80 Years Later, By JD Swiger [Rf Wedding of the Week]

October 27, 2016

By Laura Brauer

Covering the nuptials of couple Kristal and Paul at the San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas, on October 15 brought photographer JD Swiger full circle in his own life. “What made this wedding special for me was seeing the place where my grandparents were married almost 80 years ago,” he says. “Apparently not much has changed since then and it is still just as beautiful as it was in the photos I saw as a kid. Kristal and Paul were such a fun couple to photograph and I’m thankful for them letting me go with them around San Antonio to get some great shots.”

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All Photos © JD Swiger

Swiger says that shooting in the Texas heat is always a challenge, and due to the church’s schedule of masses, Paul and Kristal’s wedding had to be held midday and photos were to follow afterwards. “The couple thought it would be fun to shoot some photos right after the ceremony with the wedding party outside. Knowing that midday light wouldn’t be the best for photos, we found some nooks and crannies in the shade at one of San Antonio’s oldest landmark, Mission Concepcion. Having to dodge tourists and the harsh light was a bit problematic, but we were able to make it work with the help of a few bridesmaids blocking the light so we could make a beautiful portrait of Kristal in the Mission. After a few shots outdoors everyone was starting to get overheated and so we went to the hotel lobby of the beautiful St. Anthony hotel and shot more portraits inside.”

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(“A huge shout-out to the talented William Martin for helping me capture this beautiful wedding,” Swiger says.)

GEAR OF THE DAY

Cameras: Canon 5D Mark III (x2)
Lenses: 24mm Canon f/1.4, 35mm Sigma Art f/1.4, 50mm Sigma Art f/1.4, 70-200mm Canon 2.8II
Lighting: Canon 580EX II flashes (x2), Profoto B1 (x2), Profoto Small Umbrella

VENDOR CREDITS
Ceremony Venue: San Fernando Cathedral
Reception Venue: The St. Anthony Hotel
Rentals (linens and chargers): Parties by Design
DJ: Lumen Events
Transportation: ETI Limo
Florist: Soukhasine-Lay’s Floral Design
Coordination: Helayne Nicholson, The Road to Marriage
Photography: John David Weddings

Check out more Weddings of the Week, and email Libby Peterson or Jacqueline Tobin with submissions.