Hotel Granduca Wedding Photographer | Vivian and Andrei

Hotel Granduca Wedding Photographer | Weddings by Tony and Elena

What an amazing experience we had with Vivian and Andrei! From the moment they stepped foot into our home, we knew that we were going to love working with them. They are both so kind and nice and they both possess, what is to me, one of the most endearing traits a person can have: they love to laugh, they laugh easily, and they laugh a lot. It was just a joy for Elena and I to be part of their wedding day. And if all of that wasn’t enough, their pictures are breathtaking! We’re so excited to share them.

Tea Ceremony and Saint Mary Cathedral

Maybe it’s because we are from different cultures or maybe we’re both just curious people by nature, but whatever the reason Elena and I love weddings that encompass tradition and culture. Vivian and Andrei’s wedding was perfect for us. We started the day early with a traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony at Hotel Granduca (I’ll talk about this amazing place more in a bit). Many people, including Vivian, were in traditional Vietnamese dress and everyone was so colorful and beautiful. It was so cool to watch Vivian and Andrei exchange tea with their parents and grandparents. And seeing the older generations give their guidance and blessing to the marriage was a really powerful moment.

After the tea ceremony, the guests enjoyed lunch while Vivian changed into her traditional American wedding gown. Everyone then made their way to Saint Mary Cathedral in downtown Austin. This is, hands down, one of most favorite places for wedding ceremonies. Texas isn’t known for its wealth of architecture so having the opportunity to photograph at a place as beautiful as St Mary is truly an honor. After the beautiful ceremony, we spent a few minutes taking family pictures and then everyone headed outside to make their way back to Hotel Granduca. But, we couldn’t leave St Mary without bearing with the summer heat for a few minutes to get some pictures outside. We were so thankful that Vivian and Andrei (and their AMAZING wedding party) were so willing to let us take a few pictures. They were all so much fun and the pictures we took are some of our favorites…ever!

Hotel Granduca Wedding Reception

Once we finished at the church, we made our way back to the hotel. This was our first time to be part of a wedding at Hotel Granduca and to put it simply: we were blown away! Everyone at the hotel was so friendly and helpful. And the hotel itself is stunning! Every little detail was just perfect. The lobby, the courtyard (WOW!), the reception room…superb! Honestly, we’ve shot over 400 weddings and our experience at Hotel Granduca was one of the best wedding experiences we’ve ever had.

Our fun at the hotel began before the reception ever started. We had about an hour to kill before the official start of the reception. So, what does a photographer do with a spare hour, a gorgeous couple, and one of the best wedding parties in the world? He enters photography heaven! We had so much fun! We took serious pictures and silly pictures and pictures of the bridesmaids on the groomsmen’s backs and the girls playing pool (well…kind of) and the guys playing chess and the groom laying on the pool table kissing the bride! In short, the result was an epic photo session.

Vivian and Andrei’s wedding reception was a blast. Dinner was amazing. The toasts were funny. They even had a surprise ballroom dance. And, once DJ Nixx started spinning, the dance floor never died. At the end of the evening, the newlyweds enjoyed one more private dance and then were sent off to the cheers of their friends and family.

Thank you, Vivian and Andrei, for being so wonderful! Elena and I enjoyed your wedding so much and are so happy for you both. We wish you many, many years of love and happiness together!