Real Weddings, Advice, & Inspiration

Catalyst Wedding Company highlights weddings by and for game-changers. We seek to amplify and empower voices and viewpoints that are usually missing from the Wedding Industrial Complex. We're a community of badass wedding professionals who love all things funky, fresh, diverse, unique, and personality-driven; we convene twice yearly for (un)convention, a collaborative workshop, styled shoot, and dinner party. We're also the publishers of Catalyst Wedding Mag, a resource for couples looking for inspiration and affirmation that doing things differently in wedding-world is not only ok, it's wonderful!

I will tell you the best thing about being married—it literally is like having a sleepover with your best friend every night. Before I met Natalie, there was nothing I hated more than this sleepover saying. I thought it was stupid and inaccurate. I was so wrong. Natalie and I make it a point to always let the other person know that they are appreciated, either through word or deed, and both of us work consciously to make sure the other person’s “love tank” is full (Read the book 5 Love Languages—it’s amazing). Knowing that you have a partner and best friend who is always trying to make you feel loved and secure makes it so easy to give that back to them in return.

Press 626 is Natalie and my favorite place to go for date night dinner, a nightcap, or Sunday brunch. It is also the last place we went to brunch before she was deployed and the first place we took our parents to brunch for Natalie’s homecoming. The vibe is very eclectic, classy, and cool, and the staff is amazing! The upstairs room, where the photos were taken, is an absolute gem and gave us some privacy for our photos. Somehow the bartender also managed to capture our distinct personalities when he made us our drinks to have during the photo shoot.

The Freemason District where we went for the second set of photos has amazing cobblestone streets, is on the water, and has the perfect viewing spot for the sunset. Also, it allowed us to have Olga make an appearance in our photos, since she has been so integral to our love story.

Words by Carmen, one of the future brides, as told by Amber Marlow. Photos by The Girl Tyler.

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia Carmen and Natalie on sofa

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia carmen and natalie clinking glasses together

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia kiss in corner of wine bar

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia candid embrace from behind

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia couple laughing in front of colorful mural

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia kiss on forehead on cobblestone street with their dog olga

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia kiss on shoulder with greenery in background

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia natalie and carmen kissing olga's cheeks

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia kiss while olga sits on lap

Wine Bar Engagement Virginia candid on cobblestone street

VENDORS

Photography | The Girl Tyler

First location | Press 626 Wine Bar

Make up | Beth with Behind the Veil

Carmen’s hair | Darling and Dapper Studio

Natalie’s hair | Mia with G Patton Salon

THE GIRL TYLER

The Girl Tyler specializes in photography and cinema, creating modern and honest wedding and lifestyle images, passionate commercial photography, and brilliant films. Our company is comprised of a girl named Tyler, her husband Martin, and his brother Graham. Tyler started the whole thing with her love of visual storytelling—from design to photography. Then her filmmaking, tech-savvy husband joined in to help with photography and offer video. Lastly, Graham was brought on board to round out the team, fresh out of college with a degree in filmmaking and serious skills in audio design.