Some wedding days feel sweet. Some feel sacred. Jaydee and Israel’s wedding day on January 17, 2026 felt like both, with a little sprinkle of pure fairytale magic on top.
Jaydee got ready at her parents’ home, full of that calm, happy energy that only happens when a family is soaking in a moment they have dreamed about for years. Their ceremony and portraits took place at St. Thomas University in Houston, inside the stunning Chapel of St. Basil, and the party ended the night at D’Gala Event Center in Pasadena, Texas with a dance floor that stayed alive the entire time.
And the best part? This campus is not just a pretty location for them. It is their story. Where they met. Where they had their first dates. Where Israel proposed. Where we took their engagement photos. And now, where they finally got to say “I do.”
St. Thomas University Was Always Part of the Plan
There are venues that are beautiful, and then there are venues that are meaningful. St. Thomas University is both, but for Jaydee and Israel it is the heartbeat of their relationship.
Walking the campus with them felt like being let in on a secret little world. Every corner had a memory attached to it. Every path we took carried a piece of their beginning. It made the entire day feel grounded in something deeper than just wedding day excitement. It felt full circle.
If you want to see how this story looked during their engagement season, you can check out their engagement photos at St. Thomas University here.
Getting Ready at Home and My Favorite “First Look”
Let me tell you something about photographing getting ready. There is always this moment, every single time, where I see the bride in her dress for the first time, and it hits me in the chest.
It feels like my own little first look, because by that point I have spent months planning alongside her. Talking timelines. Dreaming up photo moments. Hearing the excitement in her voice and the nerves in her messages. So when she steps into the dress, it is like a quiet moment of “We are here. This is really happening.”
And when I saw Jaydee?
Oh my goodness.
She looked like an actual princess. Lace, sparkle, the most stunning ballgown, and this glow that was pure Jaydee. I swear my heart did that little lurch thing it always does, and then I remembered, yet again, how lucky I am to do this job.
The Chapel of St. Basil Ceremony and Yes, a Dove Release
The Chapel of St. Basil is breathtaking on its own, but add in the emotion of a wedding ceremony and it becomes something else entirely. The kind of place that makes you take a deep breath the second you step inside.
Jaydee and Israel’s ceremony was filled with love and happy tears and the kind of joy that comes from knowing the journey it took to get here.
And then came the dove release.
Yes. A dove release.
Right after the ceremony, as if this day was not already giving major fairytale energy, they released doves and it was one of those moments where everyone just smiled because it felt so hopeful and symbolic and beautiful.
Golden Hour on Campus and the Photographer Dream Timeline
Okay, can we talk about the fact that I got an hour and a half with them during golden hour?
Truly. A dream.
The light was soft, the campus was glowing, and every location we moved through felt like a new scene in a movie. St. Thomas University gives you so much variety. Romantic architecture, dreamy walkways, beautiful landscaping, and that warm golden light bouncing everywhere.
The photos are the kind you do not just scroll past. They stop you.
The Garage First Dance Practice Moment That Stole My Heart
Before we headed to the reception, we tucked away in a campus garage while waiting on their getaway car. It was supposed to just be a quick pause.
But instead, it turned into one of my favorite moments of the entire day.
They started practicing their first dance in the ambient glow of the garage. Just the two of them. Laughing, swaying, soaking each other in, like they were reminding themselves, “We are married. We made it.”
Those are the moments I will always chase. The in-between moments. The real ones. The ones that feel like your actual relationship.
D’Gala Event Center in Pasadena and a Party That Did Not Quit
Once we got to D’Gala Event Center in Pasadena, it was time to celebrate.
And when I tell you these two know how to party, I mean it.
Their people were ready. The energy was high, the dance floor stayed packed, and there were so many moments of pure joy. The kind of reception where you can literally feel how loved the couple is by every person in the room.
Long Distance Love and Finally Being Together
Jaydee and Israel have been long distance while Israel has been working toward his doctorate in pediatric health. Long distance is not easy. It takes commitment, patience, and a lot of trust.
So watching them finally get to step into this season where the wait is over and they get to be together fully?
That was everything.
A Note to Jaydee & Israel
Jaydee and Israel, thank you for trusting me with your day and your story. Thank you for giving me the honor and responsibility of documenting moments you will keep forever. From your engagement season to your wedding day, it has been such a gift to walk alongside you. Your love is joyful, steady, and full of light, and I am so grateful I got to capture it the way it deserves.
Planning a Wedding at St. Thomas University or the Chapel of St. Basil?
If you are planning your wedding at St. Thomas University, the Chapel of St. Basil, or anywhere in Houston and you want photos that feel candid, cinematic, and deeply you, I would love to be the one to document it.
Ready to start planning? Inquire with me here, and tell me about your date, your venue, and what you are dreaming up. I cannot wait to hear your story.
