Today I am excited to share with you these The Gala by JW wedding photos from this classy wedding from earlier this year! This day contains so many emotional moments with the couple and their families, an incredibly fun wedding party, and a few truly breathtaking portraits of the couple together.

The Gala by JW Wedding Photos

I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite images from Carlton and Marissa’s The Gala by JW wedding! I am overjoyed with how this entire day came together in the final gallery, and I know I will be re-posting images from this South Carolina wedding day for months to come. Enjoy!

Preparation for their Wedding Day

Marissa and Carlton both prepared for their wedding day surrounded by their family members and wedding party. Marissa got into her gown on with only her sisters and a few close friends in the room. After she was completely dressed and finished perfecting her wedding day look, we set up a few reveal moments for Marissa and her family and the bride and her bridesmaids! Their reactions to seeing Marissa for the first time in her wedding down were absolutely priceless!

Sentimental Gift Exchange

The couple exchanged gifts to one another on their Gala by JW wedding day, and I absolutely loved that Marissa provided Carlton with a voice memo that went along with the gifts that she gave him. It was such a sweet and unique way for her to convey to him how much these gifts meant to them both and allow Carlton to hear her voice before the ceremony! Marissa gifted her groom gorgeous timepiece to wear on the day and a locket with Carlton’s mother’s portrait in it to ensure Carlton could have his mom there with him on his wedding day. Carlton gifted Marissa with a gorgeous set of classic pearls I know she will treasure for the rest of her life. I absolutely love it when couples exchange gifts with each other on their wedding days, and I cannot get over how sweet and thoughtful the locket that Marissa gave Carlton was!

Back-to-Back Bride and Groom Prayer

Marissa and Carlton opted to not see each other before their ceremony, but still wanted to be able to chat for a moment and pray over one another before their marriage. My team and I set up a back-to-back first prayer with the couple to allow for them to chat for a moment and pray without Carlton seeing Marissa. It was a sweet and somber moment. This sweet moment of prayer set the tone for their entire wedding day; a day completely focused on their love, their families, and their faith.

Portraits with the Wedding Party

After the couple prayed over one another, we split up the groom and his guys and the bride and her girls for a few portraits of the wedding party before the ceremony! This group was such a fun group to photograph, and I absolutely love the maroon sequin dresses Marissa chose for her girls to wear! Don’t you??

The Gala by JW Ceremony

Then it was time for the big event, the ceremony! Carlton and Marissa were joined by their closest friends and family to witness their wedding ceremony. It was a beautiful moment to watch Marissa and her dad make their way down the aisle towards a groom with tears in his eyes. Carlton‘s reaction to seeing his wife-to-be come down the isle was so sweet, and truly shows how thankful he is for Marissa‘s presence in his life!

Hand-Written Vows

The couple exchanged rings and said their vows through a few laughs and joyful tears. Both of them wrote their own vows to the other, and I just have to say, I absolutely adore when couples choose to write their own wedding vows to one another!

Full Stylish Wedding Party Photos

After Carlton and Marissa were married, we jumped right into photographing their formal portraits together as a couple and with their wedding party. Can we just talk about how good-looking of a group this entire wedding party is!? I mean, come ON!

Mr. & Mrs. Heard

After a few minutes with the whole squad, we took some time to photograph the couple for the first time together as Mr. and Mrs. Heard!

Outdoor Couples Portraits

I don’t think I can choose a favorite amongst all of these beautiful portraits. Carlton and Marissa are both such beautiful humans, inside and out, and they photographed together flawlessly! Though we did not have an engagement session to help prepare them for being photographed together on their wedding day, these two rocked it out! Beautiful portraits of a couple are always easier to create when you have a couple like Marissa and Carlton; a couple so in love, it’s evident in every way that they move around each other, touch each other, and react to each other.

The Gala by JW Reception

After the formal portraits, then the party began! Carlton and Marissa shared a first dance as a couple, and then Marissa and her father danced together. Carlton then shared an emotional dance with his two aunts in memory of his mother. After that, the couple and their guests ate, drank, and danced the night away! It was such a fun reception within the Gala by JW, and we rounded out the evening’s photos with a few shots of Carlton and his groomsmen enjoying a late night cigar.

I hope you thoroughly enjoyed scrolling through my favorite frames from Carlton and Marissa‘s wedding day at the Gala by JW. These The Gala by JW wedding photos are so full love, emotion, and joy; the emotion from their day is so evident in these photos! I am honored to share them with you today.

The Gala by JW Wedding Photos

Being Carlton and Marissa‘s South Carolina wedding photographer was such a joy, and like I said before, I’m not going to stop showing off this beautiful couple and their day anytime soon! Congratulations once again to the newlyweds, and be sure to leave a comment in the comments below if you loved their wedding photos as much as I did!

To Carlton and Marissa, you too! Oh my goodness! I cannot believe that our experience together is already over. If feels like yesterday that Marissa and I were sharing a phone conversation about your wedding day plans and everything you wanted for your day. I absolutely loved walking through this experience with you too, and I hope you know how much fun it was for me and my team to join you on your wedding day! I am so thrilled with how your wedding day’s images came together in the final gallery, and I hope that you to treasure these images for years to come. Thank you for allowing me to live my dream every day; it’s couples like you two that make my world go ‘round! I better see you two back for anniversary portraits and family photos when the time comes, ya hear? I know you two are only going to continue to go up from here, and I can’t wait to witness that journey. Wishing you both many years of happiness to come! All my love!

Vendors:

Venue: The Gala by JW
Marissa’s Apparel: Evelyn’s Bridal, Casablanca Bridal ; Betsey Johnson
Carlton’s Apparel: Men’s Warehouse ; Fossil
Wedding Party Members’ Attire: Carolina Couture, House of WU ; Men’s Warehouse
Florist: Woolbright Flowers
Wedding Cake Vendor: Tastee Creations & Catering
DJ: DJ Bwhite, Operation Make the Bride Happy Weddings
Wedding Coordination and Planning: Elegant Events and Designs LLC
Makeup Artist: Makeup by Delia Cherie & Legendary Beats by K.Nicole
Hair Stylist: Styles by Cynthia Noble
Catering Company: Blue Marlin