the street to Highland Manor to get him set, and then brought Erika over for the big reveal. These two had the sweetest first look, full of smiles, happy tears, and all the love. We always love doing first looks because it gives us the chance to knock out wedding party photos early, which means more time to enjoy cocktail hour later on! And that’s exactly what we did, we rolled right into wedding party groupings and even had time for some gorgeous couples portraits of Erika and Gunner before the ceremony.
Their ceremony took place beneath Highland Manor’s iconic oak tree with Jillian, a family friend, officiating. The flower girls and ring bearers absolutely stole the show as they made their way down the aisle. Check out those smiles! Erika and Gunner couldn’t stop smiling either, you could feel the love all around. After sealing the deal with a kiss, we gathered everyone for a big group photo out on the front porch, followed by family formals on the staircase inside. We even snuck outside for a few more sunset portraits before the reception kicked off! We made sure to share the spotlight with our videographer Jake, to make sure we both had the opportunities to capture the way we like, which is very important to share time and space when working together! Inside the ballroom, Soundwave Entertainment totally rocked the uplighting, In Bloom Floral rocked the floral arrangements, and W Draping added such an elegant touch with ceiling drapes throughout. We also had our Vintage Walnut photo booth to keep the fun going! We made sure to capture all the gorgeous room details before guests entered! Then it was on to the grand entrance, first dances, and some heartfelt toasts. And of course, a delicious dinner by Dubsdread Catering! There was a fun surprise during the evening, one of their friends, Cooper, grabbed a guitar and sang his version of “Tennessee Whiskey,” and he was amazing!!
The night ended with a private last dance for Erika and Gunner, followed by an epic fiber-optic wand exit under the stars. The perfect ending to a perfect day! Huge thanks to our videographer Jake, who worked right alongside us the entire day! It’s so important to share time and space when we’re capturing moments from both photo and video angles! To Erika and Gunner, thank you SO much for having us. We loved every minute of your day and wish you both a lifetime of love and laughter!
