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!
One tradition we made up was how our bridal party, family, and each of us walked down the aisle. We had a bridesman with a bridesmaid on each arm. Our mothers escorted each other down, and our fathers walked each one of us down.
Read MoreWhen I dreamt of a wedding, it looked a lot like the royal wedding from one of my favorite movies: “Coming to America.” My dress came pretty close to that “dramatic” and classic effect. Glenn wanted a classic and sharp look in his black tux — and he nailed it!
Read MoreIt's not uncommon to have your ceremony location and reception location be far apart, and if you're considering a remote location, you might have to consider how guests get back and forth from the venue to their hotel. Renting buses or limos can be a great way to provide a thoughtful service to your guests, but it can be hard to know who to trust for your wedding day transportation.
Read MoreCleveland holds such a special place in their hearts. It is where they first met, bought their first home, are raising their fur baby Napoleon together, and are saying their "I DOs" this summer. Of course, Edgewater Park was the perfect location for this beautiful couples engagement photos!
Read MoreThe heat was impossible, but Keisha and her girls handled it like champions for pictures before the ceremony, and although we didn't get to shoot outdoors with the guys, Larry and Keisha's outdoor portraits make it hard to believe it was so hot outside! Watching Larry with his family and friends, it is easy to see why he is liked by everybody, and he could hardly make it down the aisle for his ceremony because he made sure to acknowledge everyone and say hello.
Read MoreThree years prior to the day they wed, Sean and Ryan met. “Our meeting was pure luck, and not just because it was on St. Patrick's Day. Sean was on a scavenger hunt and needed the shamrock beads that Ryan was wearing. He won the hunt and scored Ryan’s number!” They’ve been together ever since.
You should feel beautiful, happy, and confident in whatever you choose to wear for your wedding day. But unless you live in a vacuum, it’s hard to stick to your vision, or even decide on a vision without everyone offering an opinion. Making matters worse is the generic advice in every wedding magazine on how to find your “perfect” dress.
Read MoreAs soon as we saw the wrapping papers included in our mystery box, we were transported to the end of the 80s and early 90s. All the textures, patterns, and shapes brought us back to a time of bright makeup, Saved by the Bell, flashy clothes, and fun music. We wanted to make sure those textures and patterns were felt and seen throughout the shoot as our inspiration, but with a contemporary modern twist.
Read MoreGoing to a protest as a first date was fitting for these two Chicago land activists who are planting seeds of change all around their community. Bianca and Christina are passionate about making this world we live in a better and equal place for all. Love just happened naturally and sprouted fast for these two. They may even admit that it was L-O-V-E at first sight for the both of them. As they approach two years of being together, it still feels like fireworks and butterflies to them.
Read MoreI’m going to be honest for a second. As a photographer, while I always feel a connection with my couples, I don’t feel every story and couple equally. It is safe to say I got a little extra emotional at Nick and Luis's wedding. Starting during the ceremony I became aware of a different depth to the day. Luis was looking at Nick, and his eyes said it all: love and gratitude.
Read MoreWe met in person for drinks and were unanimously feeling we had picked the perfect couple. Our first evening together was spent listening to stories of their meeting: an almost-missed connection, driving hours to meet halfway for a first date, facing a fear of heights, falling in love, moving to the same city, revisiting the first date and Carolina’s fear of heights during the proposal (“I still don’t know what the view looks like.”). We felt that Sarah's entire body seemed to smile while talking about Carolina, and Carolina's deep, soulful smile and tenderness toward her future bride were qualities we couldn't wait to convey.
Read MoreWe first met in our high school algebra II class my junior year and his senior year. He started to sit by me everyday. Then one thing led to another, and our small talk over homework turned into flirting. He would randomly ask, “Why are you blushing?” in order to make me blush. I refused to let him win and make me blush. But no matter what I did, without knowing, my cheeks would automatically get a little rosy each time he asked me. For my birthday that year he showed up to class with a present for me. Of course he had to ask me, “Why are you blushing?” in order to embarrass me a little. I never imagined he thought of me as anything more than a friend until that day.
Read MoreNick and Kristin were married this past fall in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They chose their wedding venue to be the historic James J. Hill Library because it felt timeless, just like their love for each other. Their wedding style was gothic, crisp, and classic. They will have been together eight years this March!
Read More“Let’s do a shoot that involves cats…and motorcycles!” That was the sentence that began this project. Later we’d add to the list: deer teeth, parachute pants, and a grungy bouquet of flowers with roots still attached.
Read More“I wanted to be part of the styled shoot because it seemed like something Elaina and I would have a lot of fun doing. I also thought my mom would be thrilled to see us dressed up in wedding clothes…I’ve learned more about event planning, floral arrangements, photography, hair and makeup in one day than I ever had before. It was just such an unusual day for me that when I think about it, it feels like a breath of fresh air.” —Bryce, Groom
Read MoreA group of us creatives meet our perfect match: a young couple married two years, who never had their wedding day in the sun. They married at a courthouse before moving abroad to teach English in Korea. There was no first look, no dress shopping, and no being doted upon. Even before we met our couple, we decided to stretch ourselves and what we consider possible by using one couple and one base outfit — but in wildly different aesthetics.
Read MoreThis styled shoot steps away from the more traditional wedding attire and keeps the focus on the couple's connection, supporting the free and wild spirits out there and showcasing that marriage and love truly is meant for everyone, no matter who you are, where you are, or what you're wearing.
Read MoreKelly and Tom met during Lollapalooza weekend at exactly this spot in 2013, so this location was very important to him. On a perfectly crisp November afternoon, we met at Buckingham Fountain under the guise of maternity photos. I began their session just as I would any other. Focusing on that sweet bump, a few on her own, a few of them together. Until we made it around to "the spot".
Read MoreWe’re about to introduce you to one of our favorite people we’ve met this year. If you are a Midwestern couple planning a wedding for 2017, we envy you. Quick! Hire Emily Alt of Watassa Wedding Photography before she’s booked up!
Read MoreFor starters, aren't these two the cutest? We started at a hole-in-the-wall pub called The Anchor and ended up in the heart of Wichita, Kansas. From the moment I met these two, I felt like I was hanging out with a couple of old friends. It was a nice summer Saturday filled with laughter (and lots of it) and love. We incorporated the little aspects of their relationship like imported beer, handwritten notes, and unique architecture. I would celebrate Jess and Jessica's love for each other every day of the week if I could. The passion and love they have for each other shows in every image that I took. I am overjoyed that I get to openly share their story and their soulful love for each other.
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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!
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