Wedding at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral & Hotel Colonnade | Christina + James

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Sep 21

the bride and groom share their first kiss as newlyweds in the cathedral of their ceremony. the dome walls inside the cathedral are filled with religious murals.

On this gorgeous July day, we are at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral for the wedding ceremony of Christina and James. The Cathedral is one of Miami’s oldest Greek churches founded in 1927 and relocated after 20 years. St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral has beautiful Byzantine architecture! Its marble floors, original chandeliers, and a 60-foot high dome are worth noting. The Cathedral holds a lot of meaning for the people who attend, and that is one reason why Christina and James held their wonderful ceremony here!

A fun fact is that it was founded by Greek immigrants and their names appear on the cornerstone of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The Cathedral conducts their services and hosts cultural events like festivals, dances, and more.

inside the rotunda of the hotel colonnade is the wedding reception. at the center is a giant circular fountain that has tropical plants around it. the walls are lined with sheer white curtains and the tables are round with gold chairs.

Within the walls of the Hotel Colonnade you will find a refined large space with a neoclassical marble-tiled rotunda that has a 60-foot dome. The dome allows plenty of natural light in! It’s simply breathtaking! The Hotel Colonnade was the perfect location for Christina and James to host their wedding reception. They intricately chose to fill the rotunda with beautiful greenery that compliments their wedding color palette of white, black, champagne, and gold.

the bride is in her white robe surrounded by her bridesmaids in leopard robes. they are on the bed of their hotel room inside the hotel colonnade. they are eager to get ready for the big day,

the bride and her squad of six bridesmaids open up a. bottle of champagne for the big day. they celebrate inside their hotel room while getting ready in their robes

I met with Christina and her wedding squad in their room at the Hotel Colonnade where they were all getting ready. The vibe in their room was one of joy and excitement! To celebrate the day, they opened up a bottle of champagne. Nothing is better while getting ready with your girls than cheers-ing with a glass of bubbly!

the bride and groom pose for portraits after the wedding ceremony in the cathedral. behind them is a mural of religious figures.the bride and groom are staring into each other's eyes

the bride and groom pose for portraits outside the hall of hotel colonnade. the bride's train takes up almost the space of the entire floor beuatifully. her left hand is on her groom's shoulder while they both look back at the camera.

the bride and groom share a kiss in the rotunda of the hotel colonnade. the bride's train looks gorgeous against the backdrop. in the back there are firework like fixtures adding to the romantic scene

Christina looks so beautiful in her wedding gown! And doesn’t James look so dapper! The Hotel Colonnade and the Cathedral are the perfect backdrop to get some fabulous portraits of the couple. Christina and James were having so much fun while taking their portraits. They describe themselves as a classic and romantic couple. Aren't they the cutest?

the bride is accompanied down the aisle by her father. From the door frame of the cathedral you can see the inside mural and chandelier. The bride's train is just beautiful and long as her father walks her down the aisle.

The first time James saw Christina in her wedding gown was this exact moment at the ceremony. It was so beautiful seeing his happy tears as he saw his future bride walk down the aisle of the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral. In the Greek Orthodox Church, the wedding ceremony unites the bride and groom in faith, oneness of mind, in truth, and in love. The ceremony holds symbols that reflect important elements of marriage—love, mutual respect, equality, and sacrifice. In traditions, the wedding ceremony is actually composed of two services, the Betrothal and Crowing. During the Betrothal ceremony, Christina and James exchanged rings three times to represent the Holy Trinity. During the Crowning, Christina and James held lit candles, wore the crowns of marriage, shared a common cup, and did a ceremonial walk around the table. I feel so honored to be able to capture Christina and James’s lovely ceremony. Συγχαρητήρια!

Christina and James enter the rotunda of the Hotel Colonnade as newlyweds! They are embraced with so much love and excitement from their closest family and friends. They share a fairytale first dance where they are “showered” with gifts as their loved ones shower them with money to symbolically establish them as a couple. This was followed by energetic group dances where they all wound their way around the reception space as the music played. It was such a fun day! I wish you both, Christina and James, all the happiness the world has to offer as you continue your journey together as husband and wife!

If you’re interested in seeing more beautiful moments I’ve captured as a Miami photographer, head to my Instagram. You can also get in touch to be a part of the family to have your love story told by me! Other vendors that assisted in creating this event are: wedding planning done by JV Wedding Planning, bridal valet by Definition Bridal, bridal dress by Bijou Bridal, videography by Shutter & Sound Films, florals and rentals by W&W Flower & Events, other rentals by Imperial Event Rentals, makeup by The Beauty Suite New York, hair by S Glam Pro, DJ/Lighting/Photobooth by DJ Taso, cake and sweets by Elegant Temptations, seating chart design by Miami Writes Co. Calligraphy and Designs, cigar roller by My Cigar Roller, Hora Loca by J&G Entertainment, transportation by American Transportation and Limo Service, and the wedding reception venue at Hotel Colonnade Weddings.